Human beings are entranced with the idea of being able to remake themselves. One of the most enduring fairytales that is told in many different cultures, is Cinderella - the poor little serving maid who turns into a princess. Modern literature is also hooked on the idea of reinventing ourselves and popular novels like Princess Daisy spring to mind.
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The first few weeks of every new year are the time when we all reflect on past mistakes and failures and resolve to remedy our various real, and imagined deficiencies. Hence the penchant for New Year’s Resolutions. Many of you are busy making lists of resolutions and you are probably all fired up to change your habits for the better.
How attainable are such resolutions? Here are a few that could change your life, figure and health for the better:
Eat less fat One of the most important changes you can make to your diet which will not only help your figure, but also increase your chances to survive for many a year to come, is to cut down on your fat intake. This particularly involves cutting down on saturated fat intake. If you can reduce the amount of animal or saturated fat that you eat by half or even a quarter, you will prevent obesity, heart disease and various types of cancer.
The following tips may help you to achieve your goal:
Use only skim, 2% or low-fat milk, cottage cheese and yoghurt, instead of whole milk products. The trick is not to cut out milk and dairy products because you will then be losing out on valuable vitamins and especially on calcium which is vital for good, strong bones and teeth, but to change to low-fat varieties of these foods.
Buy only lean meat like extra-lean minced meat, pork and turkey. Cut out all processed meats if possible, because sausages, pies and cold cuts are usually loaded with fat. Prepare meat carefully with a minimum of fat and make fat-free gravies with stock cubes or instant Bisto, mushrooms and onions cooked in the microwave instead of fried.
Eat more fish and try to have at least three fish meals a week. Research has repeatedly shown that people who eat fish three or more times a week are less likely to suffer from heart disease. Try making a tuna salad during these hot summer days or have a delicious piece of grilled fish with lemon juice and salad.
Avoid all cakes, pastries, ice cream, chocolates and biscuits which either contain butter or solid plant fat. Make your own high-fibre muffins, biscuits and breads with oats, bran, dried fruit and a good mono- or polyunsaturated margarine or oil like canola.
Cut out mayonnaise and salad dressings and use the low-fat varieties or homemade dressing containing olive, avocado or canola oil.
Eat more fruit and vegetables
Eat fresh fruit and vegetables every day and at each meal if possible to increase your intake of fibre and antioxidants. This not only “dilutes” the energy content of your diet, but also protects against most cancers and heart disease.
Have a “meat-less” meal of vegetables and unprocessed starches at least twice a week. Ratatouille, fresh salad and crisp wholewheat rolls for lunch or a light supper can be delicious and brimming with protective nutrients.
Have fresh or dried fruit instead of a heavy, stodgy dessert. A fresh fruit salad made with apples, oranges, spanspek, peaches, plums and apricots not only tastes good and cools you down on a hot day, but supplies you with loads of vitamin C and beta-carotene which boost your immune system and prevent cancer and other diseases of lifestyle as they are often called.
Increase your fibre intake
Change from white to wholewheat, brown or rye bread and eat unprocessed or bran-rich cereals for breakfast. This stimulates digestion thus preventing constipation and keeps your blood sugar levels constant for longer than highly processed breakfast foods.
Eat more legumes - dry beans, peas and lentils and soya foods. Legumes, as these foods are collectively called, are rich in dietary fibre, vitamins and a whole array of protective plant compounds, such as isoflavones, which keep heart disease and cancer at bay.
Eat fruit and vegetables raw and unpeeled whenever you can. The only vegetable that needs to be cooked, is a potato. Most of the vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables are concentrated underneath the skin and are lost if these plant foods are peeled or cooked. Just remember to wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly before you eat them raw.
If you stick to these Diet Resolutions, the new year will be the very best year ever filled with good health and vigour. - (Dr I.V. van Heerden, DietDoc)
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