Originally published on To Be Healthy
See the link here- http://tobehealthy.me/blogs/tbh-nutrition/153001863-the-tbh-top-6-secret-tips-to-keep-you-fit

It is easy to be confused with the enormous amount of research in the nutrition and wellness world. One day, researchers shun fat and embrace it the next. The low fat revolution caused many problems among calorie counters and we are now fatter and more unhealthy than we had anticipated. Corn finds its way into almost everything we eat and drink. How do we understand this? Well, fret not- I’ve listed a few unconventional tips that will help get you closer to your #bodygoals.

LINE YOUR TUMMY BEFORE YOU DRINK
It is customary to eat dinner in Europe before you step out for drinks and it turns out theres good reason for that. People opt for steak and veggies, grilled chicken or a sandwich to line their tummies before the vino comes out. Drinking on an empty stomach can be highly acidic on the stomach and lead to gastrointestinal distress. Alcohol is broken down into sugars and isn’t ideal when you are watching your weight or trying to be healthy. However, if you line your tummy with slow digesting carbs or lean protein- the alcohol also takes a while to be assimilated. One should always try and grab a snack before drinking so as to lower the glycemic response of alcohol and you end up holding your drinks better through the night.

HIIT
HIIT has become extremely popular off late because people want results and they don’t have the time to log hours and hours doing endless cardio. HIIT stands for high intensity interval training and is the perfect way to bust out of a workout plateau, torch calories and tone that body in record time. Based on the premise that you incorporate short bursts of intense activity followed by rest and recovery. This kind of exercise, albeit challenging is great exercise, good for aerobic conditioning and extremely effective for those with sluggish metabolisms.

NUT BUTTERS
Nut butters like almond and peanut butter look sinful, decadent and delicious. Did you know you could incorporate them into your daily diet without packing on the pounds. You can slather on some unsweetened almond or peanut butter on banana, apple slices post your workout. If you are having a cardio heavy day- you can have an almond butter sandwich with gluten free bread to fuel your workouts. Remember to either make your own nut butter or pick one without any added sweetener or salt.

OIL PULLING
This is a ritual that will keep your gums in good shape, teeth impeccably white and in considerably better health – if done regularly. Oil pulling involves swishing around cold pressed coconut or sesame oil around your gums and mouth for a few minutes before you do away with the oil. Sounds gross, doesn’t it? Well, what if I told you that this procedure could help make your teeth visibly whiter and eradicate your adult acne problem. Would you try it? Oh, and please don’t gulp down the oil when you gargle.

DITCH DAIRY
I know this is a controversial issue since so many doctors and mothers insist on drinking milk everyday for stronger bones and teeth. However, the unfortunate truth is that we lack the enzyme to digest lactose (naturally occurring sugar in milk and dairy) after we are 6 months old. Dairy products often contain hormones, antibiotics and other medicines that can act as toxins and can leave you with a compromised immune system. Drinking inorganic milk and consuming dairy in the long run can make you predisposed to allergies, common flu and also exacerbate adult acne. Studies also find that high consumption of milk and dairy doesn’t show a reduction in the risk for osteopenia and fractures, so its better to avoid milk if its possible. I find that my skin is a lot better, digestion issues are improved and my allergies are less frequent since I gave up milk and most dairy products. I use almond milk as a substitute to regular cows milk and eat a lot of flax, sesame and chia to get my recommended allowance of calcium.

TURMERIC MILK
Remember your granny gave you a glass of turmeric milk everytime you got hurt from an accident or fell. Well, curcumin the potent antioxidant in turmeric has been used to treat everything from fractures, skin lesions, acne, cholesterol and tumours. I try and incorporate it into my non dairy milks and smoothies whenever I feel like I’ve got a cold coming on. Make sure you consume turmeric with black pepper to enhance assimilation and reap the benefits of this wonderful food. You can make an anti-inflammatory non dairy milk using the following ingredients-

1 cup of unsweetened almond mylk

1/2 tsp of raw organic turmeric

a tiny bit of stevia or honey

2 whole peppercorns

fresh basil and mint leaves

A generous sprinkling of cinnamon