Invest in Your Health
Practical Tips from Nutritional Therapists
It helps to remind ourselves that our body is a blessing from God and that it has a right on us. We should, therefore, be aware of what we are feeding it.
Let us free ourselves from attitudes such as “I don’t have time to prepare food, I’ll just eat anything when I feel hungry” and “my stomach can digest anything!”
Be the first at work, at school or at home to make some small, but continuous, changes that can make you feel significantly more energized.
Fresh Start
Start your day with a balanced and tasty breakfast; homemade Muesli. In a small bowl add half a handful of oats, ½ a chopped apple and ½ a banana, sprinkle some desiccated coconut and cinnamon powder, add 3-4 almonds and walnuts (unroasted, unsalted and unsweetened) and a few pumpkin seeds.
Add fresh organic milk, yogurt, soya, coconut or almond milk. If you are too tight with time in the morning, you can always turn the above recipe into a smoothie and drink it on your way to work!
Guilt-Free Snacks ‘On-The-Go’
Make some time from the night before to prepare some in-between meal healthy snacks:
Fresh fruits with a few nuts make a great snack. Fruits are a good source of fiber for gut health, vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. To get the best benefits to make sure to vary your choice of fruits.
Nuts like almonds and walnuts have high nutritional value, as they contain proteins that help slow down the release of natural sugars from the fruits as well as keeping you fuller for longer (Weatherby, 2004).
Nuts are also a good source of the essential fatty acids, particularly walnuts, while almonds provide a good source of magnesium which is essential for energy production (Osiecki, 8th Edition).
Final Reminder
Maintaining balance and moderation in life gives us the energy to realistically reach our goals. According to Mary Ann Bauman, a US doctor and fatigue expert, unfinished tasks are major energy stealers.
She advises that if at the end of the day, you sit for a few minutes and focus on what you have completed, and have a few ideas on how to complete tomorrow’s tasks, you’ll leave work or any task you are doing feeling satisfied, accomplished and energized.
It is also very relieving to keep in mind the hadith of the beloved Prophet (PBUH) when he once asked a companion:
“(Is it true) that you fast all day and stand in prayer all night?” The companion replied that the report was indeed true. The Prophet then said: “Do not do that! Observe the fast sometimes and also leave (it) at other times. Stand up for prayer at night and also sleep at night. Your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you and your wife has a right over you.” – Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Hadith 127.
This article is from our archive, originally published on an earlier date, and highlighted now for its importance
References:
Joseph E. Pizzorno Jr., M. T.-B. (2008). The Clinician’s Handbook of Natural Medicine. St. Louis: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.
Liska, D. e. (2004). Clinical Nutrition A Functional Approach. Washington: The Institute for Functional Medicine.
Osiecki, H. (8th Edition). The Nutrient Bible. Eagle Farm, Australia: AG Publishing.
Weatherby, D. N. (2004). Signs and Symptoms Analysis from a Functional Perspective. Nutritional Therapy Association, Inc, R.
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