The human body is a wonderful machine that allows us to do all of the things we can do. But just like any other machine, it needs the right fuel in the right quantity to work at peak performance. Let's take a brief look at what makes up a healthy diet.
First, notice the usage of the word diet above. Diet is defined by Websters Dictionary as a persons regular food or food prescribed (recommended) by a doctor. Most people feel that a diet is just the act of losing weight by eating less food or eating weird food that tastes horrible. Hopefully in the next few minutes, I can show you that a healthy diet can both taste good and also be easy to accomplish. We will also see why eating less isn't a good way to lose weight.
Before we can cover nutrition topics, we need to understand some of the terms associated with it. Although these are very basic descriptions, they help to clarify the different aspects of how things work.
A calorie is simply a unit of energy or heat. A calorie is the amount of heat (energy) required to bring 1 gram of water up 1 degree centigrade while under a pressure of 1 atmosphere. A large calorie equals 3.968 BTU's. One atmosphere of pressure equals 14.7 pounds per square inch, which is the pressure of air at sea level. 28 grams equal 1 ounce. 1 degree centigrade equals 5/9 (or .555-) degree fahrenheit.
Calorie values for foods represent the amount of energy provided from the substances within.
A carbohydrate is carbon that is hydrated (has water). The body uses mostly carbohydrates to produce it's energy, including the energy for movement and heat production. These can have different structures (simple and complex), but all are saccharides (sugars).
Saccharides are broken down into glucose for immediate use. If not needed, it is converted to glycogen and stored. Excess glycogen is stored as fat.
Simple carbohydrates contain one or two saccharide structures and are broken down quickly. Monosaccharides have only one saccharide while disaccharides have two.
Complex carbohydrates contain many saccharide structures and take longer for the body to break down into glucose. These are called polysaccharides. Because these take longer to break down, the energy source is delivered to the body slower but steadier instead of all at once.
Cholesterol is a very important part of the bodys cell membranes, nerve lining structure, and fat digestion. The liver will make what it needs if the supply is low. Although some functions of cholesterol are similar to fats, cholesterol is not a fat.
Cholesterol travels through the blood on low density lipoproteins (called LDL's). If it is not used, it gets deposited on the walls of the arteries. High density lipoproteins (or HDL's) sweep the deposited cholesterol from the arteries.
The presence of build up in the arteries is the main concern with excess cholesterol. If the arteries become clogged, blood flow is restricted. This results in higher blood pressure and can lead to artery damage as well as major heart problems.
Fat is a very important part of the bodys cell membranes, nerve lining structure, helps insulate and protect the body, and helps digest fat soluble nutrients (such as vitamins A, D, and E). Fat is used as an energy source when other sources of energy (such as carbohydrates) are depleted. The body stores excess energy supply as fat, a greasy or oily tissue that is not muscle.
Fat is made up of carbon with hydrogen surrounding it. The amount of hydrogen attached determines its saturation level, and thus its name. Saturated fat means the carbon is completely surrounded by hydrogen. Monounsaturated fat means that only one hydrogen atom is missing (from an otherwise saturated carbon). Polyunsaturated fat means that two or more hydrogen atoms are missing.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats do not stick together as does saturated fat. Saturated fats are more solid at room temperature (such as fat on a steak) while monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are liquid. Since saturated fats stick together, they are not as good for a persons health. A process of forcing extra hydrogen atoms into fat to give a longer shelf life produces hydrogenated fat, which is thus a saturated fat.
Metabolism is simply the process of how the body breaks down the chemical makeup of foods eaten into the chemical structures it needs to work with. Different chemicals metabolize (break down) at different rates in the body and each person has their own metabolic rates or abilities.
Protein is made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. It is key to the structure of building and repairing all types of cells. The protein is actually built with different amino acids. There are many different amino acids which the body can make itself, but some which it can't. A complete protein (from animal source) contains all of the amino acids the body can't make while an incomplete protein (from plant sources) doesn't. However, it is possible to use different incomplete proteins together in order to obtain all the amino acids needed.
