Think Big Dream High, E51- A Healthy Diet
Obese Society
1.The
effectiveness of physical exercises can only be obtained by maintaining a
proper diet. Eating nasi lemak, root bulbs, kueh and drinking teh tarik or isotonic
soft drink is a common phenomena seen after exercising such as after a round of
golf game. Such practices have no positive impact on the physical exercise
carried out. All those calories burnt during the exercise is replenished back
by those intake of carbohydrate or sugar based foods.
2.Dieting
is not only about slimming down but more for our physical health. Usually, a
fat or obese person will not enjoy optimal health. It is a known fact that the
main reason for all kinds of illnesses is our food intake. Food taken
excessively without adequate protein will result in obesity. Obesity can be the
source of diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart diseases, knee pain
sickness etc.
3.All
these illnesses will affect our career, lessen our capabilities, slow down our
activities, make us lazier than the others. It is also contributing towards our
inability to achieve multifold success and excellence.
4.Please
cross reference this article with E36,E37 and E38. These articles provide the
basic background on the same subject but with a different and wider approach.
Reality
in Life
1. It
was reported in the media that more than half of the Malaysian population is
suffering from obesity or excessive body weight. This does not indicate that we
are a well endowed society and always consuming plenty of good food. We are
actually consuming food that the rich is avoiding. The rich and wealthy
consumed more quality and more expensive food. They consumed more proteins such
as meat, cheese, milk, all kinds of seafood, salmon, eggs, oxygenated water,
salad with olive oil etc.
2.The
poor and less fortunate consumed less quality and much cheaper food. They
consumed more carbohydrates such as white rice, white bread, kueh, root bulbs
such as tapioca,yam,sweet potatoes, potatoes, spaghetti, fried mee, porridge,
teh tarik, black coffee, banana fritters or curry puffs fried using recycled
oil. Such being the case, at least 60% of Malaysians consumed food usually eaten
by the not so rich and not so wealthy society.
3.Majority
of the not so rich and not so wealthy society are my countrymen. This in a way
indicated that majority of my countrymen are suffering from obesity. Directly
this implied that my countrymen are the ones that need to change their diet.
Diet that comprise of a significant amount of carbohydrate should be changed to a more balanced diet.
Tips
1.My book, “Diet Hang Tuah” discussed at
length the best diet for a young entrepreneur and executive that strive to
achieve success in life. It is in line with the motto, think big dream high. In
the book, a balanced diet of carbohydrate, fibre, protein and fats has been
proposed. Examples of the best source of carbohydrate i.e. brown rice, chappati,
nasi dagang, basmathi rice, oats bran, sweet potatoes, wholemeal or wholegrain
bread.
2.Examples of the best source of fibre i.e.
all kinds of ulams kampung, celery, all kinds of green vegetables such as Broccoli,
Sabah vege, Bok Choi, Spinach, Peas, Green Beans, Bean Sprouts, Lettuce, Green
and Red Peppers, Green Cabbage, Fennel, Asparagus, Kangkong, Pucuk Manis, Pucuk
Paku, Mustard, Tomatoes, Cucumber or Carrot, all kinds of fruits such as Papaya,
Guava, Green Apples, Oranges and all kinds of nuts and beans such as Peanut,
Pistachio, Walnut, Cashew nut, Red Bean, Black Bean or White Bean. Examples of
the best source of fats i.e. Olive Oil, Macadamia Oil, fish oil and ghee. Examples
of the best source of protein are soy drink ,fish such as salmon, chicken, lean
meat, lean lamb, all kind of legume, beans or nuts.
3.Please take note that Sweet Potatoes and
Carrots have a high sugar content. Therefore,
do not take them with other carbohydrates during meals. Eat Sweet Potatoes or Carrots
or other carbohydrates separately as part of the 25% carbohydrate portion in
breakfast, lunch or dinner.
4.When preparing breakfast, lunch or dinner, the ideal balanced
diet comprised of 25% carbohydrate, 25% fibre, 25% protein and 25% fats. For
breakfast we should choose oats bran, milk or soya drink without sugar, 2
poached eggs fried with olive oil and 6 to 8 celery sticks of two inches in length
each plus its leaves. For lunch we should choose Basmathi rice, fish such as
Salmon or Tenggiri or Kembong or chicken or lamb or meat, any vegetable Ulams
such as Kacang Botol or Long Beans or Daun Pegaga and Soya drink. For dinner we should choose boiled
or roasted Sweet Potatoes, Salmon, Tomatoes and beans such as Pol dipped in
Olive Oil and Soya drink. Alternatively, consume a simple dinner of 2 pieces of
wholegrain Tuna sandwich, salad with olive oil dressing plus two glasses of Soya
drink.
