Often, we face certain health issues due to lack of sleep, feel bloated, get affected by PMS blues, and suffer from mild irritation throughout the body and mind. In such cases, instead of opening the medicine cabinet, we can always eat the right food and regulate our biological functions appropriately. It has been found that if we follow simple tips on “what to eat” and “what not to eat”, we can benefit our health greatly. Read on to find out some smart food fixes for common health problems we face in our day-to-day lives.
1. Bloating
Fix 1:
Bloating can always be taken care of by eating watery fruits and vegetables. When you feel all puffed up, eat melons and cucumbers or consume celery to flush out the extra sodium that our body holds on to, making us feel bloated.
Fix 2:
Bloating is sometimes a sign of a gassy abdomen and irregular bowels. In such cases, you need to load your body with enzymes. If you are feeling bloated up due to the formation of gas, eat papayas. The digestive enzyme papain, present in papayas, can break down the protein content, and the fiber in papayas help in pushing the food through the intestines.
2. Emotional Stress
Fix 1:
Eat breakfast to set your mood for the day. A healthy breakfast meal ensures that you are less tired by midday. An optimal breakfast rich in whole grains and antioxidants provides enough glucose to the brain, enough protein to keep you from getting hungry, and regulates blood sugar levels.
Fix 2:
Consume selenium-rich foods such as tuna, eggs, turkey, and Brazil nuts to keep yourself on an even keel. Women who are deficient in selenium are more prone to feeling depressed. This is because selenium is crucial for the production of thyroid hormones, which govern the mood and metabolism of a person. However, you don’t need a lot of it; 55 micrograms of selenium on a daily basis is enough, which means just 3 ounces of tuna.
3. Skin Breakouts
Fix 1:
Eat onions. The antioxidants and sulfur in onions help in reducing inflammation that leads to acne problems. The sulfur content in leeks, onions, and scallions help in producing a detoxifying molecule known as glutathione, which helps in preventing skin breakouts.
Fix 2:
Taking enough folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 might also help you boost your glutathione levels.
4. Insomnia
Fix 1:
Have a little food late at night. It is true that we must avoid having dinner late at night, but going hungry to bed might lead to loss of sleep. Munch on almonds and have a banana or try eating cheese and whole-wheat crackers before bedtime. These foods metabolize slowly at night and do not let your body go hungry while you sleep.
Fix 2:
Adding cherries to your late-night morsel can help you snooze the power of your snacks. If you are suffering from chronic insomnia, drink 8 ounces of cherry juice made from tart Montmorency cherries a couple of hours before bedtime. The anti-inflammatory properties in these cherries stimulate the production of cytokines that help you regulate your sleep. Tart cherries have been found to be high in melatonin as well, which is a hormone that signals the body to go to sleep and stay that way for some time.
5. Premenstrual Syndrome
The Fix:
Consume foods rich in iron. It has been found that women with low levels or iron in the body are more susceptible to the monthly blues. So, if you’re one of them, eat 1 cup of iron-fortified cereal daily along with optimal doses of spinach and white beans. Make a habit to eat bananas daily as this fruit is also rich in iron.
