Eat The Right Food Daily For Your Health And Stay Healthy

Basic Nutrition And Our Daily Dieting

The extract is from Vegetarian Society and Dr.Ja. As I look at them and after making some adjustment of text ,I hope the text serves as a sound guidelines for proper dieting for vegetarians and apply equally well for those who want to cut down the body weight even he/she is not a vegetarian. By additon of red meat and fresh fish( Sea-water fish is preferable to fresh-water fish because it has less bacteria,and it also tastes better) the non-vegetarians could certainly benefit the most in their diet by following the given suggestions.

Ayurvedic guidelines about eating

Eat three meals and zip your lips in between.
Eat at right times – Break fast around 7.00 am , lunch around noon and dinner around 6-7.00 pm
Respect the food you will be eating
Sit Down and eat. Enjoy eating. Don’t eat on the run, or watch TV or work on the computer while eating.
Don’t just eat raw foods. Eat freshly cooked food.
Eat with proper frame of mind. Be happy when you eat, not depressed, worried, angry or sad. You may ingest those emotions with food, and it will not be digested well.
Eat enough quantity that you feel full. Don’t eat less, you may end up eating in couple of hours, or don’t eat too much. It will create indigestion and you will feel lethargic.
Take time, chew food longer. You will enjoy it more.
My Doctor recommends eating small frequent meals – ( 5-6 times a day). Why does Ayurveda recommend eating only three meals?
Eating three meals a day and zipping the lips in between is the perfect way of eating. It takes about 5-6 hours to go thru’ all stages of digestion. If we eat before, food stays undigested, causes gas, bloating and, discomfort. Instead of eating smaller meals, we should eat enough to feel full, so we don’t feel hungry soon.

Introduction

Many people worry that when they stop eating meat and fish, they might be in danger of some nutritional deficiency. This is not the case as all the nutrients you need can easily be obtained from a vegetarian diet. In fact research shows that in many ways a vegetarian diet is healthier than that of a typical meat-eater. (my comment: It is true,we tend to eat more meat than plants)

Nutrients are usually divided into five classes:

carbohydrates, proteins, fats (including oil), vitamins and minerals.
We also need fibre and water. All are equally important to our well-being,

Carbohydrate, fat and protein are usually called macro-nutrients and the vitamins and minerals are usually called micro-nutrients.
Most foods contain a mixture of nutrients (there are a few exceptions, like pure salt or sugar) but it is convenient to classify them by the main nutrient they provide. Still, it is worth remembering that everything you eat gives you a whole range of essential nutrients.
MEAT supplies protein, fat, some B vitamins and minerals (mostly iron, zinc, potassium and phosphorous FISH, in addition to the above, supplies vitamins A, D, and E, and the mineral iodine. All these nutrients can be easily obtained by vegetarians from other sources, as this Information Sheet shows.

Protein

Women need about 45g of protein a day (more if pregnant, lactating or very active), men need about 55g (more if very active). Evidence suggests that excess protein contributes to degenerative diseases. Vegetarians obtain protein from:
• Nuts: hazels, brazils, almonds, cashews, walnuts, pine kernels etc.
• Seeds: sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, linseeds.
• Pulses: peas, beans, lentils, peanuts.
• Grains/cereals: wheat (in bread, flour, pasta etc), barley, rye, oats, millet, maize (sweetcorn), rice.
• Soya products: tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein, veggieburgers, soya milk.
• Dairy products: milk, cheese, yoghurt (butter and cream are very poor sources of protein).
• Free range eggs.
You have may have heard that it is necessary to balance the complementary amino acids in a vegetarian diet. This is not as alarming as it sounds. Amino acids are the units from which proteins are made. There are 20 different ones in all. We can make many of them in our bodies by converting other amino acids, but eight cannot be made, they have to be provided in the diet and so they are called essential amino acids.
Single plant foods do not contain all the essential amino acids we need in the right proportions, but when we mix plant foods together, any deficiency in one is cancelled out by any excess in the other. We mix protein foods all the time, whether we are meat-eaters or vegetarians. It is a normal part of the human way of eating. A few examples are beans on toast, muesli, or rice and peas. Adding dairy products or eggs also adds the missing amino acids, eg macaroni cheese, quiche, porridge.
It is now known that the body has a pool of amino acids so that if one meal is deficient, it can be made up from the body's own stores. Because of this, we don't have to worry about complementing amino acids all the time, as long as our diet is generally varied and well-balanced. Even those foods not considered high in protein are adding some amino acids to this pool.

