5 Healthy Eating Habits that Adults Can Learn from Kids

If you pay any attention to television ads for kids' food or scan the baby food aisle at the supermarket, you'll immediately see that there's a heavy emphasis on healthy foods for little people. And if you happen to have kids, you probably put forth a valiant effort to give them the best nutrition possible. But the sad fact is, while we obsess about whether a food has too much fat or too many preservatives for our kids, we’ll throw just about anything down our own hatch. Consider how you could improve the quality of your own diet by adopting a few healthy eating habits kids usually follow.

5 Healthy Eating Habits that Adults Can Learn from Kids

1. Drink Your Milk!
   
   There's good reason why you should adopt the healthy eating habit of pouring yourself a glass of milk at dinner, too. Not only can dairy help build bone mass and strong teeth, but studies show that it can also cut the risk of hypertension, obesity, kidney stones, and colon cancer. Plus, because dairy contains a good amount of protein, you can help keep hunger at bay by drinking or eating milk products. On average, adult men and women need 1000 milligrams of calcium per day (older men and women need more – 1200 milligrams per day). For a very adult way to squeeze in dairy when you’re on the go, try a nonfat latte.
   
   
2. Pick Pure Produce
   
   Babies don't eat french fries, green beans covered in cream of mushroom soup and spinach drowning in butter – and neither should you. Prime baby foods are made from pure ingredients – simply vegetables and fruits blended with water. Why? It's important for children to get off to a good start by learning to appreciate the unadulterated flavors of produce. If you’ve strayed from this simple mindset and only like your produce fully loaded, smothered or dipped, rehab your own healthy eating habits by going back to basics. Try fresh, local, and in-season fruits and vegetables, which taste great on their own, as well as lightly steamed or roasted.
   
   
3. Serve Simple Cereal
   
   There is a lot of emphasis on starting infants out on pure cereals. If you read the labels on baby cereals, you'll find that there are very few – if any – additives like sugar and salt. But scan the cereal aisle of the local supermarket, and you'll realize the shelves are crammed with adult cereals that are loaded with refined grains and sugar. Take a cue from the little ones and choose simple, whole grain cereals that are low in sugar (less than 5 grams per serving). If you find you need more flavor, add your own fruit.
   
   
4. Drop Out of the Clean Plate Club
   
   Ever notice what a child does when they're done eating? Whatever food is left on the plate goes from being an edible to a plaything. While it's not suggested that you squish your food between your fingers when you're done, but that when you feel full, you should stop eating – a healthy eating practice that can save you hundreds of calories per meal.
   
   
5. Find Your Seat at the Table
   
   If you’re a parent yourself, there’s no doubt you've admonished your child for eating somewhere besides the table. It's likely that your aim in doing so is to prevent your sofa from becoming a food drop zone, but as an adult, eating at the table can have bigger rewards than clean furniture. When you sit to eat, you’re conscious of every bite that goes into your mouth, meaning that you minimize the risk of mindless eating – like devouring a bag of chips as you munch in front of the tube.
   
   

The Bottom Line

Harness your inner kid and adopt these healthy eating habits you thought you'd outgrown. Even better, when your meal is over, make like a kid and go outside and play!

Feeling Bloated

 Feeling bloated? What you eat (and don't eat) on a daily basis may be the reason for this common GI complaint.

Diet Habits and Foods That May Make You Bloated 

1. Watch out for gas-producing foods.

• Beans and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels spouts, and cabbage contain a complex sugar called raffinose. Raffinose is harder to digest than other sugars, so the intestinal bacteria have to work hard to act on these undigested foods, producing gas as a by-product. But don't pass on these beneficial foods to avoid bloating. Simply add higher fiber foods to your diet gradually so that your body gets used to them. Or take Beano enzymes to help digest these complex sugars.

2. Are you eating too much sodium?

• A sudden influx of salt makes your body retain water. Packaged foods and fried foods have higher level of salt. The recommended level of sodium intake is ~2,300 mg a day. But a serving of canned soup, for instance, can give you 800 mg of sodium alone. Even worse, instant noodles may top 1,800 mg of sodium in just one serving. Try fresh, whole foods instead. Fruits, for instance, are usually high in potassium. Potassium can actually counter the effect of too much sodium by making your kidneys excrete it!

3. Check sugar alcohols on food labels.

• Sugar alcohols are a type of sweetener, commonly found in chewing gums or other sugar-free products. Sugar alcohols are partially digested, causing your intestinal bacteria to produce gas as a result. To find out if your packaged foods contain sugar alcohols, look for ingredients ending with an "ol" - sorbitol, maltitol, xylitol, etc.

