Nutrition Week: Back to basics – balanced diet

Eat well – a balanced diet for a healthier stronger immune system and lowering risk of illness and infectious diseases.

By Swetha Anisingaraju, 

We live in a world of rapidly changing elements – our environment, food supply, population and scientific knowledge. Within these different environments and stages of our life, our body’s needs and goals also change. Although we may view health and disease in different ways, a primary basis for promoting health and preventing diseases must always start with good food and sound nutrition.

In the current scenario, we lead a fast paced life, for instance our day starts with the alarm ringing and sadly, we do not have the liberty to sleep in, since there is too much to do. We try to find shortcuts to accomplish our fitness and dietary goals and tend to follow the shortest way possible with minimum hassles. But we must learn to stop, and focus on the ultimate long term goal and for that one should focus on optimal nutrition and identify food not only as a basic necessity to relieve our hunger or satiate our appetite, but as the key element to providing our body the right kind and amount of nutrients that it requires.

Disease Prevention with Diet

The primary basis of disease prevention and health promotion should always start with good food. Eat well – a balanced diet for a healthier stronger immune system and lowering risk of illness and infectious diseases. Food provides energy, maintains life, stimulates growth and support to fight against infections when the need arises.

Feed smart right from the start

National nutrition week is celebrated in the 1st week of September – to raise awareness of healthy eating and its impact on one’s life.

This year the theme is “Feed smart right from the start” but we are never too young or too old to start eating right. Adequate nutrition is required in every stage of our lives right from when we are in our mother’s womb. A pregnant woman should understand what to eat when expecting, followed by beginning nutrition education after having children from their early childhood, which is an important step to ensure that children achieve healthy lifestyles. Feeding the largest immune organ the right way to preserve the healthy bacteria of the gut is important to maintain health and reduce the risk of infections .

Need of the hour

Fighting back with adequate nutrition and hydration is needed for recovery from the seasonal flu – fever ,cold and cough. There are various myths going around about a few specific foods that treat the disease, but there is no scientific evidence backing this conjecture.

“There is no single food, supplement or diet that will prevent, treat or cure disease”

A Balanced diet includes five food groups adequately in appropriate proportions as per one’s requirement is needed since ‘No-size-fits-all’ – requirements of individuals vary and diet prescription is customised, tailored and made according to the individual’s bodily requirements.

Trust a dietitian who is trained specifically in the field for credible nutrition advice.

(The author is Deputy Chief Dietician at Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad. The article is for informational purposes only. Please consult health experts and medical professionals before starting any therapy or medication. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the Financial Express Online.)