Ways for a healthy life

There is never a single tip or pill for achieving optimum health. It is important to drink lots of water and get adequate sleep to maintain your fitness and overall well-being, suggest experts.

Celebrity nutritionist Pooja Makhija and Govindrajan R, Head, Research and Development, Sugar Free, list down some tips:

* It is imperative to open your eyes to fads. Dieting does not mean deprivation, you need to eat right to be in shape. Weight loss is a journey, you must adopt a lifestyle approach towards it and that's the only way to achieve permanent fat loss.

* In an attempt to keep up with the fast-paced life, we tend to neglect our sleep cycle. Don't cut back on sleep in your zest to win each day. Your body is magical but needs rest to work its magic. Every individual needs a minimum of 7-8 hours of sleep each night to recharge your body, failing which you will 'burn out'. A healthy sleeping pattern is necessary not only for the benefit of your physical health, but also to maintain your mental well-being.

* Water is one of the most important elements required by our body. Hydration is the key to vitality, stamina, glowing skin and lesser health problems. And drinking water is the cheapest, simplest way to unlock these beautiful health benefits. So drink, drink and drink more water.

* Excess of any food at one time whether it's protein-rich, fat-rich or carb-rich is stored in your body in only one form which is fat. Therefore, the best way to avoid an increase in body fat is to eat small meals frequently and give due importance to a balanced plate.

* Using plant extract sweeteners such as stevia to add guilt-free and natural sweetness to your day is another practice that will reap great benefits. Stevia is a natural sweetener and almost 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar. The consumption of stevia cannot only assist you in maintaining a healthy lifestyle but can also help in addressing lifestyle related diseases like obesity and cardio vascular diseases.

* Drink a glass of raw vegetable juice (3 different colours of vegetables) to stay forever young.

--IANS

sug/rb