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Food as Medicine: Does What You Eat Influence Your Health?

Posted: 30 Mar, 2023 Contributor: Rashi Chaudhary
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Many nutritionists, researchers, and diet experts worldwide have been saying for years that our dietary habits play an essential role in keeping us fit and healthy.

Have you wondered why our grandparents or mothers have always insisted we eat clean, pure, and healthy “Ghar Ka Khana”? It is because healthy, homely meals consist of sufficient nutrients to support our health so that we can stay away from illnesses and viruses.

Due to fewer toxic processed foods in their era, they know the importance of using food as medicine.

Whenever you visit a local doctor, in most cases, he or she will advise you on what to eat as well. In fact, “What can I eat?” is one of the most asked questions whenever we fall sick. Isn’t it?

What is the Impact of Food Choices on Our Health?

Take the global pandemic as an example. Many articles and reports were flooding the Internet regarding the importance of consuming immunity-boosting foods. And for a change, most people began to realise the gravity of the situation and indulged in foods known to strengthen gut health, like turmeric milk, vitamin C-enriched fruits, mushrooms, green leafy veggies… the list goes on. The best part is the majority of those who rigorously followed a healthy lifestyle during Covid-19 have stayed protected or had a speedy recovery if they were contaminated. Nutrition did help to fight against the global pandemic, according to the National Library of Medicine.

We are not saying that medicines are useless and we only need to focus on our dietary choices. We are saying that your dietary choices play a big role to prevent, cure, and treat certain ailment. So, if we invest in healthy food, it can actually act as medicine, by making people and the planet healthier as a whole. As per a study in The Lancet, poor nutrition is responsible for 11 million diseases that cause death around the world, such as cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, etc.

To give you a better understanding, this guide will help you understand how eating quality food helps us to lead a healthy, disease-free life. Keep scrolling!

Aids In Weight Management

No fruit or vegetable can directly cause weight loss. However, they help to manage weight because of their high fibre and low-calorie content. They give a fuller stomach feeling, so you eat less, avoid over-eating, and ultimately stick to your weight loss goals. According to Healthline, they also promote blood sugar control. For this reason, high-fibre foods are extremely good for diabetic patients.

Here is a list of foods that you must add to your daily diet to avoid over-eating and curb hunger:

  • Strawberries
  • Carrots
  • Beetroot
  • Broccoli
  • Sprouts
  • Lentils
  • Kidney Beans
  • Chickpeas
  • Quinoa
  • Oats
  • Almonds
  • Chia seeds

Prevent Nutrient Deficiencies

If you follow a restrictive diet, such as a vegan or keto diet, or you’re not consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, you are at increased risk of dietary deficiencies, as per Everyday Health. A person with a low amount of any important vitamins or minerals is likely to have fatigue, mood swings, constipation, muscle weakness, shortness of breath, etc. Therefore, it is essential to think of food as medicine, and eat a balanced, nutrient-enriched diet, and cut back on processed food high in sugar and salt. It’s that simple.

Support Mental Health

What we eat is directly proportional to how we feel. Eating well can help us feel better and improve our mood. According to Mental Health Organisation, sugar, and processed foods can lead to inflammation throughout the body and brain, which may contribute to mood disorders, including anxiety and depression. For this reason, it is essential to pay attention to what we eat to ensure our brain and body work well.

Eat a healthy diet that balances of fats, proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Stay hydrated, avoid packaged processed food, and combine this with regular physical activity and a good night’s sleep.

Strengthen Gut Health

Our immune system is responsible for fighting germs and viruses that make us fall sick and more prone to illness. A person with a healthy and strong gut can effectively fight back and will be at a lower risk of contracting any diseases or virus compared with a person with weak immunity who will be more susceptible to infections and have a longer recovery time. That’s precisely why we are assisting you in adding immunity-boosting food to your diet, like spinach, ginger, garlic, mandarin, pomegranate, amla, orange, or sweet potato.

Immunity doesn’t get stronger in a single day. So, you need to keep eating nutritious foods and stay hydrated to build your gut health over time and stay at minimum risk of falling sick.

Enhances Skin Health

To all the ladies out there, you probably already know how incredibly important vitamin C is for your skin. No matter what skincare regime you follow, nothing can beat the glow that you can get naturally, and for this reason, vitamin C is crucial. Eating a balanced diet loaded with vitamin C is the easiest and most effective way to get healthy skin. Not only does it make you look younger, but it also brightens the skin by removing blemishes. Foods like citrus fruits, leafy greens, turmeric, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes, and so on are ideal.

Final Thoughts:

When it comes to your health, eating a fresh, seasonal, healthy, wholesome diet is the most important thing you can do. It’s better to learn prevention measures rather than a cure. Dietary choices are imperative because they can make you healthier and less prone to diseases.

So, always think of food as medicine. Use it as a compliment rather than a replacement for conventional medicine. Combine it with an active lifestyle, and you’re good to go. Invest in quality food like OMKITCHEN’s fresh organic meals that are prepared with supreme organic ingredients. The produce they use in cooking undergoes lab testing to ensure authenticity. They offer the best of what’s in season while adhering to all safety and hygiene standards across Delhi/NCR. To know more: Call 8882210294 or visit www.omorganickitchen.com

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