Carbohydrate

Carbohydrate is our main and most important source of energy, and most of it is provided by plant foods. There are three main types: simple sugars, complex carbohydrates or starches and dietary fibre.
• (1)The sugars or SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATE can be found in fruit, milk and ordinary table sugar. Refined sources of sugar are best avoided as they provide energy without any associated fibre, vitamins or minerals and they are also the main cause of dental decay.
• (2)COMPLE CARBOHYDRARE are found in cereals/grains (bread, rice, pasta, oats, barley, millet, buckwheat, rye) and some root vegetables, such as potatoes and parsnips. A healthy diet should contain plenty of these starchy foods as a high intake of complex carbohydrate is now known to benefit health.
The World Health Organisation recommends that 50-70% of energy should come from complex carbohydrates. The exact amount of carbohydrate that you need depends upon your appetite and also your level of activity. Contrary to previous belief a slimming diet should not be low in carbohydrates. In fact starchy foods are very filling relative to the number of calories that they contain.
• (3)Dietary Fibre: Dietary fibre or non-starch polysaccharide (NSP), as it is now termed, refers to the indigestible part of a carbohydrate food. Fibre can be found in unrefined or wholegrain cereals, fruit (fresh and dried) and vegetables. A good intake of dietary fibre can prevent many digestive problems and protect against diseases like colon cancer and diverticular disease. The unrefined carbohydrates, like wholemeal bread and brown rice are best of all because they contain essential dietary fibre and B vitamins.

Fats & Oils

Too much fat is bad for us, but a little is necessary to keep our tissues in good repair, for the manufacture of hormones and to act as a carrier for some vitamins. Like proteins, fats are made of smaller units, called fatty acids. Two of these fatty acids, linoleic and linolenic acids, are termed essential as they must be provided in the diet. This is no problem as they are widely found in plant foods.
Fats can be either saturated or unsaturated (mono-unsaturated or poly-unsaturated). A high intake of saturated fat can lead to a raised blood cholesterol level and this has been linked to heart disease. Vegetable fats tend to be more unsaturated and this is one of the benefits of a vegetarian diet. Mono-unsaturated fats, such as olive oil or peanut oil, are best used for frying as the poly-unsaturated fats, like sunflower or safflower oil are unstable at high temperatures. Animal fats (including butter and cheese) tend to be more saturated than vegetable fats, with the exception of palm oil and coconut oil.

Vitamins

Vitamin is the name for several unrelated nutrients that the body cannot synthesise either at all, or in sufficient quantities. The one thing they have in common is that only small quantities are needed in the diet. The main vegetarian sources are listed below:
Vitamin A (or beta carotene): Red, orange or yellow vegetables like carrots and tomatoes, leafy green vegetables and fruits like apricots and peaches. It is added to most margarines.
B Vitamins: This group of vitamins includes B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cyanocobalmin), folate, pantothenic acid and biotin.
All the B vitamins except B12 occur in yeasts and whole cereals (especially wheat germ), nuts & seeds, pulses and green vegetables.
Vitamin B12 is the only one that may cause some difficulty as it is not present in plant foods. Only very tiny amounts of B12 are needed and vegetarians usually get this from dairy produce and free range eggs. It is sensible for vegans and vegetarians who consume few animal foods to incorporate some B12 fortified foods in their diet. Vitamin B12 is added to yeast extracts, soya milks, veggieburgers and some breakfast cereals.
Vitamin C: Fresh fruit, salad vegetables, all leafy green vegetables and potatoes.
Vitamin D: This is vitamin is not found in plant foods but humans can make their own when skin is exposed to sunlight. It is also added to most margarines and is present in milk, cheese and butter. These sources are usually adequate for healthy adults. The very young, the very old and anyone confined indoors would be wise to take a vitamin D supplement especially if they consume very few dairy products.
Vitamin E: Vegetable oil, wholegrain cereals, eggs.
Vitamin K: Fresh vegetables, cereals and bacterial synthesis in the intestine.