4. Are you lactose intolerant?

• Lactose intolerance is more common than you think. If you feel bloated or have diarrhea (more severe) within an hour of eating dairy, you may be lactose intolerant. Lactose is a naturally-occurring sugar found in dairy products. People with lactose intolerance lack a specific enzyme - lactase - needed to digest lactose. But don't give up milk - lactase enzyme pills or lactose-free milk will do the trick.

5. More fiber than you're used to.

• If you don't eat high-fiber foods often, a sudden high-fiber meal may cause you to feel bloated. As suggested above, gradually add fiber to your diet and you can avoid bloating.

Bottom Line
Occasional bloating is unlikely to do your body any harm. But if you suffer from frequent bloating, or abdominal pain after meals, speak to your doctor. 

As you Age

After the age of fifty-five or sixty, there occur many metabolic and physiological modifications in the body which affect the nutritional needs of an individual. As the body ages, the gastrointestinal tract changes and people tend to develop more problems while digesting the food. The metabolic rate slows down resulting in decreased need of calories. So, one has to be very careful while choosing diet for the elderly people.

An ideal diet for the elderly may consist of:

Food rich in fiber

A high-fiber diet can prevent constipation which reduces the risk of some common disorders in the intestine. Whole wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, dalia are fiber rich cereals. Whole grain pulses, sprouts beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, fruit and vegetables are also good sources of fiber. Dental problems and digestion is also an issue with age. Raw vegetables may not be tolerated well and can be steamed before eating. Whole grained cereals and pulses should also be cooked well and can be consumed in small portions per meal to allow digestibility.

Food rich in calcium

Osteoporosis is a major health issue for elderly people. Therefore their diet must contain a good supply of calcium. The main sources of calcium are dairy products such as milk, cheese and dahi. Other sources of calcium include green leafy vegetables, soyabean/tofu and some varieties of fish.

Fluids

It is vital to drink lots of fluids. Getting plenty of fluids helps prevent constipation, maintains blood pressure, flushes out toxins with urine and also improves appetite. Coconut water, lemonade, fresh fruit juices, clear soups, vegetable juices, rice ganji, lassi and milk all rehydrate the body and can be sipped on during the day.

Food rich in iron

Eating plenty of iron-rich foods helps in keeping up the body′s store of iron. The best source of iron is red meat but because it is high on fat, its consumption should be limited. Iron intake can be improved in diet by taking green leafy vegetables, eggs, kala channa, kala channa flour. It is advisable to avoid tea or coffee immediately after iron-rich meals because this might affect the absorption of iron by the body. 

Limiting salt intake

Most of the salt we eat is already in foods, and so it is significant to be aware of the salt content of prepared foods, which is the major source of salt. Avoid adding salt to the food when cooking and at the table. On an average, keep the salt intake not more than 5g per day (1 teaspoon).

Fruits

To ensure a good vitamin and antioxidant intake all seasonal fruits should be consumed. In particular, those high in Vitamin C, like citrus fruits such as oranges, lemon, grapefruits, and blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, mango, apple etc. As one ages, intolerances to certain fruits also increase, due to sourness or sweetness. Some find it difficult to chew upon a fruit (like apple) because of dental problems. So, eat the fruits which are acceptable and try innovative means of eating them like grated, chopped, and stewed.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for good bone strength. We get most of our vitamin D from the sunlight on our skin, but vitamin D is also found in dairy, fish, eggs and foods with added vitamins such as breakfast. A walk in the sun for 5-10 minutes a day is sufficient to allow Vit D synthesis in the body.  If you′re 65 or over, consult a doctor to check for Vit D supplementation.

A note from the Nutritionist

Though a low-fat, high-fiber diet is recommendable for the elderly people, it is not appropriate for all the elderly, especially those with repeated infections, generally in poor health or a poor appetite. It is important that these older people should choose a nutrient rich diet, high in providing protein, vitamins and minerals such as milk and dairy products, meat, eggs, fish, bread, cereals, and fruit and vegetables. A varied diet will also help to ensure sufficient nutritional intake.

After the age of fifty-five or sixty, there occur many metabolic and physiological modifications in the body which affect the nutritional needs of an individual. As the body ages, the gastrointestinal tract changes and people tend to develop more problems while digesting the food. The metabolic rate slows down resulting in decreased need of calories. So, one has to be very careful while choosing diet for the elderly people.

