By Marylin Zhang.

You're busy and feel like you don't have time to cook meals at home, I totally get it.

These days people are expected to jump out of bed, shower, brush their teeth, drag a brush through their hair, put on clothes and be in the car on the way to work.

It seems like there isn't even time to have breakfast before you have to be at the office performing your daily tasks.

This tends to produce a reliance on easy to obtain, high carb foods which increase feelings of energy throughout the day.

Maybe you've noticed that most busy office buildings have cafeterias and restaurants nearby, this is not an accident.

Office culture revolves around getting tasks accomplished all day, with only a little time to rest and nourish yourself.

This is a big problem for modern people since we also have so many obligations outside of work which make it difficult to cook healthy meals, making those restaurants really attractive lunch options.

The bottom line about restaurants is that they aren't very healthy.

There is just no way around this problem, since the purpose of a restaurant is to produce good tasting food, quickly, while maintaining an affordable menu that customers are willing to pay for.

The majority of restaurants, fast food or dine in serve foods that are made with Hydrogenated oils such as Canola and Lard which are affordable but very hard on your body.

Restaurant foods also tend to be high in carbs, especially starches which metabolize into sugar in your body causing fat collection, especially around your liver.

There is also the issue of salt which is often used at unsafe levels and can lead to heart and kidney problems in the long run.

This doesn't mean that you should never eat at restaurants, but you should understand they were never meant to be places you visit every day.

Going out to eat for a special occasion or even just once or twice a month for pleasure is an enriching part of life, but between those rare times you let strangers cook for you, the majority of your food should be made at home with quality ingredients, balanced to serve your family's needs.

According to the Center for Disease Control from 2002-2015 there has been an annual increase of 1.9% in both type 1 and 2 diabetes among young people, so you can imagine who much worse it is in adults.

In Canada about 20% of people have Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, a illness in which fat deposits collect around the liver which can lead to serious long term health problems.

Type 2 diabetes and fatty liver are illnesses which for the most part are based on lifestyle, specifically on the choices we make every day about our diets.

In past times these illnesses were much less common since the majority of people had trouble providing themselves with sufficient calories every day, but in modern times since all of our material needs can be fulfilled easily and quickly, these entirely preventable illnesses are responsible for millions of premature deaths.

I know this all sounds kind of scary, but in a sense it should be since I'm sure you would prefer to live a long, healthy, and relatively pain free life.

We can't really do much about our genetic destiny or prevent unexpected accidents and injuries, but we can control our diets and easily avoid becoming ill with food related health problems.

Stop to think about how many times you have used a takeout App, or gone down to the local diner to get some comfort food at lunch.

These conveniences are all too common, but even though the damage they cause manifests slowly, it does manifest and can cause serious health problems including:

High Blood Pressure,

Arterial Plaque buildup,

Diabetes,

Fatty Liver,

Digestive issues such as bloating,

Obesity,

Inflammation,

and many more issues that are for the most part totally avoidable if you choose to eat better foods.

At TCM in the Six we suggest you limit your restaurant visits to once every two weeks at most and cook the majority of your own foods yourself.

Also, be careful about pre-made products with high starch or sugar content, and foods with preservatives such as sausages, canned meats, salad dressings etc...

When you cook, try to use high fiber foods like potatoes, carrots, Bok Choy, Spinach, Almonds, and lean meats like Chicken and Fish.

I know it can be really hard to prepare food for yourself every morning when you're on the run, so why not try what I do:

Three nights a week I break three ears of corn, cut up two sweet potatoes, half of a daikon, and cut up two carrots.

I make sure they are carefully washed as to remove any dirt and possible germs, then I boil them in water until they are no longer crispy, giving them a nice medium soft consistency that I find easy to chew and digest.

I pour off the water and let the veggies cool down, then I place them in a sealed container in the fridge, taking roughly a third of a portion with me each day when I go to work.

In order to boost my caloric intake and get more energy I often add an egg, or some fried salmon or chicken, and I make either brown rice or Eight Grain Sprouted Rice such as this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Nishimoto-Trading-Sukoyaka-Grain-Sprouted/dp/B00AAQLKIK

(note: we are not affiliated with the vendor, this is just one brand we like to use at home).

All of these things can be made the night before, or even made in larger quantities in advance and stored in the fridge for a couple days.

This means that you can limit your lunch time cooking to about three times a week and it never takes more than an hour each time. Even with a very busy schedule I can't imagine that would be too much.

Taking care of your health is up to you and although you can take medicine when you get sick, long term food related health issues are often complex and difficult to treat so why not avoid them altogether.

If you are in good health, don't take it for granted because declining health is often not obvious until there is a serious problem.

If you are already suffering from diet related health issues, don't lose hope, all you have to do is make some minor changes and avoid the desire to go to restaurants all the time, instead choosing to cook your own food.

It may be hard to change your habits, but it isn't impossible, you just need to educate yourself and put in a bit of effort.  You are an adult and you've already proven to yourself that you can provide for yourself and your family, so why not think of changing your diet as a long term investment in yourself.

Believe me, you'll never regret not getting that spicy chicken wrap, and when you're the healthiest 85 year old on the cruise ship, you'll thank yourself for taking care of your body!