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.