Dr. Shikha Sharma is explaining how to maintain a good health in spite of busy schedules and an increasingly fast-paced lifestyle. Dr. Shikha, brain behind NutriHealth Systems, is giving suggestions how to reduce stress and maintain good health during your busy schedule.

1. Busy Schedule and Nutrition
These days, a wealth of nutrition information is at your finger tips. From diet books to
newspaper articles, everyone seems to have an opinion about what you should be eating.
It’s no secret that good nutrition plays an essential role in maintaining health but still our
busy schedule stops us to avail good nutrition .Good Nutrition is vital to good health and
for prevention of diseases.
Nutrients are necessary for the proper functioning of mental, physical, metabolic,
chemical and hormonal activities. The body is like a machine that will repair and rebuild
itself by proper nutrition provided by the way of food.
One should eat three sensible meals at regular times or eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout
the day, instead of three larger ones. This is a good way to control cravings and drops in
blood sugar. Skipping meals may lead you to eat larger portions of high-calorie, high-fat
foods at your next meal or snack. Make small, slow changes, instead of trying to make
large, fast changes. Small changes will be easier to make and stick with.
Busy schedules and an increasingly fast-paced lifestyle have meant that people
increasingly miss out their meal specially breakfast, having breakfasts together as a
family has also become a rare experience.
• Don't skip breakfast: Skipping breakfast is a big mistake, but busy executives and
teens often do it. Skipping meals often leads to overeating later in the day.
Becoming over hungry often leads to a lack of control and distorted satiety signals
(meaning it's hard to determine when you're full). This can result in nibbling and
binging processed foods than if one had an appropriate breakfast.
• Get up a little early, enjoy the coolness of the day, and focus on fueling your
body. You will have more energy for your fall fitness fun, and your body will
respond by maintaining a healthier weight throughout the year.
A fast lifestyle makes it easy to go without a meal or just grab less-than-healthy food as
you run out the door. But a busy day does not have to keep you from having great health.

2. Vitamins are a great insurance for days when you don't have time to eat every meal, but
real food should always be your first choice when it comes to nutrients.
All fruits are great sources of nutrients, but some stand out like strawberries, raspberries,
orange, pomegranate, sweet lime and papaya. They're loaded with antioxidants; vitamin
and fiber contents that keep us protected from the stress of day to day life. Fruits like
bananas, berries and other breakfast foods that can be eaten on the bus or in the car.
There are many ways to eat berries; you can put them in yogurt, or on your cereal, there
great in smoothies.
Include a protein, complex carbohydrate, and a fruit, cereal with milk and fruit or a
brown bread with peanut butter and an apple to eat on the way to school, college or your
destination.
Stock your pantry with a variety of cereals—some high fiber choices and some lower-
fiber, high-sugar cereals that teens tend to favor. Suggest that teen combine a high-fiber
cereal with their usual cereal for their morning bowl. They'll still taste the sweetness, and
get some extra nutrients.
o Pack your lunch rather than buying fast food.
o Do not skip / avoid lunches and keep light dinners.
o Pay attention to what you're eating and savor the smell and taste of your
foods. Don't eat in front of the TV or While busy with other activities.
o When eating away from home, watch out for "hidden" fats (such as that in
salad dressing and desserts)
In a busy schedule stress is the major problem.
Reduce Stress:
Get Moving!
Multiple short walks throughout the day can help you establish the physical activity habit.
Also, by getting up and taking short walks (2-5 minutes) you can prevent the discomfort
of fatigue and stiffness that often accompanies long hours working at your desk. Long
term stress can create a tremendous strain on the cardiovascular system and can
eventually contribute to heart disease. Although we cannot eliminate stress in our lives,
we must find a way to reduce and cope with our stress. Some great stress reduction
techniques include:
1. Yoga.
2. Deep Breathing when the stress builds get up and take a short walk.
3. Music is a good therapy for the management of stress and energy
generated also.
4. 15-30 minutes exercise every Day: Ideally to maintain optimal health
women should engage in a minimum of thirty minutes of exercise every

3. day, and should aspire to work towards 60 minutes per day to maintain
weight and prevent weight gain in your busy schedule.
There are many more methods available for reducing stress but the key to reducing stress
in your life is to experiment with a variety of stress reduction techniques until you find
the methods that work best for you. Once you have established your stress reduction
technique, you will need to remain consistent with your chosen method, especially during
periods of increased stress in your life.
Optimists and positive thinkers experience better health, less stress, and more 'luck' in
life. While it takes a little practice to develop a more positive frame of mind, the practice
takes little extra time and can really change your whole experience of life and how you
live it.