Get your mind & body: :
around modern nutrition DIET CHECKLIST? HEALTH CHECKLIST! CONSIDER THE SOURCE: Always consider the source of the information you receive about a diet. I have become so passionate about this topic over the years and have tested things out and looked into a number of fad ideas, but the fundamental question is: What is in the food you consume? CALORIES RULE THE DAY But Not ALL Calories are Created Equal! Calories are made up of PROTEIN, FAT AND CARBOHYDRATE! Let’s talk about how these work, because at the moment most people I speak to are confused. People are taking in either too much or too little protein, too much or too little carbohydrate and too much or too little fat. This is directly related to the modern Myths of Low carbing or no carbing, or high protein diets or the worst one: LOW FAT! I think it was around the early 80’s in the United States, and perhaps later in the UK, that fat is considered the ultimate enemy. This is absolutely not true. It is true that fat is the most energy dense of all the macronutrients at 9 calories per gram. Not all fats are the same: we have Saturated Fats, Unsaturated Fats, Trans fats. Before you start avoiding Fat at all costs, remember why it is necessary: • For the ABSORPTION OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS • It is a hunger depressor • It provides thermal insulation which protects the vital organs from trauma • It regulates hormones • It is absolutely necessary for brain development and function.
: The real issue is
SATURATED FAT,
found in mainly animal sources but also in 34% from plant. An excess of Saturated fats has been linked to a variety of conditions such as heart disease. Saturated fats is the enemy, because: • It inspires the production of negative cholesterol • When you carry too much fat, especially around the organs, it can trigger an inflammatory response. There is an easy way around the saturated fat trap; Health professionals recommend replacing saturated fats and trans fats with non hydrogenated
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. Good fats are cold pressed oils: olive oil, sesame oil. Omega 3’s are a great supplement to add into your diet. The total calories you need are based on BMR (Basal Metabolic rate), gender, age, muscle mass, exercise and voluntary movement.
:
CARBOHYDRATES (The modern dilemma)
This is the area of greatest concern to me at the moment and it has everything to do with the way food is being packaged and sold to you as a consumer. Let’s just first outline what a carbohydrate is and what it does. Carbohydrates come in 2 categories based on the number of glucose molecules contained with its chemical structure: simple and complex. We sometimes refer to simple carbohydrates as simple sugars which include: glucose, galactose and fructose, sucrose (table sugar), maltose (malt sugar) and lactose (milk sugar) Complex Carbohydrates are groups of carbohydrate known as polysaccharides, which are 20 or more sugar units stuck together in chains which take longer to break down by the body. We need carbohydrate to fuel most of the important functions in the body including the utilization of protein! Some of the biggest problems in the modern diet are the enormous amounts of simple sugar consumption. Simple sugar consumption in excess has vastly negative effects on one of the most important hormones responsible for stabilizing blood sugar levels and hormone balance, insulin. It’s not just about being overweight it’s about illness. Too many of the issues with overconsumption of carbohydrate are occurring because foods are being filled with sugar to bring down the cost and prolong shelf life. In reality we do not physically or biologically need simple refined sugar. Simple refined sugar is a man made empty nutrient that is reeking havoc with our health. The body needs Whole grains and fiber because they play and essential role in the health or gut and immunity. Simple refined sugar has no essential vitamins or minerals it has minimal to no fiber and plays tricks on our insulin levels. Some of the worst culprits in the for ill health and Calorie dense foods are where you see our 2 worst enemies come together: trans fat and simple sugar. Examples of this are:
white bread, croissants, biscuits, cakes,desserts chocolate milkshakes,ice-cream candy or sweets and sadly meals with sauces, table sauces, Mustard, Gravy (packaged) the list is long... So what carbohydrates are good for you? Whole grains: Oatmeal 100% Rye Quinoa Barley Beans of every kind Brown rice Vegetables of every kind Fruits, but in moderation due to fructose sugar!!!!
: PROTEIN!
The Indespensible Nutrient! 10,000 proteins create and maintain you! Protein has to be consumed because your body has no other way of getting it. Proteins are built from essential and non essential amino acids which use your genetic code as a blue print to repair and build various aspects of your body and function. We need it for muscle contraction, enzyme synthesis and immune function. The body needs a daily supply of amino acids to make new protein because we can store fat and carbohydrate in our muscles and liver but we cannot store protein. LOSS OF PROTEIN CAN REPRESENT LOSS OF FUNCTION! Beware that over consumption of protein can lead to excess fat and calories and overwork the kidneys. In this first mini guide I have given the basic information for anyone to turn food from a nightmare fattening threat into a friendly source of health and fun. / * Kat Starr Johnson is a professional athlete winning trophies for Britain in Power lifting and trained at Olympic level. Kat has been competing in a number of different sports over the years and been working as a Personal Trainer in New-York, London, South Africa and Brazil. She has studied Optimal Nutrition and has a Psychology degree.
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