Healthy Habits: Dr. Pabel Miah enjoys cooking, swimming and gardening

It can sometimes be difficult to find ways to stay healthy, so we’ve asked members of our Baylor College of Medicine community to share what they do in their daily lives to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Dr. Pabel Miah, surgical oncologist and assistant professor in the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, shares some of his healthy habits with us.

Question: What health decisions start your day?

Answer: I always make a conscious decision to eat breakfast in one form or another. I realized that if I can have breakfast and drink some water, I tend to have more energy even without coffee. There’s an old Persian saying: “Eat a whole-hearted breakfast, share your lunch with a friend, and give your dinner to your enemy.” I do think there is some value in that saying emphasizing the importance of breakfast.

Q: What is your go-to healthy breakfast?

A: I love avocado toast. The way I make it is with a slice of wheat bread, two sliced-up, boiled eggs using only the egg whites, the next layer being sliced up avocados, and finally some sliced up tomatoes. I add a sprinkle of Old Bay seasoning and some cayenne powder/garlic powder for added flavor!

Q: What is your favorite type of exercise?

A: Swimming is my favorite type of exercise. You get a great cardio workout while working out muscles on the body you never even knew you had! It’s also easy on the joints for those dealing with joint pain. You also get to keep cool in the Houston heat.

Q: What keeps you motivated during your workout?

A: I look forward to the next meal. I love cooking, and what gets me going is that if I can endure through this workout, I can look forward to having my delicious (and healthy) meal right after.

Q: What activities do you do when you can’t fit in a full workout?

A: I mostly lift weights during my workouts, and if I can’t fit that in, I usually go for a prolonged jog. I love running and especially when the weather is nice.

Q: What is your favorite healthful snack?

A: Almonds are amazing. Plain almonds have a great taste, are healthy for you, and even give you a nice boost during the day!

Q: Do you take vitamins and if so, which ones?

A: I take a men’s multivitamin and fish-oils. Omega-3 fatty acids are great for reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Q: How do you make an unhealthy recipe healthy (healthy substitutions)?

A: I use olive oil whenever I cook anything that requires oil. Eggs are great when you take out the yolk. When I want some crunch in my food, I chop up some almonds and sprinkle them in. Spices are a great substitute for salt when adding flavor. For example, instead of adding salt, I like to add cayenne or paprika powder, garlic powder and some cumin. I always try to fit in spinach (or any other greens) into whatever I make.

Q: What is your nighttime skin regimen?

A: Cera-Ve Lotion!

Q: What hobbies do you have to help you relax?

A: I love swimming and gardening! I love growing peppers and then making hot sauce out of them. It’s so much fun mixing them with different ingredients and spices. I also love to cook and bake, which I find enjoyable (as does my wife).

Q: What is your go-to Houston restaurant for a healthy meal?

A: Sweetgreen or any Mediterranean restaurant

Q: What is your favorite health tip that you live by?

A: I think of health like an investment. When we invest, we like to put away money into our retirement accounts early on so it can accumulate into something we can live off when we are no longer working. The same is true with our health. How we live in our 30s will pay off when we are 50. How we live in our 50s will pay off when we are 70, and so on. That is why it’s important to build healthy habits (including diet and exercise) as early as possible so we can live our lives optimally.