1.Drink water
Make sure you sip water occasionally all through the day. Buy a water bottle and carry it to work. When you are at home drink water regularly. Ensure that the water you are drinking is clean. If you love tap water at least boil it first. Keep a water dispenser and clean glasses. Water makes your skin healthier and supple. It keeps your hair shiny while flushing out toxins from your body. It aids in digestion and keeps cramps and muscle spasms away. If you are like me and you sometimes get bored drinking water, squeeze a lemon in your glass, add mint or a cucumber slice.I like putting small diced watermelon. This makes me wanna drink it more.
2. Cauliflower.
This is a nutrient dense veggie that is a great alternative to your everyday kale, spinach and cabbage.It can be prepared in many ways which ill be highlighting in subsequent posts.
3. local foods
eat more traditional and local foods. These are traditional greens like amaranth (terere) , arrowroot, beetroots, yams and sweet potatoes. These foods are not only neglected but they have great nutritional qualities. You can buy them in your local open markets or in the supermarkets.
4. Portion control
If you are battling weight, eat smaller portions often as opposed to large portions thrice a day. Include fruit and vegetables in this portions and reduce the carbohydrates and starches.
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| credits. Brew Bistro & Lounge |
5. Protein breakfast
I sometimes find that bread is what is considered breakfast in most Kenyan households. How many times do you have proteins on that breakfast table.I love eggs, whether boiled or fried. Milk,sausages, smokies,bacon and ham are great too. You can have a day of the week where you take yoghurt. My all-time favorite is Daima , back currant flavour.
6. Homemade Juices
Buy a blender or a juice extractor this year. Avoid processed juices and soft drinks. Occasionally, I do enjoy a cold Fanta black currant but I will try to make more healthy smoothies and cocktails which i will share with you in time.
7.Chilli
Yes, believe it or not. Chillies not only make your food hot and spicy but are good for you too. They are one of the food trends for 2014. People who eat chillies rarely suffer from cardiovascular diseases. They help improve digestion and burn fat. They reduce the risk of prostrate cancer.They also boost the blood circulation.
8.Avocado
Avocado is sweet and good for you. it can be incorporated in most staple meals. staple meals in Kenya are ugali, rice , githeri and so on. add this on the side of your plate more often this year.
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| credits. healthsandnutrition.com |
9.Soup.
There are a million and one ideas to make soup. Get one recipe from the internet and make it in the comfort of your own home. At least try a new soup every month if not every week.
Enjoy...
Image credits. foodnetwork.com
In your quest to healthy living for 2014, there is an aspect or twists that I think should be noted; preparation methods of food and most importantly, lifestyles. I think with all the food s that we have around, our greatest undoing is not asking ourselves how the food was prepared. We may have local foods and or go to 'green' restaurant but the amount of fat picked up while biting tasty biting......you would wish you were not there. Any-who, I always prefer having all vegetables steamed as compared to fried and well use the extra money on some good spices to entice the taste buds while minimizing on the salt uptake. As much we would love to exercise portion control, I believe that we need to shift to foods that make us full for longer and with the deserved energy punch. Exercise is an integral part of lifestyle for everyday living and if incorporated, it goes a long way in maintaining ourselves. I also lag abit in this exercise department but I am on course back....lool. So food is just so much to it than just enjoying it or satisfying the hunger.....but also an art that if exercised accordingly, will land you some pretty awesome luck with people.
ReplyDeletePs. If you have a kiss the cook t-shirt kindly have one for me.......You will know why.looool
Hey Warui, I agree with you 100%.. On the aspect of portion control it is not such a great idea for those battling with weight control to eat large portions at once. But i think they should pack their plates with more vegetables and fruit. And preparation methods also differ, boiled and steamed foods are healthier than deep fried foods. I think it is up to an individual to check what he/she eats. Though it is sometimes hard to do that especially if you are working in an office and the only foods you can find at lunch times are fast foods. With regards to the t-shirt, I'm on it...
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