Food for Thought – Eat Right to Stay Well
What we put into our body will show – physically on the outside and also in test results during a medical checkup. Hence, what we eat is, undoubtedly, essential for our health and overall wellbeing.
We continue our series of bad habits that we can unknowingly develop during this current stay home measures. Let’s tuck into food!
Nothing like home-cooked food
One positive thing that stands out during this period is that more people are giving more thought about their health. They are putting in the effort by engaging in home-based fitness workouts, doing their part with the household chores – as a form of healthy physical activity nonetheless – and even trying their hand at home cooking and baking.
The Internet is filled with a selection of cooking tutorials and whatnots. But in our excitement to try something, we tend to overlook the most essential elements or ingredients – the ingredients themselves! That is when good intentions can go awry.
It’s a balancing act
Being able to whip up your favourite dish, your must-have confectionary items is an achievement worth celebrating. However, be aware of the ingredients and in particular, its servings. Having to stay home means you’re less likely to need the extra calories and those extra bits can, in turn, cause extra bits on the body – in worse cases, severe medical conditions as well.
Even when we think we’re cooking healthy, things can turn out the opposite. Sure baking is presumably healthier than frying, but what about the amount of your food intake? What’s the point of cooking healthier but still be on the same or more amount of food? Just because something is healthier does not mean you can have more of it. There is a balance to be struck.
Stress is a habit
Constant practice becomes a habit, but if we’re practising the wrong things, then they surely become bad habits. So as much as you’re trying to improve on your culinary skills, don’t lose focus on trying to do it right. Habits are notoriously hard to break!
Stress eating is another bad habit. People indulge in what to them is comfort food to alleviate anxieties. Food can affect one’s mood, but overindulgence can change one’s health – so you decide. If being stressed is your excuse for grabbing bars of chocolates then perhaps that stress is the bad habit that you have to get rid off via other healthier means.
Food for thought
Eating right to fit your body’s needs and factoring in your situation, such as whether your body needs those calories and that it can use them appropriately are just some considerations that you should look into. Getting advice from a qualified nutritionist or dietician would be ideal, but realistically, not many people do that. Consulting a doctor to get a gauge of your body type and needs is a good start.
Always be aware of what you’re doing to your body, and this includes the food you eat. Have a better understanding of what goes into your food and cultivate good dietary and culinary habits. More importantly, it will help in not picking up bad ones unknowingly. Stay home, stay safe and stay informed.
