07.06.2016 - By Dr Jyotsna Verma

To eat or not to eat? This is the question

In no particular order, a balanced diet must contain a combination of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber in moderate amounts to maintain good health. Each of these items plays a particular, yet important, role in helping the body to function properly. Carbohydrates and fats provide the body with energy, proteins assist the body with growth and repair, vitamins and minerals contain vital nutrients to further support tissues and organs, and fiber helps ensures the intestines operate smoothly.

A critical step to achieving a balanced diet is to become educated about what the body needs to function well. In the US, the Food Guide Pyramid developed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides simple guidelines to ensure a well-balanced diet is regularly followed. Based on current scientific evidence linking diet and exercise with good health, the pyramid is illustrated using multi-colored vertical stripes, with each stripe representing one of five food groups, in addition to a group known as "fats and oils."

Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber can readily be consumed in the proper amounts by following the guidelines provided by the FDA Food Pyramid. Both the pyramid and the medical community urge individuals to eat at least three meals a day, and to avoid skipping breakfast as this meal helps get the body off to a good start each day. It is also considered wise to limit the amount of foods containing high amounts of cholesterol, added sugars, salt, and alcohol, as these do not provide the body with any particular necessary nutrition. In fact, when consumed in large amounts, foods containing these items can cause or exacerbate poor health conditions.

A well-balanced diet as evidenced by the food pyramid encourages people to eat a variety of foods in the correct proportions. Followers are encouraged to plan meals around the foods with the thickest wedges of the pyramid, including whole grains and vegetables, and eat less of the foods with thinner portions, such as oils and fats. If weight loss is a goal, the minimum number of recommended daily servings should be consumed. If weight gain is the goal, the maximum should be eaten.

Doctors and most governmental agencies urge the adoption of a daily exercise regimen to complement and enhance a balanced diet. The amount of recommended exercise is dependent on age and weight goals. If weight loss is necessary, then more exercise is recommended, while, if weight maintenance is the goal, less exercise is required.

A holistic diet is one that is intended to treat a person’s mind and body. It is aimed at ensuring the health and balance of all physical systems. This also includes emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being. An example of this type of diet would be a weight-loss diet where, instead of simply instructing the dieter to consume fewer calories by eating less food and burn more calories by exercising, a doctor assessed the dieter’s entire physical metabolic system – including thyroid, digestion, and genetic factors – and also took into consideration things like the patient’s learned behaviors, stress levels, and feelings toward exercise.

The purpose of a holistic diet is to treat the whole human being and help bring all systems into balance. The diet places a higher value on addressing underlying causes of conditions than on providing immediate solutions. People who endorse this type of diet say it is more effective because of its focus on underlying causes and whole health.

For example, some estimates claim that as many as 90 percent of people who lose weight will regain it. A holistic diet can address the underlying metabolic and psychological factors that caused a person to become overweight to begin with. When these causes are treated, the person may be more likely to lose weight permanently, making the holistic approach more effective.

A holistic diet may also be used to treat specific medical conditions such as migraines, insomnia, and arthritis. Holistic practitioners believe many of the chemicals and preservatives in modern foods contribute to various health problems. They also claim that a holistic diet can alleviate these problems.r>
There are many types of holistic diets, but most focus on eating whole foods that are low in fat, cholesterol, and refined sugar, and are free of chemicals and preservatives. This means eating healthy, fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, hormone-free meats, free-range poultry, and whole grains. Some holistic diets advocate vegetarianism or veganism. Advocates of these diets say that the absence of the chemicals, preservatives, pesticides, and hormones in these types of food helps to cleanse the body of toxins and alleviate medical problems.

Holistic therapies and diets are nothing new. They have been around for thousands of years and, in fact, were the medical standard before doctors began to learn about bacteria, viruses, and specific physical systems. Although modern medicine has become far more popular than holistic medicine, holistic therapies are still favored by many because the method addresses underlying causes and integrates the treatment of mind and body.

आयुःसत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धनाः। रस्याः स्निग्धाः स्थिरा हृद्या आहाराः सात्त्विकप्रियाः।।
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिनः। आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दुःखशोकामयप्रदाः।।
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत्। उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम्।।Gita.17.8-10।।

This Article was originally published on 07.06.2016 and updated most recently on 22.09.2025