Generally,
during summer, we barely watch our diet since, during the holidays, we relax
and completely change our dietary habits.
When summer comes to an end and autumn begins, we regain our daily activities:
returning to work, going to the gym, practicing sports, enrolling in diverse activities,
having our children go back to school, etc. We definitely reorganize our lives
and regain our routines after the holidays. It is then that we think about getting
fit by having new habits in an organized life with a well-balanced diet to
improve our health and purify our bodies. Here are some tips.
A well-balanced diet may vary from one person to another according to age,
metabolism and activity, so you can adapt these general tips according to your
own needs.
Tips to feed your health during autumn
Do not miss any meals: have 5 meals daily (breakfast,
morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner). Missing meals won’t make you
lose weight. For instance, breakfast is essential to begin the day full of energy.
Food variety: to avoid nutritional deficiencies and health disorders.
A well-balanced diet must include:
·
3 portions of fruit daily.
·
2 portions of vegetables daily
(green-leafy, cabbages, roots, etc.) One of the portions should be raw, for example,
in salads.
·
4-6 portions of whole grains daily
(rice, wheat, oat, quinoa, rye, millet, pasta, bread, etc.)
·
2-3 portions of legumes weekly
(lentils, chickpeas, beans, peas, etc.)
·
2 protein portions daily: meat
(preferably lean, chicken, turkey, beef, etc.), white fish (1-2 blue fish weekly)
or eggs (4-6 eggs weekly).
·
2-3 portions of dairy products
daily, such as milk, yogurt or cheese (best skimmed or low-fat).
Hydrate well: drink 2 liters of water daily
to help the body function well. You can include soups, broths, infusions or
natural juices.
Watch your diet: eliminate fried and battered
foods. Cook with the minimum fat possible (grill, oven, steam…).
Practice physical activity: exercising for one hour (walking,
cycling, running…) helps us keep our weight, and prevent overweight, and have a
healthy diet and healthy habits.
Do not forget about your defenses
We should
consider that bad weather, cold and rain will bring colds and flu. Nature gives
us seasonal foods full of vitamins and minerals to obtain energy and become our
best allies to deal with these new conditions.
Autumn is full of fruits such as grapes, figs, apples, pomegranates, pears,
kiwis, quince, oranges, grapefruits, red berries (bilberries, blackberries,
black currant) or vegetables such as any kind of cabbages, mushrooms, leeks,
tomatoes, chards, artichokes, celery, eggplants, Lombards, turnips, pumpkins,
borages, endives, spinach, peppers, carrots, etc. All of them are rich in fiber,
antioxidants, vitamins (mainly vitamin C) and minerals.
Moreover, to maintain a strong immune system, do not forget about:
Vitamin C: helps strengthen our natural defenses. It is ideal
to prevent colds or improve their development. We can find it in strawberries,
raw tomato, raw parsley, orange, lemon, kiwi, grapefruit, cauliflower, pepper,
etc. We have to eat them raw since this vitamin is heat-sensitive.
Immune reinforcement: have an adequate intestinal
flora with foods rich in prebiotics (fruits and vegetables that contain soluble
fiber) and probiotics (fermented fruits that contain beneficial bacteria such
as choucroute, miso, tamari and yogurt) that enhance the balance of
the habitual intestinal flora.
Plants: echinacea, thyme, rosemary, marjoram or propolis are
some of the natural products that help us reinforce our immune system.
