Liliane Zaher's 5 Top Tips for Healthy Living

I In this series, Bazaar Canada brings you expert advice from nutritionist Liliane Zaher as she shares her five top tips on how to maintain a good diet, boost your wellbeing, and nurture your mental health.

This is the quintessential busy Kuwaiti mom-writer and nutritionist. How does she juggle all that? Here are five quick and really helpful suggestions from her for healthier bodies and minds—with a pledge of allegiance to the belief of making healthy choices, be it bringing balance to every plate or at least getting some sun exposure during the day.

1. Master the Art of a Balanced Diet
According to Liliane, a healthy lifestyle should be one that has a diet rich in essential nutrients. This balance, therefore, will involve balanced foods from the key groups; these are the proteins, healthy carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables.

2. Preserving Produce for Maximum Nutrition
An important thing that keeps fruits and vegetables fresh is nutrient content. Here are a few simple tips from Liliane: Keep banana stalks in aluminum foil to slow down the ripening of bananas. Store washed strawberries in a container lined with tissue paper to keep them fresh for a longer time. Keep the ends of coriander cut and put the stems in a jar of water to keep herbs fresh much longer.

3. Mix Foods for Better Nutrient Effect
Sometimes the nutrient benefits of a food are doubled or much enhanced, depending on how it is used:

• Avocado + Tomato: Avocado fat enhances lycopene, the antioxidant in tomatoes, while tomato increases the health effect of the healthy fats in avocado.
• Turmeric + Black Pepper: Up to 2000% increase in curcumin—an active ingredient in turmeric—through increased absorption rate when black pepper is used.
• Vitamin C + Iron: Vitamin C can enhance iron obtained from plant sources; consume foods rich in vitamin C along with iron-rich foods. It is just a great combination.

4. Soak up Morning Sunlight
Expose yourself to direct sunlight for at least 15 minutes every day, which can alone promote hormonal balance as well as an improved digestive system. For better results, add a glass of sea salt-treated water while outside under the sun for hydration and general health.

5. Self-Confidence to Promote Psychological Well-being
Lastly, Liliane cites mental well-being as a healthy concern. "Believe in yourself—whether you want to set goals or take small steps toward them—without that, no one will ever succeed." Remember, every little bit counts, and building confidence in your abilities goes a long way toward long-term health and happiness.

That's just what these simple yet efficacious tips by Liliane Zaher may bring to one's life—a little healthy and better-balanced life, be it in one's physical or mental dimension.