FUNDAMENTALS OF HEALTH – Food

Hellooooooooo and welcome to this very new, very short blog series I’m doing called ‘the fundamentals of health’. Within this mini series will be four blogs covering what I believe to be the four pillars of health and why. What I mean by ‘the four pillars of health’ is I believe having these four facets in check within your life means harmony, health and feeling good! I believe if we are able to get these four things right then we are setting ourselves up a really good foundation for health – which i believe is super, super important when it comes to achieving anything in life. If we have unstable foundations then this will pop up and interrupt us – for example. If we eat a diet which lacks a lot of the essential vitamins and minerals we need for a healthy immune system, this can mean we are more prone to becoming sick more often. Getting sick more often is obviously going to interrupt our lives through needing to take sick leave, missing out on events, activities, seeing our friends.. you get the jist.

So, in todays fundamental we will be discussing the HUGE topic of food, why it doesn’t need to be as overwhelming as it currently is and how our diets can either contribute to our vitality orrrrrrrr our not so vitality AKA our ill health.

I LOVE food and by this I mean of course I love the taste and pleasure food brings but what I love most about nutrition in general is its TOTALLY up to us. We get total control over what we put into our mouths which (to me anyway..) is SO exciting and liberating!

However in this day and age nutrition is nothing short of confusing! Over the years there have been countless fad diets appear which have just made the entire topic of ‘what is healthy eating’ totally overwhelming and rather puzzling. If you were to google how to eat healthy you would be bombarded with numerous different styles of eating which each claim to be the healthiest, the best weight loss diet and the most convenient.

Each of these fad diets or styles of eating have their own pros, cons and situations where they are most usefull. Take keto for example, Keto is a high fat, high protein, low carb diet – most peoples intention when trying keto is to lose weight. This is done by creating a calorie deficit by cutting carbs extremely low, while also forcing the body to use fat as a fuel source because no glucose (from carbs) is available as fuel, therefore fat is the only alternate. Additionally, there is also research to support the use of the ketogenic diet in management of conditions such as epilepsy.

Keto promotes the consumption of healthy fats to make up the fat portion of the diet however a lot of people make up their fat portion of the diet with un-healthful fats which can lead to clogging of the arteries long term. Might lose weight buuuuuutttttt might also clog your arteries.. Not so great. If you want to lose weight, put yourself into a calorie deficit eating a well-rounded diet. Keep things simple.

Some people also believe that some styles of eating are superior to others when it comes to weight loss – this is really true for the Keto diet at the moment. Everyone believes keto is the BEST and FASTEST way to lose weight which is simply NOT true. The only way one can lose weight is if they eat less than they burn. This means, one must exert more energy on a daily basis than the energy they take in – in the form of food. You can achieve this energy imbalance through eating however which way you chose. Do not be drawn into the diets which are advertised as “PERFECT FOR WEIGHT LOSS” – the only method which is perfect for weight loss is a calorie deficit (sorry to break it to you if you’ve been drinking solely diet shakes for 6 weeks now, salivating at the sight of real food but you’re kinda doing it the hard way).

So, with all these different styles of eating and fad diets out there – where does one even begin?

I totally get this. My journey with eating and food has been a long one which has come with its fair share of twists, turns and unexpected flips. This came about after competing in a body-building show and being shown first hand the crazy effects of food manipulation (read my body building blog here). Following this I had to retrain myself how to eat healthy (as this was a priority to me) with no way or deciphering what was ‘healthy’ and what was just ‘low calorie’ (for the record – NOT the same thing).

To cut a long story short the truth is you have to work this out for yourself. Of course, there are certain principles (which we will cover) around food which are there to simply help people to make more healthful choices but everyone is different. Some people can eat bread without any worries, others look 20weeks pregnant after eating it. Some people love all fruit and despise veges. Some people aren’t hungry in the morning and therefore skip breakfast, others (me) wake up starving and cant get to the kitchen quick enough. We are all different.

There is no right or wrong way of eating its just what works best for you and your body. Therefore the measure of ‘a healthy diet’ should always be whatever makes you feel your best both mentally and physically.

As a guide, lets cover the current principles deemed to make up a healthy diet. Research is constantly being done on food and you’ll notice that there is always something new in the media about food. Today eating more plant based foods is considered very healthful however this could change in years to come. Keep this in mind when reading over the principles which current research says is the most healthful way of eating..

MORE ORGANIC WHOLE FOODS, LESS PROCESSED FOODS.

WAY back when we were cavemen (or whatever you believe) all of what we ate came from the earth, we hunted and gathered and subsequently we we’re fit, healthy and strong. Fast forward to now we are inundated with processed foods. The catch is that our bodies still function like they did years and years ago, equipped to deal with, digest and use whole, real foods. Our bodies have not yet adapted to deal with the amount of processed foods we consume in this day and age. Often we are consuming ingredients we cannot even pronounce let alone digest. Often these foods are also completely void of nutrients our bodies can actually use – this is how we become deficient in essential vitamins and minerals. Eating more whole foods provides us with the nutrients our bodies need to thrive and to function.

