Written by Dr. Sanjana V.B Bhms,dbrm,cdn
Founder & medical director of siahmsr wellness.in

Reviewed by SIAHMSR

All rights reserved with siahmsr digital healthcare[siahmsr wellness]

         Stay active all the day -active lifestyle tips

   Everyone want to be healthy and active always irrespective of their age. Healthy food choices are important for your active lifestyle. A healthy diet is a crucial determinant of your activity level as well as health  and which may include all the essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats.

Role of nutrients in keeping you healthy & active

    Vegetables, fruit, whole grains etc. have healthy carbohydrates to provide energy for a long time without any blood sugar spike. Elevated  glucose levels in your blood not only reduces your activity quotient, but also it produces a chronic state of inflammation which predisposes to diseases like cancers. 

    Proteins also have pivotal role in building up your muscles and in producing  hormones and enzymes which can keep you moving on in your daily life. It is known that many hormones[eg: thyroid hormones] are crucial for your alertness, mental and emotional stability. Include healthy proteins in your diet  such as egg, milk, poultry ,legumes, lentils etc.  Milk, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, legumes (beans, lentils) and nuts and seeds provide the protein, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids for a healthy active body &mind.

  To keep energized throughout the day, you may take 2 healthy &balanced meals plus one to two healthy small snacks per day while you manage your body weight also.

For a healthy balance, meals and snacks should include 50% veggies and fruit, 25% whole grains and 25% lean protein (fish, lean meats, beans, eggs).

    It is also essential to stay hydrated. Stay hydrated during the day, keep water handy while you are active and take sips of water after working out. Along with water intake you may have some fresh juice without any added sugars.

 A list of foods that can keep you active the whole day:

Bananas  

Avocados

Fatty fish

Apple

Berries

Yogurt

Beet roots

Green leafy vegetables

Legumes

Lentils

Soya bean

Dark chocolates

Oatmeal

Sweet potatoes

Quinoa

Nuts and seeds

Pea nut butter

Green tea

     All these foods are rich in proteins, fibers, omega 3 fatty acids vitamins, minerals like potassium, calcium ,magnesium ,zinc etc. 

Omega 3 fatty acids are very essential to boost your cognitive brain functions. Consume nuts & seeds and fish oils ,fish etc. 

Moreover the fruits ,nuts and green leafy vegetables contain great antioxidants and phytochemicals which help the body to stay active ,fighting against oxidative stress.

Your gut or digestive health is very important for mental fitness and staying active. Green leafy vegetables help to boost your gut health. They also boosts your immune functions.

A few  important stay active foods

1.Banana

  Bananas boost your health and activity level. Ripe bananas contain sucrose, fructose, and glucose which are good energy foods if consumed moderately.

Bananas have a relatively low glycemic index (GI) of 42–58, depending on their ripeness. G I low foods means carbs in the food do not raise blood sugar quickly.

Bananas are also a good source of other types of fiber, such as pectin. When bananas ripen, the proportion of water-soluble pectin increases.

Bananas are rich in Potassium, vitaminB6, Vitamin C etc.

Dopamine and catechins are the antioxidants contained in banana which stimulates brain functions like green tea. All these nutrients make banana an excellent stay active food.

2.Legumes

 Legumes include lentils, peas, chickpeas, beans, soybeans, and peanuts. 

Legumes are excellent sources of dietary fiber, protein, B vitamins, phytic acid antioxidants. 

Peanuts contain lots of healthy monounsaturated fats and may be beneficial for heart health.

Pea nuts are rich source of fiber, thiamine (vitamin b1),niacin (vitamin b3),folate (vitamin b9),vitamin E and minerals iron magnesium &manganese. All these vitamins help in boosting immunity, brain functions and blood circulation keeping you healthy and active.

3. Sweet potato

 Sweet potato contains vitamin A in the form of beta carotene, Vitamin B6,Vitamin C for boosting your immunity.

Potassium and Fibers help in digestion and cardiac health.

4. Fatty fish

  Fatty fishes are rich in omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin D and protect your cardiac health and cellular metabolic functions to keep you active. Oily fish has been linked with numerous health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease, improved mental ability, low cholesterol etc. They are good sources of proteins also, in addition to the polyunsaturated omega 3 fatty acids. Fish is an important component of healthy dietary patterns such as Mediterranean diet which is approved worldwide due to the numerous health benefits associated with it

5.Green tea 

   Green tea in moderate doses may keep you active because of  antioxidants catechins. The health effects of green tea on blood and circulatory system is very promising as it is helpful in preventing heart attacks and strokes. Drinking  green tea could reduce the risk of coronary heart disease incidence .

The  major active component of  green tea is catechins, which are a group of polyphenol antioxidants. Catechins can prevent the oxidation process and atherosclerotic plaque formation in Coronary heart disease. They help prevent clot formation in blood vessels to heart and brain preventing heart attack and stroke. There are three main types of polyphenols (flavonoids, stilbenes, and lignans) Flavonoids are divided into 6 subclasses: flavonols, flavones, isoflavones, flavanones, anthocyanidins, and flavanols. [ Read more ]

6. Nuts &seeds

 Various nuts and seeds also may keep you active adding to your vitamins, minerals and other nutrients store.

  Nuts play a great role in providing essential nutrients to the body. Many types of nuts are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Nuts are consumed as snacks, desserts or part of a meal, and are consumed in fresh or roasted forms, in spreads (peanut butter, almond paste) etc.