Healthy heart- way

The key to a heart healthy diet is to eat a high fiber diet, which is also low in fat, particularly animal fat (ghee and butter) and oils high in saturated fats like coconut and palm oil. For cooking, use small amounts of heart friendly oils like olive, corn, safflower, soybean, peanut, sesame and canola oils. Fiber has shown to reduce cholesterol levels. Inclusion of whole grains, vegetables and fruits will ensure that the diet is rich in fiber. Choose foods high in fibre like brown rice, whole wheat/multi-grain breads and cereals, whole wheat flour, etc instead of those products made with refined flour like maida, etc. A low sodium diet will help keep the blood pressure in check and hence can help in reducing the incidence of heart attacks. Hence, avoid foods high in salt like pickles, papads, ketchups, smoked/cured foods and other foods preserved in brine. Reducing the amount of salt used for cooking, using herbs for enhancing the flavor of the cooked food and using salt-substitutes help in reducing the dependence on table salt. Research has shown that foods high in omega-3 can reduce the risk of heart attacks. Foods high in omega-3 are oily fish like salmon, mackerel, herring and for vegetarians, walnuts, flax seeds and sun flower seeds. Be sure to include at least one source of omega-3 in your daily diet. Exercise has also shown to increase the good cholesterol (HDL), so don't forget to exercise* on a daily basis (*before starting on any exercise routine, always seek approval from your physician).

Option Early Morning Breakfast Mid Morning Lunch Evening Dinner 1 Walnuts Oatmeal porridge (1%fat milk), Blueberries Apple Whole Wheat phulkas/Rotis (no oil/ghee), Purple cabbage and peas curry, Dal fry, Tomato Salad, Yogurt (fat free) Green Tea Whole Wheat phulkas/Rotis (no oil/ghee), Mixed Veg Sabzi, Sprouts salad, Buttermilk (chaach), Peach 2 100% Grape Juice Cucumber and tomato sandwich with mint chutney (Doule fibre bread) Plum Whole Wheat phulkas/Rotis (no oil/ghee), Alu methi, Dal palak, Green salad, Yogurt (fat free) Tea (1% fat milk), Sprouted Moong Salad Brown Rice, Beans sabzi/ palya, Fish curry (or Masoor dal), Cucumber raitha, Strawberries 3 Toasted sunflower seeds Soy Idli, Sambar, Tomato chutney (no coconut) Nectarine Brown rice, Capsicum curry, Rajma curry, Steamed Asparagus, Mint raitha Fruit chaat (no sev/papdi) Whole wheat phulkas/Rotis (no oil/ghee), Carrot peas sabzi/palya, Tofu burji, Mixed Veg Salad, Blackberries 4 Green tea Multi-grain cereal with flax seed, 1% fat milk, Strawberries Raspberries 100 % Whole wheat wrap, Grilled chicken, Steamed veggies, Yogurt (fat free) Whole Wheat crackers Mixed Vegetable Pulao (with brown rice), Channa masala, Mint raita, Cantaloupe 5 Herb tea Double fibre bread, Egg white/ omelette, Orange Walnuts Mixed Veg soup, Whole Wheat rolls, Grilled Salmon, Tomato Salad, Buttermilk (low fat) Carrot sticks, Hummus Wheat Pasta with Vegetables, Grilled tofu, Corn and bean salad, Papaya

Thousands of people can prevent themselves from falling prey to heart dieases or a heart attack and YOU can be one of those thousands. Start your heart-friendly lifestyle today and save your heart!

Eat Well, Not Junk, on A Budget

 Once the holidays are over, we often find ourselves in belt-tightening mode - in more ways than one! That's why we want to know how to feed our family on a budget, without having to resort to takeout meals or regular stops at the drive-through window. Here are the Top 5 suggestions for tasty and healthy meals at home that won't drain your savings.