Watching protein levels isn't as big of a concern when building a healthy diet as watching carbohydrate and fat levels. In fact, most nutritional labels only list the amount of protein rather than the type of amino acids involved.
Recently the form of nutritional labeling has taken a turn in name. What used to be called the "Recommended Daily Allowance" (RDA) or "Daily Values" (DV) is now being adapted to "Reference Dietary Intake" (RDI). All three mean about the same thing, what stuff an average person should consume on a daily basis to be healthy. The RDI (or RDA, DV) is listed on (or available for) most every food product. It should list the serving size, calorie count (total and from fat), and the amount of fat, cholesterol, carbohydrate (usually broken down by types also), sodium (salts), and protein. The list may also contain other minerals and vitamins, but usually includes only those with measurable values.
The term reference in RDI is pretty accurate for that list as well as the other two. The purpose is to list what testing says that humans need. Each person is unique and will require more or less of just about everything listed. Even so, it is quite interesting to calculate actual daily intake and compare to this guide to see how well the meals consumed have performed.
Let me begin by calming the fears of many who might think this section is going to tell people they need to eat only the foods they hate and anything enjoyable is going to hurt them in some way. The truth is, all I want to do is help people to understand some of the fundamentals of how things work and allow them to make their own choices.
Each person is unique in almost every way. What tastes good to one person will taste horrible to some others, what helps one person to live better might cause reactions in others. Each individual has to experiment to figure out what is best for them. Excepting medically trained professionals, nobody else should lay down a plan for somebody. However, there are many things to consider when developing a diet. The goal of this text is to cover a few of them in order to help in the process.
The first thing that needs to be thought about is why proper nutrition is on the menu, so to speak. Most people only consider their diet to address some problem they have at the moment, be it weight management, disease, or something came up on a medical report. There the goal is clear, deal with the problem. Others might just want to increase their overall health even though they don't have a real problem at the time. Whatever the reason, the formation of goals will be the blueprint for building a program.
Goals, as well as the programs to reach them, should be realistic. Don't wager much money on having everything fixed overnight. Some things can't be fixed by a proper diet alone (due to causes like genetics, aging, or medical disorders). Most others (such as weight management) are probably going to be a lifelong program. Realize that starting any program means sticking with it until the end in order to accomplish the goals. Often even after the goals are reached, a program to maintain the goal is needed.
Programs should fit the person rather than the person fitting the program. Excepting drastic cases, people don't just accept major lifestyle changes at a moments notice and respond peacefully. Even the body itself gets trained to a lifestyle and the brain may have a decent battle convincing it to act differently. Choosing a way to meet a goal in a way that is acceptable to the person as well as their body isn't always easy. Both sides might have to compromise a little, but if a program is flexible then decisions about what works can be made as things happen.
I should also note that any program should be discussed with a medically trained person before it is started. Just because it works in design doesn't mean it will be healthy or even beneficial to perform.
We are subjected to a steady stream of what is supposed to be good for us in todays world, called advertisements. Somebody seems to always be trying to sell us something, be it a product sold for money or a process which they say is the greatest. Even word of mouth from a close friend is a form of advertising. So how do we really know what is good.
For nutritional purposes, never trust the package hype. Consult the ingredient list and the nutritional label. Notice that I put the ingredient listing first. Even the RDI (Reference Dietary Intake, see above) list on packages covers just the amounts of a handful of statistics. You get a better idea of how healthy it is by knowing what items are used to make the product. Even many products marked boldly about how healthy they are contain several unwanted ingredients in a truly good diet. Learn to spot the names of manufactured or chemically altered items (such as hydrogenated fat, listed above). Much more often than not, the less natural it is means the less healthy it is. Also be aware that because an item is without one bad quality doesn't make it good. An example of this is how many fat free products have enough sugars and/or salts to more than take away the goodness of having no fat (which is not to mean that having some fat is bad healthwise).