Minerals

Minerals perform a variety of jobs in the body. Details of the some of the most important minerals are listed below:
Calcium: Important for healthy bones and teeth. Found in dairy produce, leafy green vegetables, bread, tap water in hard water areas, nuts and seeds (especially sesame seeds), dried fruits, cheese. Vitamin D helps calcium to be absorbed.
Iron: Needed for red blood cells. Found in leafy green vegetables, wholemeal bread, molasses, eggs, dried fruits (especially apricots and figs), lentils and pulses. Vegetable sources of iron are not as easily absorbed as animal sources, but a good intake of vitamin C will enhance absorption.
Zinc: Plays a major role in many enzyme reactions and the immune system. Found in green vegetables, cheese, sesame and pumpkin seeds, lentils and wholegrain cereals.
Iodine: Present in vegetables, but the quantity depends on how rich the soil is in iodine. Dairy products also have plenty of iodine. Sea vegetables are a good source of iodine for vegans.

In addition to the above-mentioned categories, I would like to suggest the intake of plant beverages like herbal tea(of flowers/roots/leaves) which is very rich in minerals and anti-oxidants. Moreover:

According to Chinese traditional concept of OPTIMUM/IDEAL dieting:

(1)We should eat the food that comes from various parts of plant: Flowers,leaves,stem and root
(2)According to the seasons, take as an example flower beverage is good for hot day or summer
(3)According to time(even hours) of the day: like FLOWER herbal tea is bad at night when body is at the YING state(low energy state), but ginger tea should be good at night. By the way-- Sex is bad for heart at mid-night(especially those having heart/BP problem),stomach is active for digestion say from 6-8 am(optimum time to eat your breakfast ); the lung is weak after 6pm(cold food is not appropriate); Liver and heart must have proper "rest" before twelve,therefore those who sleep after 12 mid-night plus heavy alcohol drinking is VERY BAD! the list go on and on.... This doctrine/subject is part of Chinese Medicine Study--so called "MEDICATION ACCORDING TO QI FLOW TO DIFFERENT ORGANS IN THE BODY".

o *Try to eat according to season, following your body type and need ,and listen to what your body tells you about what you are eating.
o Have skin disease, don’t eat onion, or other things that are pungent.
o If you have weak Spleen and Stomach (puffy tongue, loose stools, poor appetite, bloating), do not eat foods that are too cold in the morning (orange juice, banana, cold yogurt, fruit smoothies, etc). This type of breakfast is more suitable for the person that shows Heat signs.
Women have more taste than men. Men more use the nose (smell).
o Boil bitter melon just briefly, then store for 24 hours in the fridge before eating.
o Qiang Chai vegetable cooked (stir fried in water) then left in the fridge for one day produces alcohol (green vegetable)
o At different times of the day foods effect you differently, just like we know not to drink coffee just before we go to bed!
o Any Bi syndrome, avoid tomatoes, they are cold and sour.
o Vitamin A goes to the Liver for the eyes.
o Celery is bitter cold, proof that it slows sperm (essence), good to drain Damp/Heat.
o Alcohol have different energies (not all damp/heat), the different herbs they are made with adjust their properties, i.e. brandy is made with Chen Pi, gin is made with juniper berries, peppermint schnapps, etc.
o Tonify the Blood: carrots (liver, Spleen), beets, cherries, spinach, dark grapes, marrow, easily digestable grains, raspberries
o Tonify Kidney Qi: animal kidneys, lobster, lamb, seeds, dry nuts, rosehips, beans, turnip, raspberry, sprouts, blueberry
o Tonify Lung: almond, dry apricots
o Tonify Liver: cranberry, blueberry, mulberry, raspberry
In spring, should you eat more sour? Depends on the person. Normal situation, we should eat more sweet because it’s energy is rising, if too much it will overact on the Spleen so eat sweet to protect it.
In Summer, eat less bitter, slightly more pungent food to protect the lungs.
In fall, less pungent and eat some sour too keep it from overacting on the liver. Also things that nourish the lung are beneficial, i.e. pears (if the person is of cold constitution can steam with cinnamon and maple syrup)
In late summer, one can eat a little more salty in preparation for winter for the kidney.
Although you must see if there is excess or deficiency:
If there is Liver Fire (energy going upward and outward): eat more sour cold
Qi and Yang deficiency should eat more warm foods, avoid a lot of cold energy foods or try to change their properties if people do not want to avoid certain things

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