There is a huge amount of contradictory advice out there about nutrition, and as a result many people are confused about what they should and shouldn’t be eating and drinking.
Much of the information on social media is developed by celebrities who promote ‘fad diets’ that have no scientific basis but which become hugely popular simply because a successful, often good-looking person, is promoting it. This plays on our body image insecurities and desire to have that ‘perfect’ body. We associate celebrities with success, happiness and wealth. These diets play on that and also on a fear of being ‘different’ or somehow unacceptable.
This article will outline dietary information which is evidence-based and on which most people are agreed. It will aim to give you a framework on which to build a healthy nutritional plan suited to your needs. The subject of hydration will be covered in a future blog post.
It makes good sense to fuel your body in the healthiest way. You get out what you put in.
In general, restricted weight-loss diets don’t work over the longer term. They can be great to help you reduce weight initially as a way to kick start and motivate you but longer-term success requires ongoing lifestyle changes to keep you healthy. Focusing on eating healthily is a much better strategy for longer-term success and health.
Your nutrition provides the building blocks for your body, your health, so it makes sense to use the best materials available. You cannot build a healthy foundation on sugary drinks and processed food. That choice is yours – you can choose to eat better, feel more energetic and provide your body with the best chance of staying healthy.
If you had an expensive car you wouldn’t clog the engine up with low grade fuel and oil. Your body and health are MUCH more precious than any car so nurture it with the healthiest fuel.
Like everything else in life, it’s a question of what you do most of the time. I’m a firm believer in not banning something completely because it only makes you want it more… at least at the beginning when you’re getting used to a different way of eating and drinking. However, if you ‘treat’ yourself to an unhealthy option on a regular basis, what seems like a small deviation from a healthy approach in that one instant, will add up over time. It may not have an immediate negative impact but all those decisions will add up over time.
It strikes me as rather ironic that we often ‘treat’ ourselves with substances that are detrimental to our health and wellbeing. So think about a wider approach here and try to establish a range of ‘treats’ that do not involve eating.
In time, you will find you crave the foods you previously couldn’t do without less and less. For example, cutting down on salt will seem tasteless at first but over time your palette will adjust to the point where even a slice of bread can taste too salty!
It has been known for some time that so called ‘junk’ food is addictive so those cravings will be hard to overcome at first, but the knowledge that your feelings are down to an addiction rather than a nutritional need should help you to stay strong.
It is also accepted that many people over eat to satisfy emotional needs, so take a look at when and why you eat. Start putting measures in place for dealing with the emotional aspects in different ways so that you eat to address hunger and nutritional needs only. To provide you with fuel.
So let’s move on to a quick round up of what to eat to provide you with the best foundation for good health.
1) Protein – The primary role of protein is to provide you with the structural components needed to build every cell in your body. Proteins provide your cells and tissues with strength. They also control the biochemical reactions in your body and are important for a healthy immune system. In short, they are vital for good health. When choosing protein ensure cuts of meat are lean. Eat fish and combinations of plant-based protein (eg beans, tofu, quinoa) to keep your intake of animal protein down.
From the age of about 40 your muscle mass will start to decrease. This speeds up significantly after 60 so ensuring you are getting enough protein as you age is important.
2) Carbohydrates – Carbs have had a lot of bad press in recent years but the bottom line is that you wouldn’t survive without them. They provide you, your cells, your brain with the energy you need to function.
The Glycemic Index (GI) provides a good guide to how quickly food is broken down into glucose in your blood stream. High GI foods break down quickly to cause a spike in blood sugar levels so stick to low GI foods in the main. The Glycemic Load measurement will give you a more accurate picture because it takes into account the amount of carbohydrate in a portion together with how quickly it raises your blood sugar levels.
3) Fats – some fats are considerably better for you than others. Trans fats are highly detrimental to health and should be avoided. We all need some fats, which should be mainly of the unsaturated type such as those found in oily fish, nuts and seeds.
4) Vitamins and minerals – variety is key to ensuring you get enough of all the vitamins and minerals you need to maintain healthy, optimum bodily functions. Sufficient vitamin D intake requires a little bit of help from the sun.
These are some good guidelines to follow –
Become a reader of food labeling – you will be surprised how much food has hidden sugar and salt not to mention other additives.
Eat –
1) Whole, unprocessed foods – processed foods such as bacon, sausages, white bread don’t make good building blocks and will eventually lead to poor health. The less your food has been meddled with the better.
2) Complex carbs such as wholegrain versions of bread, pasta and rice, lentils, red kidney beans. They take your body longer to break down into fuel (glucose) enabling you to keep your blood sugar levels on an even keel. They also provide a rich source of fibre vitamins and minerals. Simple carbs such as sugar and white flour will cause a spike in your blood sugar and a subsequent trough in energy that will leave you craving more.
3) A wide variety of healthy foods to ensure you get the full range of vitamins and minerals.
4) A variety of natural colour at each meal. A naturally colourful plateful of food will provide you with the necessary vitamins and minerals to keep healthy.
5) Mainly plant-based meals. Eat more veg whilst ensuring your protein intake is good.
6) Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines – they contain unsaturated Omega 3 fatty acids, which are essential for good health, skin, nails, hair and many bodily functions.
7) Nuts and seeds and olive oils – they provide a good source of unsaturated fat too. Keep portions small as these are also high in calories.
8) More veg than fruit as your recommended seven portions a day.
Cut down on –
1) Saturated fats such as pastries, cakes and biscuits, animal fat.
2) Animal protein.
3) Sugar – be aware of ‘hidden’ sugars in processed, ‘low fat’ foods, cereals, even ketchup. Sugar causes a multitude of health problems including weight gain, blood sugar problems and liver disease.
4) Salt – most of us eat too much salt. It raises blood pressure and can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Beware of hidden salt in many processed foods, even bread!
5) Alcohol – it’s calorific and contains large amounts of sugar as well as imposing a load on your liver. Bear in mind alcohol is a toxin so drinking every day or going over the ‘safe’ limit will, at some stage, have a significant impact on your future health.
6) Simple carbs – they will mess up your blood sugar levels and eventually lead to insulin resistance and diabetes. They are also known as ‘empty calories’.
7) Manufactured ‘low fat’ foods such as ‘low fat’ yogurt – to maintain the taste when fat is removed, large amounts of sugar are usually added. Skimmed milk is an exception so great to include in a balanced diet.
If the list above leaves you thinking this cuts out all your favourite foods and drink, take solace in the fact that it’s a question of what your taste buds are used to. Your palate will quickly adapt to new tastes and find new, healthy favourites.
Avoid –
1) Trans fats – often called hydrogenated oil, or hydrogenated vegetable oils. They are added to foods such as margarines biscuits and cakes to increase lifespan. They are highly detrimental to health and many countries are seeking to ban them completely. You will need to become a label reader to detect these.
2) Sugary, fizzy drinks. Even the low calorie ones.
For a great visual tool for a healthy diet, visit –
https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/australian-guide-healthy-eating
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