Your dietary routine may need some rejigging to achieve your health and wellness goals

After a rather intense start to the year and a gruelling first quarter, I have had to stop a bit and do some intros-pection. When lots of things are going on all at once, it is wise to step back as soon as you get a chance. My chance came in April and, boy, did I jump at it!
My year has not gone exactly the way I planned it. No complaints. It is as it is. What I have come to realise as I have matured is that life is what happens when you are busy making other plans. Even so, every derailment or scenic view along the way is a teacher, and I’m happy for the lessons I have learnt.
As you know, I have had the ironclad goal to make more sensible food choices this year, in order to achieve health and wellness goals. Here are some of the best tips I have applied to my eating habits, so I could revitalise myself and renew focus on mindful eating this year.

Drink water upon waking

Warm water is best, but I prefer cold. Add lemon or lime to cleanse. It helps keep your digestive flow on track and moving effectively. I am going to start having a mug of hot water with lemon while I do my morning meditation.

Boost your morning drink

I have long advocated the healing wonders of coconut oil. Incorporating virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil in your daily diet provides so many health benefits. Add 2-3 tablespoons to your first cup of coffee, green tea, or even to your hot/warm water and lemon cleanse. You can blend it with a handheld airo-latte or in a blender to minimise the size of the fat drops so that it is more palatable and also more easily absorbed. Coconut oil helps to stabilise insulin, and added to coffee or green tea, will give you a boost of energy to start your day.

Drink lots of water

If there is one super food no one talks about enough, it is water. Sadly, most of us are so lacking water that our bodies hold on to every ounce it gets. Look and feel bloated? Try drinking more than half your pound body weight (not kilos) in ounces, and you will not only purge toxins but also quit bloating up. So if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water every day.
If you are actively engaging in a weight loss diet, it is even more critical to drink enough water. Living in these arid desert climes makes our bodies much more dehydrated and being exposed to air-conditioning all day only disguises the thirst!

Toast yourself… with teas

Incorporate a few mugs of green tea or herbal infusions that tickle your palate, into your daily diet. There is a reason herbal infusions are served at spas. They are proven to be very relaxing and of a hangover from tea, cried no one. Also, green tea has superb antioxidant properties as well, that boost metabolism and gives you extra energy.

Have your final meal four hours before bedtime

Eat nothing during this time — not even a grape. Allowing digestion to be completed before sleeping allows the body much needed rest. This also means that the body goes into a fast for the hours that we are sleeping and will be more likely to want to purge itself of the waste in the morning and refuel, hence the word ‘break-fast’.
It will also make you go to bed earlier if you are otherwise likely to stay up and snack, because the longer you stay up past those four hours, the hungrier you will get. If you want anything after dinner, make a nice cup of chamomile tea to relax you, or drink some hot water with lemon juice.  

• When Hunger Strikes

Kari Heron

• kari@khaleejtimes.com