Eating organic where possible also is another step in the right direction. Organic means no toxic products have been used on the produce to eliminate bugs or enhance growth. It means better quality soil which = better quality produce which = more nutrients for you. Put simply, Eat from the land, Avoid foods with ingredients you cant pronounce, avoid foods which would still look the same in the months time despite being left on the bench (mcdonalds im looking at you), make more foods from scratch, eat organic where possible and again, keep things simple and don’t over-complicate nutrition.

MORE SEASONAL, PLANT BASED FOODS.

Eating seasonally provides us with foods from nature when the are most available. The current, in-season fruit and veges will provide the most nourishment and subsequent vitality as they contain more nutrients than fruits and veges grown out of season. Think about it.. In summertime its hot and we’re thirsty, we require more water so we do not become dehydrated. Juicy fruits such as apples, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, blueberries (you get the memo) are plentiful during this time and therefore we eat more of them. They cool us down and provide us lots of water (among lots of nutrients obviously). In winter however the we will find starchy vegetables thrive such as kumara, pumpkin and potatoes. In order to prepare these veges we must cook them. We therefore are preparing more warm, starchy meals which will keep us warmer in the winter months, these veges also provide more calories as we require more to keep our bodies warm or even put on some weight to also keep us warm. It all makes sense when you think about it – this is how our ancestors ate and (in my opinion) it makes sense that this is how we should eat. Defying the laws of the seasons and eating strawberries in June which have been coated in potentially harmful sprays to force their growth out of season is not going to support our vitality. Eat seasonally and make the most of the beautiful produce which is literally MADE to support your body in that season.

The other side to this is less meat. Meat has gained a lot of negative attention in regards to its relationship with cancer. A lot of the research surrounding this discusses the way the animals are farmed prior to being killed for the meat we then eat. Animals may be farmed in undesireable conditions, hormones or antibiotics may be used on the animals to quicken the rate in which they mature and ensure they do not die from illness so they can be sold as meat for profit. Obviously not all animals are farmed inhumanely with the use of drugs – organic meats are not and consuming more organic meat is a great stepping stone.

Obviously consuming meat does provide us many benefits, however current research suggests incorporating more meat-free days into our lifestyles could benefit our health and vitality. Try it out, go slowly, adding meat-free days in one at a time. There are so many meat alternatives nowadays I guarantee you wont even miss it on those meat-free nights!

So there we have the main principles which are highlighted by current research as some principles to follow for a healthful diet. Helpful, I hope.

Deciding what one will eat within these categories is the trickier part however the best way I’ve learnt to do things is trial and error. Not all plant based foods are going to leave you physically and mentally feeling amazing – as food should! And those foods, although considered plant based and “good for you” shouldn’t be eaten by you if this is the case. Nutrition is totally subjective and individualized. What works for me, or your favourite influencer on the gram who posts “what I eat in a day” everyday, might not work best for you. The sooner you start to nut this topic out, get creative and try different foods to find what works well for YOUR body, the better and the sooner you’ll have a hub of amazing, healthful, nutritious foods which you can eat knowing they will leave you feeling great and trust me, food has the power to do this.

From my experience with food I’ve realized this and I’ve also realized that so many people unknowingly feel and function at 60-70% when they could be functioning and feeling 100% all the time with a good, personalized diet while using the above principles as a helpful guide.

Of course I don’t believe eating a perfect diet all the time is necessary, nor do I believe its healthy. I believe indulging in what I like to call soul food every now and then is so so good for mental health, after-all nutrition isn’t all about the physical effects on our bodies. We musnt forgotten about the ways we can use food to our advantage for every other reason apart from the physical, aesthetic effects. We can eat foods to heal our bodies, we can change our diets and heal chronic disease, we can eat foods to socialize and enjoy the company of other people, we can eat foods which help our skin to glow, foods which release happy hormones in our brains, foods which give us heaps of energy for a great gym session, foods which make us feel happy or sad.

All of these points are disregarded when it comes to aesthetic goals and this is a really unhelpful way to look at nutrition.

Food also has a huge impact on our mental health as we can see in conditions such as eating disorders, anorexia nervosa or orthorexia – this is something I learnt first hand through my experience with body building. Eating the foods we totally love and enjoy, for me its ice-cream, is so necessary every now and then for our mental health. If we completely deprive ourselves of the foods we love – we will end up binging and feeling out of control which is a horrible space to be in. Its cliché but.. everything in moderation, people! In more recent years I’ve fallen in love with creating nourishing treats using plant based foods! I love the taste and I also love the way they leave my body feeling. Click here for my protein banana bread recipe – I made this recently and loved it!

