Brief Answer:
Balanced diet and regular physical exercises.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Greetings from HealthcareMagic.

The natural way to gain weight is actually a blend of balanced diet and regular physical exercises. Most people think that a weight gain diet allows you to have anything and everything that would please the taste buds. But that’s not really how diet works.

Gain in weight is considered healthy when a person develops Muscle mass and not the fat. This means you are required to take a diet rich in protein and moderately high in calories. The increased calorie intake can be justified by making place for a strength training routine in your existing fitness plan. Light weights and other exercises require energy which is supplied by the calories that you get from diet. Thus, additional calories of the diet would result in a “Protein Sparing Action”. Which means that the added calories would allow the protein to perform its intended function of muscle development? This process is accelerated by the weight training exercises. include lean meat, mature legumes, nuts and dairy in daily diet.

Take smaller but frequent meals and add nutrient dense foods like fresh cream, nuts and dry fruits and whole grains etc. to your daily diet. Do not eat or drink around the main meal timings to save the appetite for main meals.

You may include potato, yam, rice and bread in the diet for required calories. Fruits and vegetable are also important as they provide means for better digestion and assimilation of the food consumed. Always keep the handy snacks with you, for e.g. granola or protein bar, roasted nuts, dry fruits, sprouts and roasted legumes and take plenty of water and other hydrating liquids. Avoid bakery and commercially prepared foods as they contain additives and preservatives.

A starchy fruit like XXXXXXX banana, sapota etc. are excellent and you may combine these foods with milk and its products for improving their overall nutritive quotient. Fruit milk shakes and fruit yogurt smoothies are refreshingly good foods that provide a blend of nutritious foods.

Choose the fat wisely, and maintain the intake of healthy fats like avocado, nuts, whole grains, dairy products, olive and canola oil etc.

Most of the considerations of weight gain diet are applicable to improving the health with sickle cell disease. High calorie nutrient dense diet, sufficient hydration to maintain blood volume, increased omega three fatty acid intake and nutrient supplementation is important. Vit A, Vit B6, Vit C, Vit E and minerals like zinc and magnesium are important to suppress the complications.

Remember that weight gain is a slow process, follow your diet, eating routine and timings, never skip meals and also avoid eating more than the intended quantities.

Being persistent and focused would help you achieve your ideal weight faster.

Hope this helps and please feel free to ask further questions.

Meenakshi

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