BookMEDS Blog Bad Eating Habits and Ways to Fix Them

Caffeine:Most of us are habituated to 4 to 5 coffees and tea's in a day. Though caffeine present in them (Especially coffees) make you feel fresh instantly, the too much of it results in excess production of stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol which overtime leave you feeling burnt out. Excess caffeine also affects the ability to sleep well too setting up a viscous circle of needing to consume even more to feel alert.How to fix it: Gradually avoid coffee and cut back tea to a maximum of 3 cups. It is suggested to start your day with herbal bream or cleansing cup of hot water and lemon instead of coffee. Add more slow releasing, low GI foods into diet, for example whole grains, beans, pulses and vegetables. Make sure sleep at least for 8 hours during night. This makes you feel naturally energized.Skipping breakfast: One should never skip breakfast because it great opportunity to add whole host of important nutrients to body. It also causes blood sugars to plummet and makes you far more vulnerable to over eating through rest of the day. Even many studies proved that breakfast eaters are thinner when compared with breakfast skippers.How to fix it: People skip breakfast for two main reasons. One is lack of appetite and other is lack of time. Lack of appetite problem can be solved with regular exercises and proper water consumption.If you go too early to work, prepare some breakfast and carry it with you. You can eat it in your regular breakfast time. Tough you don't have much to prepare breakfast, remember how important role it plays on your health.Carvings for sugary and fatty snacks: Carvings for sugary, fatty snacks kick-in in the response to falling blood sugar levels but these can over stimulate hormonal system leaving the person feeling perpetually tired.How to fix it: The best way to avoid the problem is eating low GI breakfast. It means eating foods such as porridge, granola or fresh fruit topped with low fat yogurt and handful of mixed nuts and seeds.It is suggested to lower the overall GI rating of the rest of the daily diet by swapping high GI fast releasing carbohydrates such as breads, rice, pasta, processed breakfast cereals, cakes, and biscuits with too much lower more sustaining, low GI alternatives like stone-ground and rye bread, brown basmati rice, beans, pulses and oats.High fat lunches: Make your own lunch and carry with you where ever you go. Avoid eating commercially prepared foods like sandwiches and salads. This is because, these foods are far higher in fat than that we think and the poor labeling makes it difficult to know exactly the calories we eat.Suagr eating habit: Regular sugar eating habit adds lot of extra calories, fat and sugar to diet which is dangerous.How to fix it: If you love eating sweet after lunch or dinner. It is suggested to bite a piece of jaggery or eat a fruit.Winding down with wine: occasional glass of wine doesn't do any harm. But relying on it to put full stop to working day is harmful. Alcohol lowers blood sugar levels. This makes the person tired, over stimulates the appetite and makes the person eat more. It also steels body's most essential vitamins and minerals.How to fix it: Slowly avoid the habit. Initially it will be tough for people to overcome the habit. Remember that's your health and be committed. Alternatively, have a spritzer instead or an elder flower cordi al with sparkling water, ice, fresh mint and slices of lemon served in a large wine glass. This will be a refreshing substitute.