Major types of edible nuts with high nutritional value are the following:

•       Almonds   

•       Brazil nuts 

•       Cashew nuts      

•       Hazelnuts  

•       Macadamia nuts

•       Peanuts     

•       Pecans      

•       Pine nut

•       Pistachios 

•       Walnuts 

    Nuts are nutrient dense foods. In most of the nuts, the unhealthy saturated fatty acid (SFA) content is very low and nearly half of the total fat content is made up of unsaturated fat, monounsaturated fatty acids MUFA (oleic acid)  and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), mostly linoleic acid. These unsaturated fatty acids MUFA &PUFA are very good for health.

Almonds are rich source of vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, and fiber. Consuming a small handful of almonds as a healthy snack may boost your immunity, help digestion and weight loss. Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acid α-linolenic acid (ALA). All these nuts and the essential fatty acids in them are good enough to protect your heart health.

 Sunflower seeds are a rich source of vitamin E, an antioxidant which can improve immune function and it is good for repairing sun induced skin damages. Antioxidant vitamin E fights against free radicals which can damage cells.

Vitamin B6 is also found in abundance in sunflower seeds. Vitamin B6 is an immunity booster and also indispensable for glycogen storage. Sun flower seeds can offer anti-inflammatory benefits. Sunflower seeds contain vitamin E, flavonoids, and other plant compounds that can reduce inflammation. They can make a tasty addition to salads or breakfast foods.

   Sesame seeds are rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Sesame seeds contain lignans and phytosterols, which are plant compounds that can help lower cholesterol. The sesamin and sesamolin in sesame seeds have antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Sesame seeds are rich in Vitamin B1thiamine which helps in healthy functioning of heart and nervous system. They are excellent source of manganese and calcium.

 Flax seeds are rich source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. It has Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities.

    Chia seeds are great source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids have shown positive effect on cardiovascular health  as they help lowering cholesterol, regulating heart rhythms and blood pressure, preventing blood clots, decreasing inflammation. In chia seeds alpha-linolenic (ALA) fatty acid content is high. The studies shows that there is 50% lowering in the incidence of ischemic heart disease with higher intakes of ALA. Fiber content is also high in chia seeds.

       Pumpkin seeds are rich in the amino acid tryptophan amino acid which is converted to serotonin by the body Serotonin controls sleep. Pumpkin seeds helps to regulate normal sleep. They are great source of zinc, phosphorus and manganese which boost immunity. Pumpkin seeds contain Healthy fats and magnesium which are integral to heart health. Zinc in pumpkin seeds also helps male fertility. Pumpkin seeds may be added to salads, granola, and nut mixes. [Read more]

7. Dark chocolates

Dark chocolates in moderate quantities boost your activity level and it also protects your heart.

Eat healthy, choosing the right food for staying active all the day. Nutrition plays a pivotal role in determining your activity &energy levels.

A few stay active snacks 

o   Low fat yogurt sprinkled with chopped walnuts, pistachios

o   Chicken white bean soup

o   Tuscan white bean soup

o   Muesli with raspberries

o   Pesto chicken salad with greens

o   Avocado pesto

o   Tomato gratin

o   Ribollita soup

o   Hungarian apple soup

o   Tuna antipasto salad

o   Cauliflower broccoli gratin

o   Italian egg drop soup

o   A mix of fortified ready to eat dry cereal, dried fruit, nuts and seeds & milk.

o   Stalk of celery filled with low fat cottage cheese.

o   Scandinavian muesli

o   Small bran muffin.

o   Slice of whole grain bread with peanut butter.

o   Plain or chocolate milk with a banana.

Work out to stay active 

    To overcome the bad effects of sedentary lifestyle people should include physical activity as an integral part of their lifestyle. There are innumerable ways to be involved in physical activities like swimming, walking, jogging, cycling and various exercise programme and yoga.

       Benefits of physical activity

·       Improves brain health

             Being physically active can improve your brain health and cognitive function.

·       Prevents obesity

             It helps you manage the body weight and prevents  fat accumulation

·       Reduce the risk of lifestyle diseases

Physical activity reduces the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases , heart attack, cancers, stroke & neuronal degenerative disorders of brain

·       Enhances the strength of muscles and bones  

      Regular physical activity strengthens bones and muscles, and improves your ability to do  every day activities.

·       Improved  thinking or cognition and reduced  anxiety

    Those who sit less and do moderate-to-vigorous physical activity gain lots of health benefits such as improved thinking or cognition and reduced anxiety . Regular physical activity can help keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age. It can also reduce your risk of depression and anxiety and help you sleep better.

              Work your way up to 150 minutes a week of moderate physical activity, which could include dancing, walking, cycling or yard work. You could achieve the goal of 150 minutes a week with 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.

 Tips to stay active when you work out

Drink water or a healthy  sports drink (advised in high intensity work outs) after your workout to help replace some of the minerals &water lost through sweat.

Avoid carbonated drinks and sugar sweetened drinks.

Avoid coffee. The caffeine in energy drinks can also disrupt your sleep.

Have a small meal or snack a couple of hours before you exercise. Good snacks include healthy carbohydrates [whole grains], proteins [plant proteins or eggs], and healthy unsaturated fats. Try a new snack each day changing the nutrient composition and combinations.

Include more raw organic vegetables (carrots, cucumber, bell peppers, and cherry] in your diet as salads, soups etc.

Eating right energizes you for a great workout whether that is a walk in your garden, or a seaside jogging or workout at gym.

 References for further reading

    1.   http://siahmsrwellness.in/nuts-seeds    

2.      https://www.health.harvard.edu/category/staying-health

3.      https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/index.htm#:~:text=Being%20physically%20active%20can%20improve,activity%20gain%20some%20health%20benefits

4.      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8345633

5.      https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32825509