Lend an ear to dieticians for a healthy and balanced life
by Alanur Aydemir
ISTANBULMay 19, 2016 - 12:00 am GMT+3
by Alanur Aydemir
May 19, 2016 12:00 am
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is much harder for people in busy cities. In Turkey, the scene is the same as more children are seen with fast-food while active workers show up with Starbucks coffee. Meanwhile, well-known dieticians and food bloggers gather to urge the public to practise a well-balanced lifestyle
The irony of our efforts to make life easier so we can live longer and be happier is almost comical. We have invented fast computers that have given us faster cars and larger airplanes, and the ease of modern life has resulted in fast food and larger waistlines. Our comfortable couches and remote controlled, flat screen televisions are fast-forwarding our lives to all sorts of disease and illnesses. Around 2.8 million people are dying due to obesity and illnesses on a global scale. According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), 33.7 percent of those aged 15 or over were overweight as of 2014. Obese women made up 24.5 percent of this figure, while 29.3 percent were considered overweight.
The percentage of men considered obese was 15.3 percent, while 38.2 percent were considered overweight. As with all things, education is always the key to combating unhealthy lifestyle. Diyetisyen Dünyası (Dieticians World) hosted its fifth festival in Istanbul's Nişantaşı Shopping Mall this weekend with the intention of educating the general public. The event, which attracted more than 5,000 people, was jam-packed with information. An extensive panel of experts in the field of nutrition and health spoke about the importance of health and well being. Students from various universities in Istanbul studying nutrition volunteered their time and expertise to provide vital information. A free body analysis test, measuring one's weight, body mass index, height and muscle mass, normally valued at approximately TL 100 ($33.56) was offered for free, along with a personalized evaluation for anyone interested. Healthier brand alternatives to much enjoyed foods available for free as part of the education process. The free goodie bags contained insightful information, free food samples and vouchers to provide motivation and encouragement for those who require a kick start to a healthier life.
Dietician Ecem Mahan spoke with Daily Sabah and talked about the importance of health and how to maintain a balanced life.
Daily Sabah: What is Turkey's number-one complaint when it comes to healthy eating?
Ecem Mahan: Everyone wants to be healthy, but health is a way of life. Istanbul is a big city with a very face-paced lifestyle, and unfortunately, to maintain a fast life, people resort to faster options when it comes to eating. Healthy eating is about sparing the time to prepare and plan your meal. So, people often complain about the lack of time to eat good food, let alone exercise. Turkey's kitchen is rich in flavor and very healthy when it comes to produce, but the lack of time and lack of knowledge on how bad certain foods are often results in poor decisions. Sparing the time to eat and exercise adds quality to the years of your life.
DS: Obesity is rapidly increasing in Turkey, what is being done to prevent this epidemic?
EM: Events such as festivals for the general public that provide vital information about their health, healthier alternatives to some of the foods they eat and new and exciting recipes to keep them motivated and acknowledge that weight loss and a healthy life is not a task but a lifestyle. Also, certain foods have been banned in school cafeterias and replaced with healthier alternatives in the hope of encouraging healthy eating habits.
Wellness Tips
Detox cleanse
Juice cleansing is a way to detox with raw juices and nut milks without depriving the body of any essential nutrients. During a juice cleanse, by consuming only liquids for a short period of time - usually three-to-five days - the body's digestive system rests, allowing the body to detox and rebuild. During detox, as animal proteins, alcohol, caffeine and processed food are avoided, the cleanse helps the body regain its alkaline balance. Juico's co-founder Sedef Dordüncü embarked on a journey to not just be healthy, but also provide a healthier option to everyone. The cold pressed juices that they freshly squeeze, comprised of fresh fruits and vegetables, such as kale, beetroot and carrot, are preservative-free and sugar-free alternatives to popular fizzy drinks that can contain 11 grams of sugar per 100 milliliters.
Health blogging
Dilara Koçak is the healthy face of healthy eating in Turkey and also the author of numerous books that cover healthy recipes and well-being topics, such as eating for your body type, eating the right foods and methods to stay motivated. Her work speaks to the importance of nuts and what they mean to your health.
Be confident
Fashion stylist Melike Çarpatan looks at how to dress according to each person's body type. An ambassador to the curvier woman in Turkey, she focuses on what it means to embrace the beauty of being confident with who we are by wearing the right style, color and fabric. Her motto is that every woman is beautiful and deserves to feel it, and she provides the kind of support and encouragement that women who do not fit the runway mold need to feel.
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