For program purposes, never trust the people selling or promoting a program or device. They will only state the good properties of their item and some of that is probably exaggerated, unrealistic for most people, or outright untrue. They can bring out dozens of people who are satisfied with their item, but it shouldn't be hard to find as many who aren't.
Who does a person trust? Local independent (someone not gaining from their own advice) sources are usually very reliable. Close friends are good people to talk with, but may not have accurate information on specifics. Family members equal friends, but may know more about genetic or family traits (tolerances, personal characteristics). People with more medical knowledge can be even more useful. Don't hesitate to consult a doctor about anything that involves health issues. Another very good source of information is a pharmacist. It never hurts to get as many opinions as possible before a final decision is made.
The average human stomach is fairly small, approximately two inches wide and six inches long (varies by size of person). Some people eat large meals two or three times a day. The stomach is designed for smaller meals taken more often throughout the day. Smaller frequent meals help the digestive system to work better and allow for more steady supply of nutrients being delivered to the body. Note that the serving size on the RDI listings are fairly small compared to what most people think of as a real serving.
Smaller bites and more chewing increase the pleasure of eating as well as aiding the digestive process. Think about the fact that the taste buds, the only part of the digestive process that we can sense, are located in the mouth. The longer the food stays in the mouth, the more enjoyment the taste buds get from it. And while they are having their fun, the food is also being cut into smaller pieces by the teeth, which makes it easier for the stomach acids to process it.
Water is a vital part of a healthy diet. Drinking plain water provides the body with a tool to help it deliver nutrients, keep its temperature under control, clean itself internally (removal of waste from cells), and many other life functions. It is suggested that the average adult consume eight 8oz glasses of water per day, more on hot days or with increased activity. Drinking water based drinks (which have taste) instead of plain water also adds other chemicals (usually sugars) to the daily consumption, therefore should be avoided.
Convenience food (fast food) is usually loaded with fat (deep fried) or salt (flavor). Batter dipped or seasoned items are unhealthy additions to otherwise decent foods. Although it is more effort and time, a person can make almost any comparable meal at home both cheaper and healthier. With homemade meals, the consumer gets to pick the quality of food and the method of preparations.
Rather than use routine meals to satisfy the RDI values, mix variety into the diet program. For example, instead of making the same salad every day, use different combinations each time. Since the body stores most nutrients, nothing is lost by altering the menu a bit even at the cost of falling short of some value. Meals can take on a refreshing taste sensation just by changing the balances.
Make three lists; enjoyable foods, tolerable foods and disliked foods. Note the nutritional benefits of the enjoyable and tolerable foods (ingredient and RDI values). Use this to plan healthy menus. Mix tolerable foods with enjoyable foods to get nutrient benefit without sacrificing much taste pleasure. For example, I tolerate lettuce and carrots while I enjoy oranges and pineapple. When I started making tossed salad with pieces of orange and pineapple included is when I started enjoying the salad as a whole. The best part about that was that I stopped using salad dressing (which is much less healthy) to make the salad tastier. Knowing the qualities of the foods enjoyed (or can tolerate) allows these to be used in a healthy diet. It is also good to try foods never tasted (or not for a long time) to see which list they wind up on.
When there are two foods that can be used for a meal portion, the healthiest one should be used more often. For example, I used to use only beef products for cooking. Then I found out that ground turkey (which has less fat) can be used as a beef substitute for almost all recipes. Turkey replaced beef in most recipes and while I can still consume beef (for its benefits), the total health value of meals increased.
I also traded portion size in the above example. I used to consume mostly meat and potato items as the basis for meals. By using foods from my enjoyable food list, I added variety to my diet, which resulted in a taste improvement (it's true). Even enjoyable foods that don't rank high on the nutritional benefit list can be a part of the diet if used sparingly and with a good mix of other food.