5 Top Money-Saving Ideas When Cooking on A Budget

One-dish wonder. Think about the range of possibilities: mouth-watering curries, comforting stews or casseroles, pasta (the old stand-by), saucy stir-fries, hearty soups, or the always-popular pizza. Creating a one-dish meal is a great way to: include lots of vegetables, especially when you have some that will otherwise go uneaten add soy to your diet save time during both preparation and cooking reduce the amount of meat you need have leftovers to freeze, take for lunch the next day, or incorporate into another meal Pantry (or freezer) power. Canned or frozen goods tend to cost less than their fresh counterparts. If you are the type of person who adopts New Year's resolutions, make reclaiming your pantry one of them! Clear out all non-food items from the pantry and stock up on the healthy staples. Most bang for your buck. Why pay lots of money for organic fruits or veggies when they may actually have inferior nutritional value? Foods labelled "organic" are not necessarily local. Some organic foods are flown in from faraway places, which contradicts the philosophy behind organic foods (sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices). Also, foods traveling that far can lose nutrients. If faced with the choice of buying locally-produced foods or organic-labeled food from another country, go local. Take a shortcut. Allow yourself one or two meals a week (maybe on your family's busiest nights) where you do not have to start from scratch. That way you get a break, but you're not tempted to eat out. Consider these examples: A hearty soup using reduced-salt chicken broth, or canned/Tetra-Pak vegetable-based soups with extra vegetables added in. For convenience, use frozen veggies. If you like, add some lean protein (meat or soy). Sprinkle some dried herbs for extra flavor without adding salt. Individual mini pizzas using muffins or tortillas as the crust. Start with tomato sauce from your pantry, add some cheese, and lay out as many toppings as you can muster up. Organize, organize, organize. Plan your meals one week at a time, peruse your local flyers and stick to a grocery list when shopping. It will help you take advantage of any specials in the store and prevent impulsive purchases. The rule is, if it is not on the list, it does not go into the grocery cart.

The Bottom Line

It is possible to eat healthy, great-tasting foods on a budget. It does mean investing some time to make your schedule and your kitchen conducive to easy home cooking. You and your family are worth that time investment!

Flex Your Diet Options with Non-Meat Protein

October is Vegetarian Awareness Month, which makes it a great time to try a few meatless meals. You might even want to join the Meatless Monday movement - which encourages people to go meatless one day every week, decreasing overall meat consumption by about 15%. But if you pull the meat from your plate, what can you use to replace the missing protein?

Meat-free Doesn't Mean Protein-Free
If you do plan to cut some of the meat from your diet, it's important to replace the protein, which builds and maintains muscles, organs, skin, and blood, assists in energy metabolism and cell processes, and helps maintain immune function. It's also the part of your meal that makes you feel the most full! The good news is that protein can be found in many types of foods - not just meat. From nuts to grains, and even vegetables, there are loads of options for protein in a meat-free meal. Check out the list below for some of the top non-meat sources of protein.

Non-Meat Protein Sources


Dairy products

Yogurt and low-fat cottage cheese are great protein options for breakfast or lunch. For dinner, start with a cheese plate (hard cheeses have the most protein), or serve a light dairy-based soup (made with milk, not cream).


Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds are easily sprinkled on a salad dish. Instead of a shredded chicken salad, make a meatless salad by preparing your vegetable portion as usual. Then sprinkle some chopped nuts or whole seeds on top of your salad to add some protein power.


Soy, soy milk, and tofu

Tofu works very well in stir-fries and other Asian dishes, but you can also cook it on the grill. Marinate your tofu "steaks" just like you would meat, then sear on all sides.


Beans and lentils

Lentils are great in hearty soups, and beans can be used to cook up a vegetarian chili. Or, try serving hummus as an appetizer, or even as a replacement for butter on your toasts or rolls.


Whole grains like millet, barley, and especially quinoa

Many whole grains can be cooked and used in place of pasta or rice, giving protein power to what's traditionally thought of as a high-carb dish. Top with your favorite (non-meat) sauce, and enjoy!
Protein can also be found in many vegetables, but not in the quantities as the items in the list above. Asparagus, broccoli, kale, and other dark-green vegetables offer the most protein from the vegetable family.

The Bottom Line

While meat is certainly what most of us think of when we think of protein, you can add protein to your diet through a variety of non-meat sources. So don't be afraid to skip the meat once in a while, or even try out Meatless Mondays. Just add some of the non-meat sources of protein from our list to your meal for a satisfying, protein-rich, meat-free meal.

