Essential components of a healthy diet
A proper diet should include the following:
- It should provide sufficient protein. As a rule of thumb, you need to consume 0.75 to 1.5 g of protein for every 1 kg of body weight. Foods such as dairy, meat, fish and eggs provide protein for the body and for those who do not eat meat, soybean, mushrooms, legumes and whole grains are good substitutes. By mixing plant and animal proteins, the body will be able to efficiently acquire "essential amino acids", which it otherwise cannot.
- Grains, fruits, vegetables, flour and sugar all are good sources of carbohydrates for our body. The ideal daily carbohydrate intake for a body should be around 4 to 5 g per 1 kg of body weight.
- The amount of fat the body needs per day is about 1 to 2 g for 1 kg of body weight. This quantity can be obtained by eating meat, eggs, butter, cheese, milk and oils.
- Your body can acquire its daily vitamin requirement if you eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and other foods sold or produced in your area. There are two types of vitamins – water-soluble vitamis and fat-soluble vitamins. You need to consume foods that are rich in these vitamins.
- Make sure you consume foods that contain minerals such as iron and calcium, and add them to your diet as often as needed.
Be mindful of the amount of fiber you need per day and eat plenty of fiber-rich ingredients along with your main meal. You should ensure you drink plenty of water too. The exact amount of nutrients you need to consume will depend on factors such as your individual health and lifestyle.
Eat breakfast like a prince, lunch like a king and dinner like a beggar
Our daily diet typically consists of three main meals, consumed in the morning, noon and night. We need to have a princely breakfast in the morning, a simple but solid meal which provides us with plenty of nutrition. Having spent over 10-12 hours after dinner, this simple meal needs to help reduce the acidity levels that have built up during our sleep. We should have lunch like a king! In the daytime, we need more calories because we work hard with our mind and body. It is okay to eat more foods with calories (energy) during the day.
But at night, we should eat a frugal meal like a beggar. This saying is true and medically necessary. We only need a minimum amount of energy to sustain our various biochemical processes during the nighttime as we sleep. Therefore, eating a simple diet of vegetables and soups for dinner is a healthy habit.
A good night’s sleep and the quality of your sleeping mattress
Even if you have a healthy dinner, if you don't get a good night's sleep, your nutrition will be a waste. There are many factors that affect a good night's sleep. But did you know that the mattress on which you sleep is one of the most important factors that directly affect it? As you end a hard day’s work, the sleep you get and its quality will directly impact the level of freshness and energy you feel in the morning. Sleep is the magic potion that restores and replenishes your strength and peace of mind overnight.
If you are someone who is restless during a night sleep and also wakes up in the morning having a pain in your neck or spine, it may indicate that your sleeping mattress is not only bad for your sleep but also for your health. So, if you are looking for a comfortable sleep at the end of the day, you should pay careful attention to the quality of your mattress.
It is no secret that a good night's sleep is essential for waking up the next day to go about the thousand and one tasks you have to attend to. In fact, the value of a good night's sleep is beyond measure as it helps us to rest physically and mentally, as well as restores peace of mind.
Now is the time to get rid of all the factors that cause sleeplessness, and deprive you of sleep which negatively affects your health and wellbeing. Make sure you get a good night's sleep on a quality mattress, so that you can wake up healthy and refreshed to go about your daily routine.
Vidya Keerthi Deshabimhani Dr. Anura Arambage
MD (Russia), Dip in PT
Managing Director
Royal Health Relief Service - Kandy
