Lead a Healthy Lifestyle through a Balanced Diet
http://www.thailand4.com/.food/2013-12-02/218a7209d6a6ef3c540a80416e954b4b/
Food and Healthcare Press Releases Monday December 2, 2013 15:06
Bangkok–2 Dec–Grayling (Thailand)
“Eat more fruits and vegetables” is a health advice we are all too familiar with simply because of their nutritious values for our body, including high fiber that helps improve our digestive system. As people become more attentive to their physical well-being, whether it is because of the desire to stay healthy or to be in good shape, they eat more fruits and vegetables while avoid eating meat and animal products altogether. However, such eating habit may not be 100 percent as healthy as they think.
Dr. Kamon Chaiyasit, PhD, FACN Dietitian and Pharmacologist at Vitallife Wellness Center, a subsidiary of Bumrungrad International Hospital, offers his advice, “Eating food from all five food groups, which are protein, carbohydrate, fat, vegetables and fruits in appropriate quantity and proportion, is key to maintaining strength, energy and a healthy immune system. Eating the same food for an extended period of time can cause chemical residues to accumulate in the body. For instance, although eating seafood such as fish is perceived to be healthy, everything is a double edge sword. Consuming fish from areas closed to industrial zones may increase the risk of heavy metal accumulation. Therefore, consuming fish from safe areas is essential. In addition, to absorb nutrients, the body must rely on other nutrients to help with absorption process. When the body wants to absorb iron from vegetables, it needs protein. Vegetables that are high in iron include red beans, spinach and etc.”
Dr. Kamon added, “Next time you go to the supermarket, in addition to choosing low fat foods, opt for foods with unsaturated fat over saturated fat, and beware of trans fat because it is harmful to our body and it is often found in foods such as french fries and popcorn.”
Foods such as onions and pepper are great options to strengthen the immune system. Vitamins A, D, E, Zinc and calcium, along with Thai herbs, such as horse radish tree, Beijing grass, Gynura procumbens, Tiliacora triandra, Haonn goc and more are believed to have anti cancer effect but its lack of strong clinical research support.
In any case, eating vegetables, especially those with high fiber like green beans, beans, red beans, raw mango is good and necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, vegetables sold in the market today contain pesticides that can leave toxic residues in the body. Cabbage is among vegetables with high level of toxicity, followed by kale, lentils, onions, eggplant, lettuce, Coccinia grandis, lotus stem, banana blossom, Chinese water convolvulus, taro, yam, and luffa gourd.
As for effective ways to remove toxic residues from vegetables, carefully peel and soak them in a basin of water that has been dissolved with one tablespoon of Sodium Bicarbonate and rinse with water rigorously.
“From aforementioned examples, we can now see that although foods have countless benefits, they can also be harmful if you do not eat them right. Once we know this, just pay attention and be careful when you eat. Having a healthy life is not hard to accomplish,” Dr. Kamon concludes.
