eating well
judgement. Your body will naturally tell you when you are hungry and the appropriate amount of food your body needs. As people become more mindful of what they eat, they also tend to make healthier food and lifestyle choices. The word 'healthy diet' has a negative connotation for a lot of people. It means restriction, deprivation, i.e. 'I can’t have foods I love'. It also means guilt and shame whenever a 'bad' food is eaten. Mindful eating is being aware of what your mind and heart want to eat. The key is to wait until your body needs fuel to eat what you want and stop eating when satisfied, instead of full. It’s a positive feedback
loop. Eat mindfully, look and feel good. Look and feel good, you’ll want to eat healthier food and more mindfully. I learned that my body needs fibre and vegetables. Thank goodness here in Hong Kong there’s such a huge variety of vegetables and I take full advantage. I enjoy eating a nice juicy piece of meat or fish but I notice that I eat smaller portions than I used to. I like eating quinoa or brown rice with beans. Whenever I want something sweet, I’ll go for a piece or two of dark chocolate, fro-yo, or fruit. A balanced diet for me means moderation, variety and eating the foods that are tasty and enjoyable to me.”
Cindy Lam Co-founder of MS Food Division which runs weekly workshops on healthy cooking and dining www.facebook.com/MSFoodDivision, www.plangs.com “I started a vegetarian diet three years ago and learned a lot about the benefits of a plant-based diet. I experienced a dramatic improvement in health and I started to cook at home more and spent a lot of time reading cookbooks searching for new recipes. I think practicing a healthy lifestyle is easier than we think; it comes down to will power. The only
and functional foods densely concentrated with vital micronutirents, which supplement a healthy diet.
Firewood: Use low-carbon slow cooking techniques to reduce carbon emissions.
Sauce: Always get something as natural as possible or make your own.
Oil: If you are cooking with high heat, use virgin coconut oil; for salads or pasta, use olive oil.
Vinegar: I always keep a bottle of apple cider vinegar at home. Its health benefits include improved digestion and improved heart health.
Salt: Himalayan salt is a premium natural salt that helps to regulate your body's blood sugar, water and pH levels, and promotes respiratory and vascular health.
Tea: Try functional blends with herbs that are blended for a specific purpose, such as to promote healing or increase energy.
www.facebook.com/foodiehk // july 2012
Arlene Frances Wu We have a Chinese saying: "Firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar and tea are the seven necessities to begin a day."
Rice: I recommend eating brown rice, quinoa, amaranth and millet.
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