The need for supplements are greatly reduced with a well balanced diet. If the total added values of food intake match the RDI value tables, there is no need to take a supplement. Even falling short of the totals shouldn't cause a panic because those are reference values for an average person. Besides, the body makes most of the nutrients it needs if they aren't supplied. Supplements are more for people lacking in good diet or for those with medical reasons where a doctor instructs them to be taken. Some supplements have only one or two nutrients (such as calcium or iron tablets) which are designed to meet specific lacks. Getting nutrients from supplement pills is not as good as getting them through quality foods.
One of the main reasons why people become concerned with nutrition is due to weight gain and/or appearance caused by excess weight. All the information above also applies to people seeking weight management and this material can even assist people not as concerned with weight issues.
There is no instant cure for excess weight. Even medical procedures that remove bulk fat involve recovery periods and pain. Diets that provide quick weight loss are almost always unhealthy or remove good weight (more below). The best weight management program is one which results in a slow yet constant improvement that the mind and body can adapt to.
The greater the goal of weight difference desired equals the greater the need for professional medical advice and monitoring during the program. Although being in a proper weight range is good health, the changing of a diet can result in health issues which need to be kept in check. As with anything else, each person is unique and will respond differently to the same type of program.
Most people seem to believe that weight gain is attributed to eating too much food or having too little activity. While there is some basis for those opinions, what a person eats and how their body reacts to it usually matters more. Here the food is judged by its nutritional value, content ratios, and individual reaction.
For example, somebody who eats a large amount of vegetables and fruits isn't going to be impacted with weight gain as a person who eats a large amount of food loaded with fats and sugars would be. Even if the amount of food intake is cut in half in this example, the ratio of content is still equal.
Some people react differently to foods also. Some people have poor metabolic rates which result in not absorbing all of the contents available in the foods. They can eat a lot of food, but much of the value never reaches the bloodstream. Others are able to better rid their system of excess fat or sugars that are not quickly used.
Understanding weight management means understanding why the body stores fat and when the body uses stored fat. The body is constantly needing energy for movement, temperature control, life functions (breathing, blood flow, etc), and much more. The body gets it's energy from glucose (see carbohydrates in terminology section) in the bloodstream. When there is an excess of glucose, the body converts the oversupply to glycogen and stores it. When there is a lot of glycogen, excess gets converted to fat. If the supply of glucose runs low, glycogen is converted back and used. If the supply of glycogen is low, fat is converted back and used. Only when the availability of glucose and glycogen is low does the body tap into the fat resources for energy. Think of the fat supply as the bodys insurance plan for energy reserves.
Having the body tap into the fat supply requires lowering the supply of glucose from foods and/or increasing the demand for energy. A good program of weight management will combine the two to provide a balance. Too extreme lowering of the amount of energy from food consumption can result in decreased body performance. Increasing the demand for energy (usually done by increasing exercise routines) will also increase the bodys desire for energy rich foods.
One more thing to consider is that the body is designed to keep its needed resources available. Once the body has to tap into the fat reserve for awhile, there comes a desire to replace the insurance plan so the chances of running out of energy supply is minimal. Some people actually gain more weight than they originally had lost when they stop a weight loss program due to the bodys own defense this way. Good weight management means building a plan for even after the proper weight has been reached.
Most sources suggest that the average adult consume eight cups (minimum) of water per day. Since one cup equals 8 ounces, that is a total of 4 pounds of water each day. Water helps the body digest foods, move nutrients to cells and remove waste from cells, keep proper temperature, and much more. The water not used by the body is released through urine. Almost every component of the body is partly made up of water (two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen), which yields what is called water weight. Sadly, the first thing that many weight loss programs deplete is the essential water weight. Short of surgery, it's the only way to shed a lot of weight in a short period of time. It's also very unhealthy, as weight loss should be from fat storage (see above) rather than from water weight.
Think of water as a no fee food. It adds no calories, cholesterol, fat, or carbohydrate. What weight it does add is taken off again during body usage or discard. If more water is consumed than is needed, the body simply discards it through urine. There is no negative effect result from water. Drinking more water may help to limit appetite though. With water in the stomach and through the system, the stomach feels fuller, thinking it needs less food.
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