Importance of The Perfect Diet

“Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food” – Hippocrates.

Since ages our superiors, be it our family members or our teachers, have always emphasized on the importance of having a healthy diet and how maintaining the same leads to unparalleled positive effects on our performance with respect to the mind and body. The Perfect Diet is something that helps an individual maintain his or her ideal body mass so they can function at their optimum potential even when there is less time for physical exercise. Furthermore, a good nutrition cycle is imperative to build our physical body in an immunized sort of a way, which prevents alien compounds and organisms to infiltrate our bodies to cause diseases of all sorts.

A balanced diet is as crucial as anything one can put a pin on. It comprises of all the nutrients a person requires for their overall physical and mental functioning. People often tend to ignore the latter half which corresponds to the fact that eating right is always going to keep an individual in a better headspace. Although cheat meals are necessary in terms of taste buds and mood boosters, for a large fraction of one’s meals throughout the week, one should consume foods that are rich in the essential nutrients. This ranges from fresh fruits and vegetables, multi-grains, and animal-based protein in case of non-vegetarians in particular.

So, what do We Eat?

Besides having a healthy, functioning body, our diet is something that is our sole and most significant source of energy throughout the day. This makes it imperative to include all the nutrients in the right amounts so as to cause a beneficial dietary system. An average human consumes 2000 calories per day as his or her maintenance calories, which is basically keeping a constant bodyweight. This is distributed between usually 3-4 meals throughout the day.

To begin with the process of charting a balanced diet, one must ardently believe that Breakfast is our most important meal. It kick-starts all potential functions of our body post-sleep, and ensures we have enough fuel in our system to work until lunchtime. This goes on and is followed by lunch which ideally comprises of rice or rotis/chapatis, ensuring grains for our system, and a protein-based serving. Snacks are optional during early evening hours, to keep one full and satisfied until dinner which again, is similar to lunch servings, but lighter. Eating a light dinner ensures a complete and satisfactory sleep cycle.

• Vegetables such as leafy greens, starchy vegetables, legumes like beans and peas, red and orange vegetables, and others like eggplant
• Fruits that include whole fruits, fresh or frozen fruits but not canned ones dipped in syrup
• Grains such as whole grains and refined grains. For example, quinoa, oats, brown rice, barley, and buckwheat
• Protein such as lean beef and pork, chicken, fish, beans, peas, and legumes
• Dairy products such as low-fat milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, and soy milk

Let’s Talk Numbers

A balanced diet typically contains 50 to 60 percent carbohydrates, 12 to 20 percent protein, and 30 percent fat. All the organs and tissues need proper nutrition to work effectively by consuming the right amount of nutrients and calories to maintain an ideal weight. The overall health and well-being of a person are dependent on good nutrition, physical exercise, and healthy body weight.

A proper meal pattern is a complete combination of food ingredients, food items and quantities required for breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner for each specific age group. All you need is protein for your muscle mass and blood cells which brings oxygen and nutrients to your muscles.

You Reap what You Sow

Addressing the most essential part in this article, now comes the discussion about what are the benefits one can incorporate into his or her lifestyle after implementing the perfect diet. Besides a mood boost, healthy functioning, optimum energy for daily tasks, here is a list of all the other plus points:

• Improved cardiac/heart health
• Reduced risk of Cancer
• Improved gut health
• Upgrade in memory
• Weight loss/gain
• Strengthening of bones and muscles
• Diabetes management

A healthy, balanced diet is essential for our overall wellbeing, both physically and mentally. Our gut microbiome is heavily influenced by the food we eat, and a poor diet will lead to an imbalance in your gut’s ecosystem. This will have a knock-on effect on your physical as well as mental wellbeing.

​​​​​​​