Tips for a More Productive & Enjoyable Summer

Switch to Whole Grains!

Remember that God created grains with a cereal germ, endosperm, and bran for a reason.

These parts of the grain have been shown to contain most of the beneficial nutrients that many of us lack today, such as iron, B vitamins and magnesium which are essential nutrients for energy (Joseph E. Pizzorno Jr., 2008).

It is therefore quite important to eat those grains in the closest form to that they were created in. Common examples are brown rice, oats, barley, wholemeal, and multi-grain bread.

Eat Regular Meals

Eating

Eating more frequent, but smaller meals have been shown to help control your blood sugar as opposed to skipping meals and eating a bigger meal later in the day (Liska, 2004).

Psychologically, you won’t feel the need to fill your stomach when you know that you will soon have another meal or snack.

Physically, your body is affected by a concept known as “The second meal effect”, which is the ability of one meal to improve the glucose tolerance of the next meal.

Studies show that eating a balanced breakfast that is slowly absorbed leads to a slower rise in blood sugar levels, a reduced insulin response, and a lower glycemic response after lunch. (Liska, 2004)

I believe this concept is a key to help us follow in the footsteps of our beloved prophet (PBUH) when he said: 

“No human ever filled a vessel worse than the stomach. Sufficient for any son of Adam are some morsels to keep his back straight. But if it must be, then one third for his food, one third for his drink and one third for his breath.” Narrated by Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasaa’I, Ibn Majah – Hadith Sahih.

Re-adjust Your Plate

Remember, eating healthier does not mean depriving yourself and feeling hungry. On the contrary, it simply means filling up on the right choices.

A simple solution for this is to include the right ratios of protein, essential fats, and complex carbohydrates (from vegetables as well as starch).

The plate above by the Harvard School of Public Health gives very useful advice on what a healthy plate should contain.

Click to read more…

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About Sherin Saad
​Sherin Saad is a pharmacist that has recently qualified as a Nutritional Therapist from The College of Naturopathic Medicine in Edinburgh, UK. She is currently pursuing an M.Sc. in Personalized Nutrition. Sherin is interested in looking at how simple nutritional and lifestyle changes tailored for each person can have a big impact on the overall health and well-being of a person. Sherin is an Egyptian who was born in Sweden and raised between both countries. After her postgraduate studies in the UK, she has moved to Switzerland with her husband where she is learning more about how Muslim minorities cope in different European countries.