Healthy diet plan simple rules to follow

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A healthy diet plan for most of us is very difficult to make. The number of calories, the quantity of various nutrients etc, are very complicated subjects for a common person. Here are some simple rules to follow, while making your diet plan. Everyone can easily understand and follow these rules to make a diet plan which helps to lose weight and prevent many health issues like diabetes, cholesterol, cancer and much more.

 Make a Healthy plate.

Harvard nutrition experts divide the plate into portions for healthy eating. for children use a 7-inch plat and for adults use a 9-inch plate. For every meal fill the plate in following portions.

Half plate with vegetables and fruits.

Quarter plate with Whole grains like whole wheat, barley, wheat berries, quinoa, oats, brown rice, and foods made from these grains like whole-wheat pasta. Try to avoid white bread, white rice, and other refined grains.

Quarter plate with a protein food like fish, poultry, beans, and nuts.

Remember You should take at least two to three full meals daily.

 Eat colorful plant-based food (fruits and vegetables.)

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Now the question is how much and which plant food? At least 500 gm to 1 kg of plant food an adult should eat daily,  depending on the physical condition of the person. Try to eat five color type of plant food in each meal. These colors and plant-based foods are the following.

RED
Apples (red)
Bell peppers (red)
Cherries
Cranberries
Grapefruit
Grapes (red)
Radishes
Raspberries
Plums (red)
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Watermelon

DARK GREEN
Artichoke
Asparagus
Bell peppers (green)
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Chard
Collard greens
Cucumbers
Green beans
Grapes (green)
Honeydew melon
Kale
Leeks
Lettuce (dark green types)
 Mustard greens
Peas
Spinach
Turnip greens

YELLOW AND LIGHT GREEN
Apples (green or yellow)
Avocado
Banana
Bell peppers (yellow)
Bok choy
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Fennel
Kiwi fruits
Lemons
Lettuce (light green types)
Limes
Onions
Pears (green) or yellow)
Pineapple
Squash (yellow)
Zucchini

ORANGE
Apricots
Bell peppers (orange)
Butternut squash
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Mangoes
Oranges
Papaya
Pumpkin
Sweet potatoes
Yams

PURPLE
Beets
Blueberries
Blackberries
Currants
Cabbage (purple)
Cherries
Eggplant
Onions (red)
Grapes (purple)
Pears (red)
Plums (purple)
Radishes

Try to eat current season fruits and vegetables, if possible. Plus at least 20 to 30 varieties of plant food in a week.

Beware of germs, pesticides and harmful chemical

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Chemicals like pesticides and heavy metals are harmful to health so try to avoid them. It's good practice to clean food before eating.

 For vegetables and fruits add 2 tablespoons of baking soda in 1.5 liters of water. Then soak fruits or vegetables in it for 12 t 15 min. Now drain the water and rinse the food. This will clean all the pesticides and germs.

Besides cleaning the food, also keep clean utensils and other kitchenware. Don't forget to wash your hands before making and serving food. Don't eat too much of that food which has a tendency to concentrate pesticides, such as animal fat, meat, egg, cheese, milk and farm fish.

Don't eat food which increases glucose levels rapidly.

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Food like white sugar, potatoes, refined grains, processed sweet beverages ( like soda drinks), white rice can increase glucose levels rapidly. So don't use them or at least use them as low as possible.

Instead eat foods which don't increase glucose levels rapidly but sweet and high in carbohydrates like watery (such as apples and watermelon), fiber rich (for example, beets and carrots), or popcorn & brown rice

Use animal-based food less.

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The various research study indicated that animal-based food like red meat, poultry, eggs, milk increase the risk of infectious disease, heart problems, cholesterol, diabetes, and even cancer.

 I am not emphasizing to abandon animal foods totally. We, humans, are omnivores and our digestive system, from teeth to intestine is designed to digest both animal and plant food. Plus the animal protein and animal fats are also important for our body.

What  I am trying to say is to use animal-based food red meat, farm fish, poultry etc less .And  avoid processed meat products such as bacon and sausage.

Be cautious about oils and  fats in your food

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Don't use refined cooking oils at all for cooking like corn or soy. Instead use olive, canola, mustard oils for cooking, among this olive oil is the best, especially for cholesterol patients.

 Don't eat too many fat-rich foods like animal foods and dairy food.

Sodium is bad potassium is good

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Because salt used regularly in our food. Mostly Our sodium to potassium mineral ratio is very high. Which increases the risk of blood pressure, cholesterol, and cancer.

So use as little salt as possible. And try to use fruits and vegetables like banana, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, apricots, grapefruit, prunes, raisins, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, Mushrooms, Peas, Cucumbers which are rich in potassium.

Check the label for ingredients.

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For flavor, color, preservation or even just to increase the number of nutrients, food companies add many food additives in food products. Usually, these additives are not very good for health.

 That's why you should follow this simple rule which Michael pollan mentions in his bestseller book " In defense of food".

"AVOID FOOD PRODUCTS CONTAINING INGREDIENTS THAT ARE
A) UNFAMILIAR,
B) UNPRONOUNCEABLE,
C) MORE THAN FIVE IN NUMBER, 
D) include HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP."

Food quality is equal to good health.

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The quality of your food is very important. Avoid contaminated, expire, rotten or dirty food and beverage. Don't eat anything, if you feel suspicious about it.

Don't forget to drink water.

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Every living being needs water to survive. Our body contains approximately 40 liters of water. Every person should drink 1.5 liters to 3-liter water daily, depending on how fast he or she dehydrating.

 Factors that can dehydrate a person are exercise, hot weather, use of coffee & tea, diuretic, etc. Remember to drink pure and clean water.

 Intermittent fasting( optional )

This last rule is optional. But for those who want to lose weight, they should follow this rule. Intermittent fasting instead of what you eat focuses on when you eat. There are many forms of it but in my opinion, 16:8 hrs is good.

For this, you can eat between eight hours window. Two to three full meals ( obviously according to rules I already mentioned) and if you want you can have snacks too. But after this eating session fasting time for 16 hours will start. During this time you can drink only water or light healthy beverages. This type of fasting will not only reduce your weight but also helps your body to detox.

This type of fasting has many benefits but be careful if:

You have diabetes or low blood pressure or you are taking medicine to reduce glucose and blood pressure.

You are Lean or underweight.

You have chronic digestion problems like ulcers, IBS, etc.

For those women who are pregnant or breastfeeding or having problems like amenorrhea or infertility.

Conclusion.

If I conclude all the rules, the title line of Micheal pollan's book " In defense of food" comes to my mind.

" Eat food .not too much.  Mostly plants.  "

By food, the author means not processed but natural food. And by plants means plant-based food like fruits and vegetables. Make this line Moto for your diet and follow the rules I mentioned to make your diet plan. you'll be healthy forever.