5.In between meals in case hunger pangs
develop, take any kinds of nuts or beans, Celery sticks, Cucumber, Long Beans
as Ulam and fruits such as Guava, Oranges, Papaya, Grapes, Green Apples etc. Avoid
totally food such as kueh, all kinds of cakes, biscuits, porridge, Roti Canai,
banana fritters, Mee Mamak or Mee Maggi.
6.Why Sweet Potatoes or Carrots?. The high
beta-carotene content in Sweet Potatoes and Carrots will refresh and balanced
the skin Ph and maintain our youthful good looks. Sweet potatoes and its leaves
contain vitamins and minerals such as A,B,C,K, calsium, iron, magnesium, manganese,
potassium, niacin, phosphorus and fiber. Carrot contains vitamins and minerals
such as A,B,C,K, calsium, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, niacin, phosphorus
and fiber, about similar in vitamin content as sweet potatoes.
7.Why
Salmon?. A kind of pigment found in Salmons i.e. astaxanthin can destroy the free radicals formed and
created in our body. Free radicals will destroy the cell membranes and DNA of the
skin making it wrinkled and aged before
its time. The DHA and EPA from the salmon’s omega 3 are important for our brain
function and health. Salmon contains high protein, omega 3 fatty acid and
vitamin D.
8.Why
Tomatoes?. The red lycophene in Tomatoes is an antioxidant that can control and
protect the skin from the sun’s rays. It will also help golfers, who are widely
exposed to the sun’s rays and help minimize
the risk of having skin cancer. Tomatoes contain vitamins and minerals such as
vitamins A,B,C,E,K, magnesium, manganese,
potassium, niacin, phosphorus and fiber.
9.Why
Oranges?. The
high content of vitamin C in Oranges
can assist our body in the production of collagens. Collagen is a component
that maintains the youthfulness of our skin. Oranges also contain bioflavonoids that
protects our skin cells from being destroyed by the UV rays. Oranges contain vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B,C,E, magnesium, manganese, potassium, niacin,
phosphorus, zinc and fiber.
10.Why
Spinach?. All kinds of leafy green vegetables such as Spinach contain lutein
that protects the skin from being destroyed, bruised and wrinkled.Spinach contains vitamins and minerals such as A,B,C,E,K,calsium,iron,magnesium,manganese,potassium,niacin,sodium,
phosphorus and fiber.
11.Why
Celery? Celeries have low calories content
and high in fiber. It contains
vitamins and minerals such as A,B6,C,K, magnesium, calcium, potassium and
others. The celery leaves contain flavonoid, an antioxidant effective for
cancer protection and immune boosting functions.
12.Why
Cucumber?. Cucumber has low calories content, high in water and fiber content. It
contains vitamins and minerals such as A,B1,B6,C,D, magnesium, folate, calcium
and potassium. It is effective in combating diabetes, joint pains, gout and
arthritis. It will be more effective in fighting joint pains, gout and
arthritis when taken together with Carrot
as a source of Ulam or salad.
13.Why
Olive Oil? Olive oil is a source of monounsaturated fat. The Olive oil
molecules when heated up to the boiling point or refrigerated below zero, will
not change its molecules to polyunsaturated fat that causes blockages in our
arteries and heart. It remained as monounsaturated fat, a healthy fat and
required by our body.
14.Why
Soy? Soy has high protein and fiber content. Soy products such as soy milk, tempe or lecithin have high vitamins and minerals content. The vitamins
content i.e. ,vitamin K, thiamine, riboflavin, chloline, isoflavones, folate, calcium,
magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, zinc and iron and antioxidant. Soy products rich in protein can
be a replacement for red meat and can
lower cholesterol and saturated fat in the body.
15.Soy
helps to regulate blood pressure, reduce sugar level in the blood, improve the
body immune system and decrease the LDL cholesterol(bad cholesterol).Soy can
also improve the overall cardiovascular health, supporting liver health, reduce
risk of certain types of cancer (breast and prostate cancer) and help prevent
osteoporosis by increasing bone mineral density(BMD).
16.However
those who already have breast cancer are not advisable to take soy products.
This is because the isoflavones, a
vitamin found in the soy product will make tamoxifen (breast cancer medicine)
less effective.
17.All
of the above examples on carbohydrate, fibre, protein and fats shown together
with their benefits are the best kind of food for consumption. These types of
food will enable us to maintain our youthfulness, vitality and slow down the
ageing process.