So the truth is, there is no one size fits all approach. The ideal diet for you is the one which leaves you feeling mentally and physically amazing, with loads of energy and brain power to perform at your best. We quite literally are what we eat and that’s the most empowering part of nutrition – we have the capability of feeding our bodies with the nourishing, whole foods which will be the building blocks of our bodies cells. Think about this next time you’re feeling tired or lazy and are struggling to stick to a diet which serves you and nourishes you! Our bodies are relying on us to feed them what they need.

Before we sign off this blog I do want to mention a few tips I have to achieving a healthy diet. I am totally aware peoples lifestyles are hectic, we all are leading extremely busy lives and so organization and convenience is key when it comes to consistently nourishing our bodies. I can confirm I, too am a sucker for convenience – which is why I love these products…

NUZEST GOOD GREEN STUFF

As we’ve discussed, incorporating lots of greens in our diets is a great way to get in the vitamins and minerals we may be missing within our diet for various reasons. The fruit and vegetables we eat are only as good as the soil they grow in – this is a problem we are facing in this day and age – the soil doesn’t contain the nutrients it used to. This is due to a number of factors including erosion, pollution, acidification and loss of soil biodiversity. Not to mention once our produce is growing we go ahead and spray it with toxins to keep bugs off (BIG face palm).

Due to these reasons the fruit and vegetables we are growing may lack nutrients and therefore we lack the nutrients our bodies need. This is where greens powders and supplemental vitamins play a role. Of course I am not trying to say that these products are betterthan the real thing, but they’re convenient, they’re easily absorbed and they’re highly concentrated meaning they pack a big nutrient punch.

I’ve tried many greens powders in my day and I can confirm that 99% of them have tasted like dirt. The 1% exception is Nuzest Good Green Stuff. Take one look at the ingredient list and you’ll see this is an awesome product which packs a mighty punch when it comes to vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. This is going to support your immune system, give you energy and support your nervous and digestive system.

SUPPLEMENTAL VITAMINS

Following on from this is supplemental vitamins. Supplemental vitamins play a role for many of the same reasons that greens powders do. Our bodies need certain vitamins to perform many, many functions within our body. Energy metabolism for example requires many B-vitamins and if our diet is deficient in foods such as poultry, leafy greens, dairy products or eggs we may find ourselves sitting with a sluggish metabolism. I don’t think people actually realise the enormous importance of vitamins – our bodies cannot perform the processes for life without them. Let this sink in.

By NO means are supplemental vitamins essential to achieve an appropriate level within the body, eating a well-rounded, whole-food diet is a excellent approach. However with issues around not eating enough or again perhaps not having good quality fruit and vegetables we can see deficiencies which is where the convenience of good quality vitamins comes in. I use the Be Pure vitamins as I love Ben Warrens approach to health and wellness, I’ve been to a number of his seminars and he knows his stuff! He’s so passionate and has created a fantastic range of great quality vitamins and other health products! Check him out if you haven’t already.

PROTEIN POWDER

Again – not an essential supplement to achieve a healthy diet but again.. convenient.

Within the body protein plays a massive role in building and repairing tissues, making hormones and enzymes, while also being the building block for all muscles, bones, cartilage, skin and blood – I feel like I probably don’t need to say any more about how important it is to have enough protein….

Protein is made up of 20 amino acids, some of which our bodies can make, while others we must obtain from foods. Some foods including animal protein, soy protein and quinoa are complete proteins, meaning they contain all the amino acids necessary. Other plant based sources of protein lack one or more amino acids, meaning they are incomplete proteins and a number of these protein sources must be eaten together to ensure the body is obtaining all the essential amino acids. The recommended daily intake of protein differs depending on age, gender, life stage and what your goals are. If you’re a really active male looking to gain muscle your going to need more protein than a sedentary female. Also, some life stages require more protein such as when pregnant or breastfeeding, people with illnesses or injuries (to repair), athlete’s or people looking to increase their muscle mass and even growing teenagers require more.

Whatever diet you follow, lifestage, age, gender or goal you have, protein powder can make it easier for you to reach your daily protein requirements by ensuring you are getting the amino acids you need to feel and function your best.

There are so many protein powders on the market its again just a matter of trial and error – see which ones you like. I personally like vegan protein powders as I find they sit better in my tummy. My current favourite is the Himalayan salted caramel Prana On Protein – YUM. I have this in overnight oats, smoothies and I do lots of baking with it too. It’s a staple in my pantry.

Each of these products I get from any Health2000 store and you can too, if you wish.

I hope this blog is helpful in simplifying nutrition for you, because it truly does not need to be as complicated as it is made out to be in this day and age. I also hope you all take something away from this blog which you did not know before and I hope it brings you vitality within your own lifestyle!

We’ve got three more fundamentals to discuss – so stay tuned for that!

Vaida