It All Starts With Good Nutrition
by Eva
Moffat
zone3
A Balanced Diet is essential for good health. The body needs:-
Proteins Carbohydrates Fats We all want to enjoy good health don’t
we? But some of the food we allow to enter our bodies is definitely not in
our best interest.
Too much stodgy or fatty foods, that fill us up, make us feel full but
within a very short time we are hungry again.
So What Should We Be Eating?A Balanced Diet:
Doctors and Nutritionists talk about eating a Balanced Diet, but what
is a Balanced Diet?The Nutritional Value in our food is made up of:
- Proteins
- Fats
- Carbohydrates
ProteinsAre essential for bodybuilding. This does not mean making us
fat, but rather building bulk and muscle. We need good strong muscles for
practically everything. The heart is a muscle and that has to work really
hard for the whole of our lives. When the heart stops working properly, we
get Heart Failure, Heart Attacks etc.
We need good muscles to be able to digest the food we eat. Then we have
muscles that keep us upright so that we can walk and run.
We have muscles in the eyes that help us to see by focussing.
Now this Protein is made up of blocks that interlock to form amino
acids.
There are about 20 Amino Acids. 9 of which are called First Class or
Essential Amino Acids. Without these First Class or Essential Amino Acids
the body would be a mess, with very little working, as it should.
What Foods Contain Protein?Most dairy products, for example Meat, Milk,
Cheese, Fish and Eggs are called Complete Proteins.
Milk is a complete protein in that it has all 9 essential amino acids.
Egg whites are a complete protein as well.
Protein is also found in other Food Sources, eg Whole Grains, Rice,
Corn, Beans, Legumes, Oatmeal, Peas and Peanut Butter.
Vegetarians, Vegans and others who do not eat Meat, Dairy Products or
Fish, must make sure to eat the above foods in order to keep healthy.
CarbohydratesAre major sources of energy and an active adult should be
burning 50 – 60% of Calories each day.
Carbohydrates are converted into sugars and starches within the body.
- Sugars are found in Fruits, Milk and Soft Drinks and Sweets
- Complex Carbohydrates are found in Whole Grain Cereals, Flour,
Bread, Rice, Corn, Oats, Potatoes and Legumes.
We are inclined to eat more Carbohydrates than we should. This is
because of the sweetness and the feeling of fullness we get when we tuck
into a Cream Cake.
Too much Carbohydrate will, if we are not active enough, turn into fat,
which is what happens when we put on weight.
Yet not enough Carbohydrates would mean the body would not function at
its best. Therefore a certain amount of Carbohydrates each day is
essential.
So the lesser evil would be to fill up on the Complex Carbohydrates
like Whole Grain and Cereals. In other words plants and nuts. These have
the added advantage of also providing us with Proteins, so we get two for
the price of one.
FatsThree Types of Fat· Saturated Fat · Polyunsaturated Fat ·
Monounsaturated FatsSaturated Fat is found mostly in meat and dairy
products and some vegetable oils.
Saturated Fats tend to increase Blood Cholesterol levels.
Why Is Too Much Cholesterol Bad For Us?Cholesterol is the Fatty
Deposits found in the Blood Vessels. This fat coats the inside of the
Blood Vessels (especially the Arteries) so making it difficult for the
Blood to pass through, resulting quite often in various Heart Problems eg
High Blood Pressure, Heart Attacks and Strokes.
Polyunsaturated Fats are found mostly in Plant Sources, Safflower,
Sunflower, Soybean, Corn and Cottonseed.
Polyunsaturated Fats are able to lower the Blood Cholesterol
levelsMonounsaturated Fats are able to lower the Bad Cholesterol Levels,
known as LDL Cholesterol.
Monounsaturated Fats can be found in both plant and animal products
such as Olive Oil and in Avocado Pears.
Fat should only be consumed at less than 30% of the daily calories, but
no more than 10% should be Saturated Fats.
Fats are a concentrated form of energy that helps maintain body
temperature and protect Body Tissues and Organs.
If you are thinking of going on a Weight Loss Programme, try to cut
Saturated Fat out of your food. Eat less of the other fats and become more
active. So that you are eating at least 100 Calories less than you are
using as energy when exercising.
An Example of Calories Used When Being Active
These activities are done over an hour for someone weighing an average
of 155 pounds.
- Aerobics 422
- Cycling 10 miles an hour 281
- Running 563
- Walking 2 miles per hour 176
- Swimming Leisurely 422
- Dancing 317
- Cooking 176
- Childcare 246
With a Calorie Controlled Balanced Diet, you
will have more energy and feel good about yourself as the pounds and
inches disappear.
Watch for my next article where I will talk about the importance of
Vitamins and Minerals.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Eva Moffat a 66 year old disabled lady, living in Manchester
England.Eva was a nurse in the early 1970's. She is interested in all
aspects of health, concentrating on Nutrition and Weight Loss.She has
written several Health Related Articles and these can be seen on her
website. http://www.weight-loss-4-you.com/
Nutrition Related Articles:
 Calcium: the Miracle Mineral
Is Your Bread Slowly Killing You?
Nutrition Tips to Improve Fat Loss
Benefits of a Variety of Fruits and Vegetables
Don't Allow Your Food To Control You!
Exercise Nutrition: How To Keep That Energy Up!
Heredity Is Not Destiny: Do Health and Weight Problems Run in
Your Family? It May Be Habits, Not Genetics
Just Say No to Carb Phobia
Healthy Eating Tips For Busy Women
In Excess of Portion
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