Ola! It is indeed a new year. January 2021 is the perfect time to set new goals. As this year begins, why not make health your number one priority?
After weeks of excessive eating of “not-so healthy” foods, we may get back on track with a healthier diet and exercise program. No matter how healthy our diet is, the body is expose daily to a wide variety of potentially harmful substances. Heavy metals, pollutants, chemicals, radiation, and drugs all contribute to the subtle build-up of toxins in the body. "Eating fruits, vegetables and root crops" is one of the best recommendations for a healthy diet. Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables and root crops will supply the much-needed vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber that are deficient in the Filipino diet.
In addition, fruits, vegetables, and root crops can help cleanse our body from toxins that have built up over time. Fruits, vegetables, and root crops also provide defense against chronic degenerative diseases, such as heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, some types of cancer, painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and formation of cataract and macular degeneration, which are two common causes of vision loss.
It really does not matter what time of the year we cleanse our body but right after the holidays is most favorable because during Christmas time many people eat more than the typical share of sugar, fat, and processed foods. As we face more dietary-based health challenges than ever before, particularly now that there is COVID-19 pandemic. It is worth noting that there is a rapidly growing cases of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes mellitus which correlate almost exactly with the rise in the consumption of acid-forming foods such as sugars, saturated fats, white breads, and processed foods.
NNC COVID-19 Nutrition Advisory No. 6 also suggests that there are fruits and vegetables that may boost our immune system. See link https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=3189870074359079&set=pcb.3189870317692388
At the same time, however, our consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables and root crops has decreased dramatically since 2013, as revealed in the 2019 National Nutrition Survey of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST). The third guideline in the Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos developed by a team of experts led by the FNRI-DOST, prompts us to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and root crops daily.
Here are some tips from the nutritionist-dietitians to fit more fruits, vegetables and root crops into your day:
- Variety is the key to a healthy diet. Try some new fruits and vegetables, and even traditional root crops that we see in the market. Include dark green leafy vegetables as well as yellow, orange, and red fruits and vegetables.
- Make it a meal. Try some new recipes where vegetables take center stage, such as chunky potato-fruity salad or sautéed greens.
- Get some vegetables and root crops every meal, every day. Try filling half your plate with vegetables and one-fourth of the plate with root crops every meal. Serving salads or other vegetables and root crops makes it easier to reach this goal.
- Keep fruits where you can easily see them. One way of reminding the kids also and they will more likely eat them. Keep them out on the counter or on the dining table.
- Treat yourself to some fruits, vegetables and rootcrops at snack time, too. A cup of fresh sliced cucumber or boiled kamote or 2 pieces of saba banana are good substitutes over a slice of pizza or cookies.
Finally, to enhance the cleansing of the body, practice deep breathing and exercise regularly. A 20 to 30-minute a day regimen may be done on staggered basis during household work and even at work for employed members of the family will complete your day.
A combination of all these lifestyle choices will help you enjoy the New Year and reap the rewards of greater health, energy, and vitality.
Be healthy and fight disease whatever it is. Go, go, go for a better and healthier you this 2021!
By: NO III Angelita M. Pasos
