1. Optimize your nutrition with thoughtful food combinations and nutrient balances
“If you eat food that appeals to your taste buds and look after all of those six different tastes and eat food in quantities that keep all of your taste buds interesting, food really does turn into medicine. Rasa or the sense of food forms the Ojas (sense of food) and Tejas (intelligence of the mind and body). We think of dal as protein, roti as carbohydrate, and ghee as fat because we learned this concept in school. When we learn the food pyramid we learn to categorize everything that we eat as a carbohydrate, protein, or fat. Our poha, upma, idli, dosa, chapati, rice is much more than carbs, it’s amino acids, minerals, fat, fibre, vitamins and many undiscovered phyto nutrients. Our food combinations make up for each other’s missing factors. When you eat Dal with the rice, or the roti with your sabzi (vegetables) you work at getting the complete amino acid profile and make the proteins accessible to your body," says Rujuta Diwekar in her eight-episode podcast titled ‘Indian Food Wisdom’.
2. Eat local, think global“The fewer the food miles, the smaller the size of your dress. When food comes from far, there is more preservatives than the amount of nutrients in it. This leads to a dull digestion and makes your overweight. Food that grows in soil next to you is much richer in nutrients that you need to fight all the environmental challenges and it improves your immune system. You get the local food only when it's in season, for example, the mangoes in summer- just the right time when you need it. The carotenes in the mango help you prevent sun damage, the sweet taste will help you improve an otherwise dull appetite and the fibre helps prevent constipation. Nature is really so kind that she will provide the most effective and nurturing therapy in the form of food," elaborates Rujuta as she advices listeners to incorporate local and seasonal fruits and vegetables in their diets.
3. Embrace the nutritional power of ghee for optimal health
“Our yogic philosophy thinks of our body as the Anamaya Kosha, so Anna is food and Maya is what it appears to be. You could think of it as the food body. Whatever goes into our body, is what everything depends on. Take one spoonful of cow ghee every day - it can reduce every one of these things, cholesterol can be reduced, triglycerides, LDL can be reduced and HDL can be decreased. Ghee is rich in anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. It is saturated fat, yes, but it is a very unique kind of saturated fat. This kind of fat helps you protect all of your tissues and protect your immune system,” Rujuta says in her podcast.
4. Harness the power of ragi- the ultimate superfood!
“Ragi is a superfood. It is very reasonably priced and therefore, can be consumed by everyone. Additionally, it is available across the country and the world," says Dr Dimple Jain in her podacast ‘Superfoods ke Super Rahasya’. According to Dr. Dimple Jain, ragi has the highest amount of nutrients and protein, and minerals compared to any other millet family. Nowadays, people are troubled because gluten and gluten intolerances cause bloating, indigestion, pain in the abdomen, etc. But ragi is gluten-free and consuming it helps mitigate health issues related to gluten. "Haemoglobin is beneficial to maintain haemoglobin levels in one’s body. In fact, due to a drop in haemoglobin levels many women suffer from gynecological disorders, skin problems, and hairfall issues. Therefore, women must incorporate ragi in their diets since it is the main source of amino acids," she further says.
5. Boost your health with mighty moringa!
Dr. Dimple says, “Some vegetables and fruits are packed with high nutritional value and therefore, referring to them as superfoods wouldn’t be wrong. 100 grams of Moringa consists of more than 8 grams of protein, over 400 mg of potassium, approximately 450 grams of calcium, nearly 107 mg of Vitamin C and 730 g of Vitamin A. A single tree of moringa has 92 nutrients and 46 antioxidants which are essential for optimal brain function. Overall, moringa is a powerhouse of protein and helps in improving the memory of kids".