Not All Fiber Is Good As It Seems

Dietary fiber is one of the most important weapons in our fight against heart disease, the number one cause of death in men and women. So people who eat a higher fiber, whole grain rich diet have a significantly reduced risk of heart disease.  Now, the recommended level of fiber intake for adult women is 25 grams per day and 38 grams for men per day but data shows that most of them only eat half of the recommended levels. Why is it so hard to get enough fiber?  I think the problem is that people simply are not choosing to eat enough of the healthful foods that are high in fiber. Or perhaps the popularity of the low carb / high protein diets which are extremely low in fiber. Maybe people are eating too much fast food; it's hard to find high fiber foods in the fast food restaurants. The best thing that people can do is to embrace healthy carbs because that's where the fiber is - in the whole grains, the brown rice, the dark, dense breads with bran, fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts. All of these are heart healthy, high fiber foods. And , beans are your heart's best friend. They are a fabulous food - packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals and are ridiculously cheap. For a few amount, you get a whole lot of nutrition and lots of fiber.  And beans are totally a type of good that people don't pay attention to. It's so easy to cook.  People seem to have passed over beans, which are so fabulous. For example, if you had just a bowl of split pea soup (which is a legume), that would give you half of your daily fiber requirement, just in a little bowl of soup. One of the top discussion is about soluble fiber versus insoluble fiber. So which fiber is actually good for the heart?  When you are thinking heart, it's going to be the soluble one but I just want to make it clear that both types are really good for your health. They have different physiological effects. Insoluble (fiber) promotes digestive health and bowel regularity. When it comes to heart health, it's the soluble type. This type of fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel and that is especially good for our heart health. Why? Because it targets and reduces that bad LDL cholesterol, which is really important. Foods that are high in soluble fiber are going to lower that LDL. And by the way, we all want to get that LDL down to less than 100 (mg/dL). That is the magic number. It's the foods that are high in soluble fiber, especially a kind of soluble fiber called viscous soluble fiber, that really make a dent in that LDL.  What are some good food sources for soluble fiber?  Only a few foods on the planet really contain a nice amount of LDL lowering soluble fiber and that would be oats. And Barley is a whole grain, which is also high in beta-glucan, which is the name of the viscous soluble fiber in oats and barley. Beans, of course, are high in soluble fiber. Apples contain pectin which is a cholesterol lowering soluble fiber. Then there is psyllium seed husk, probably better known by most people as metamucil, which is another extremely potent LDL or cholesterol lowering soluble fiber. . Some new packaged foods like yogurt and ice cream are now added with extra fiber. But the fiber they added is quite different. They are isolated fibers like inulin, oat hulk fiber and cellulose.  Are these isolated fibers the same as the natural fibers found in plant-based foods?  Fibers like inulin are isolated or extracted from fruits and vegetables like onions, chicory root and garlic. Apparently, these are soluble fibers but they don't have that viscous cholesterol lowering quality. Now it's very common in foods to see this type of isolated fibers like low fat dairy products, because it's going to help add back that fat-like mouth feel that has been taken away when you take the fat out. So they (isolated fibers) are good in some respect because inulin is a pre-biotic which is food for the friendly bacteria in your gut so there is a notable health benefits with pre-biotics. But, if we are looking at trying to bump up our fiber intake, this would not contribute very much. So your best bet again is to focus on getting in those wide varieties of whole foods with good carbs like fruits and vegetables, the whole grains, the legumes - those fiber super stars. You want to try and get a lot of them into our day and that is what's going to really make a dent in bumping up your fiber intake to the recommended amounts. When it comes to fiber, you don't want to add in too much, too quickly, too soon or you will have some GI (gastroentestinal) problems. You want to take it slow and build up your fiber intake over time so your body can adjust. Also, you want to drink a lot of fluid because the higher your fiber intake, the more fluid you are going to need to help your body to digest it. Some companies are talking good things about inulin. Many of them say that it's a naturally occurring fiber. Sometimes its sceptical when things are added, we don't know if it's really naturally occurring. So you must be interested to know about that? It's naturally occurring because it comes from plants. It's plant fiber that has been extracted or isolated so that kind of gets around that label lingo. So yes, it's naturally extracted from plants. But the concentration has been manipulated as such that it does not have that viscous quality - it's a soluble fiber without the viscous quality. And it's that viscous quality that we need to lower the bad LDL cholesterol. That's the quality that almost works like a sponge in the intestines to soak up the bile acids and cholesterol so you excrete it. That is the mechanism for lowering cholesterol and inulin and those types of isolated fibers just don't have that quality.  So what we look for is viscous soluble fiber and that's the best bet for our hearts. That is the best bet and you are not going to see that on a label of oatmeal because it will probably say soluble fiber or in an apple, you are not going to see a label saying contains pectin. Just go for whole grain, oatmeal - the less processed the better, steel cut is the best. Beans are great, apples and if you want, that psyllium seed husk supplement.