We all know how to eat. Diet means knowing what to eat.
Thanks to the internet, everybody knows what not to eat (sweets, junk food etc.) but there seems to be a lot of confusion about what to eat.
On this diet advice and Healthy Eating plan page we try to answer that question – specifically, what should be in our diet.
Carbohydrates (Carbs)
Our first healthy eating diet advice and healthy eating diet plan is to eat your carbs.
Carbohydrates are vital because it provides us the energy for our day to day activity. It is our “battery” that powers us through the day. Additionally, carbohydrates play an important role in the synthesis of our DNA, our hormones, create powerful antioxidants and protect our cells and tissues from damage and ageing.
Apart from all this, carbohydrates help in the functioning of our brain cells. Which is why if we are hungry, we can’t seem think straight. If we are low on carbs, our brain cells draw energy from limited reserve fuel supply (similar to your car switching to reserve gas when you fuel tank is empty).
When that is depleted, our brain puts the body into sleep mode and kind of shuts down. So now you know just how important carbohydrates are. But are all Carbohydrates good? No of course not. But that’s an issue we shall tackle elsewhere.
Proteins
Our second healthy eating diets advice is to explain why we need proteins and its importance to your body. We’ve all been told that we need to include proteins in our diet but do you know why we need proteins?
- Proteins are needed to make antibodies which are our primary defense mechanism against diseases and infections.
- Proteins are required to contract and relax our muscles.
So without proteins you would not be able to pick up that cup of coffee that will provide the carbohydrates to power your brain and body. Hormonal Proteins are the body messengers. They pick up signals and instructions and carry them across to the required destinations.
Hormonal proteins are the “runners” within your body. Proteins make up the cells within us and create the connective tissues, tendons and ligaments.
Finally, along with carrying messages, proteins perform another vital function – they transport nutrients throughout the body.
Fats
When we say people should eat fats we get looks that seem to suggest we might have lost our marbles. Our third healthy eating diet advice and healthy eating and exercise is to explain why fats are vital to our body. Fat is the long term slow release reserve energy source in our body.
It gets utilized at times of distress and illness. In times gone by when surviving was tough and sickness was common, the body utilized the fat reserves to release energy required to survive.
Fat is the only nutrient that can help us survive through the toughest phases of our life. Further, only fat can metabolize vitamin A,E,K and D which are also known as fat soluble vitamins.
Believe it or not, fat actually protects vital organs such as the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs etc. at also insulates your body and prevents heat loss (Which is why overweight people feel hot quickly). Fat stimulates the flow of bile from the gall bladder.
Fat also plays a vital role in pregnancy as it is required for milk production and growth of the foetus. Also, we bet you did not know that 60% of your brain is made up of fat.
Finally, fat is the grease that lubricates the joints.
Water
Our fourth healthy eating facts advice is on water and its importance to your body. For survival, water is the most important element that our body needs.
Without water, you cannot utilize the nutrients that come from carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
Modern lifestyle, lack of exercise and stress has dulled out thirst mechanism. Instead of drinking water, we drink beer, sodas and juices all which only aggravate the problem and leads to dehydration. Dehydration leads to dullness because the body is unable to process the food you eat. In turn we rush to consume “energy pills” that promise to perk up your life and so on and so forth.
