Why is Proper Nutrition Important?
Are nutrition and health related? Is healthy eating important? Of course!
Like a finely-tuned racing car, your body needs the right fuel (food)
and regular maintenance (exercise, lifestyle and mental attitude) to
achieve its true health potential. Nothing is more important than
healthy eating!
Put in the wrong fuel or let it go without regular use and there's no
way it can deliver its full power and performance. Without healthy
eating, your body's engine will cough, splutter and eventually stall.
Maintaining a balanced diet by healthy eating can:
- Give you vitality and energy for life
- Help you stay at a weight that's right for you
- Boost your immune system
- Improve sports performance
- Delay the effects of aging
- Keep you active and fit into old age
- Help beat tiredness and fatigue
- Protect teeth and keep gums healthy
- Enhance your ability to concentrate and possible alter mood
- Ward off serious illnesses like heart disease, certain cancers, mature-age onset diabetes, and gallbladder disease
Basics of Health Eating for Today
Low Fat
Cutting down on all fats from fatty and fried foods, butter, cream,
margarine and oils is agreed on by nutritionists the world over as a way
of making the modern diet healthier and reducing weight. Cutting down
on saturated fat in particular is important for the heart.
Lots of Starchy Carbohydrates
We have forgotten how important rice, pasta, potatoes, bread and
cereals are to our health. Forget the stodgy image of starch from years
gone by! Starch is in again and may turn out to be just as critical as
fibre is now.
High Fiber
Not just bran! Fiber, that largely indigestible part of our food and
often the part that really gets us chewing, is responsible for so much
good. It not only keeps our insides moving smoothly but it helps to
lower cholesterol, prevent gallstones and bowel cancer, and keep our
weight in check. Wholemeal and grain breads are full of it, as are brown
rice, barley, lentils, beans and vegetables. To start your day, there
is a wonderful array of wholegrain and bran breakfast cereals.
Vitamins, Minerals, and Anti-oxidants
Vegetables, fruit and grains carry an abundance of vitamins, minerals
and numerous other natural substances (called phytochemicals) which
scientists are only just beginning to discover. Phytochemicals function
as anti-oxidants, which fight off free radicals that could otherwise
damage our cells, membranes and DNA. Numerous studies show that people
who eat lots of vegies and fruit have lower rates of heart disease and
cancer.
Variety
Variety doesn't mean 10 different cereal packs in your cupboard, but
rather a variety of botanically different foods. Pasta, bread, puffed
wheat and couscous all look and taste different but are all derived from
the one basic (but versatile) grain (wheat). So they all provide
similar nutrient Substituting other grains like oats, barley, corn or
rye for some wheat adds diversity to your diet and ensures a wider range
of nutrients. The nutrients you miss from one food, you can make up
from another.
Moderate Sugar and Sweets
Sugar in modest amounts adds to the flavour of cooking and is a
useful fuel for athletes and other active people. In excess, however,
sugar adds unwanted kilojoules and can displace other more important
foods - particularly for children and teenagers. In chewy and sticky
form, sugar also can cause dental caries (or tooth decay).
Light on Salt
Our modern diet is laden with salt. It's not until you avoid salt for
a few weeks that you notice how it masks the true flavour of foods. As
75 per cent of our total salt intake comes from everyday commercial
foods (including bread, biscuits, cereals, butter, deli meats and snack
foods), it is imperative to buy salt-reduced or no-added-salt products.
Drink Plenty of Fluid
Two litres (8 glasses) of fluid a day is needed to keep the body
hydrated and the kidneys working efficiently. In hot weather, even more
fluid is required. Alcohol and strong coffee do not count, as these act
as diuretics and force the kidney to excrete more fluid than normal.
Enjoy Mealtimes
Stress, tension, rushing and eating on the run all take their toll on
your digestion and health. Try to relax and take the time to really
appreciate the food in front of you.Not only will it increase your
enjoyment and satisfaction by having a "comfortably full" stomach, this
technique is often recommended as a strategy to help people lose weight.
