Are you eating RIGHT?

 

Nutrition is one of the most important factors that impact health in all areas of the lifestyle. In recent times, there is a great profusion of so-called ‘health foods’ emerging in the market with varying claims. The safety and efficacy aspect may take awhile to determine.

Many health enthusiasts are so eager to try the most advanced supplements eg. liquid oxygen boosts, negative calorie food, ionic nano-calcium, bio-identical hormones, nitric oxide supplements, ionic foot detoxifier of which deliver empty promise or turn out to be counterproductive.

Most people do believe that good nutrition is necessary but unable to practise taking supplements religiously. As we know, nutrients are derived from carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. All of them play an equal important role to our normal body functioning but the amount required varies with individual.

Protein

We are made of protein or amino acids to be exact. From our hairs, skin, muscles, ligaments, tendons to our hormones and thousands of enzymes to the most vital disease-fighting immune system. Our trillion cells are constantly aging, wearing out and being replaced - hopefully by healthy new cells, the process we call rejuvenation.

Down below, the lining of the digestive tract is replaced every 6 days, our skin is replaced every 28 days, all the way to the bone marrow every seven years. So if quality protein is not ingested, the new cells would not be good. By quality protein, it means the full range of essential amino acids are present in right amount.

Minerals

Our body needs a tiny trace of minerals for normal functioning but a deficient in any one mineral can upset the system and create unrest or illness. Minerals are needed for the proper composition of body fluids, the formation of blood and bone, the maintenance of healthy nerve function, and regulation of muscle tone, including that of the muscles of the cardiovascular system. Like vitamins, minerals function as coenzymes, enabling the body to perform its function, including energy production, growth and healing. As all enzyme activities involve minerals, they are thus essential for the normal utilisation of vitamins and other nutrients.

Vitamins

Vitamins which are needed for numerous metabolic reactions, cannot be manufactured by our body. Those water soluble vitamins like Vitamin B and C must be taken daily as they cannot be stored and are excreted within four hours to a day. Oil-soluble vitamins like Vitamin A, D, E can be stored for longer periods of time in the body’s fatty tissue and liver.

As vitamins and minerals are so essential for our health, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has formulated recommendation consumption levels called recommended daily allowances (RDA). As these allowances are only for borderline health, having more to maintain and overcome a disease is acceptable. However, a word of caution here: Too much Vitamin A and D stored in the liver can be damaging. Overconsumption of minerals can also cause toxicity to the bone and muscle tissue.

Fat

Although much attention has been focused on the need to reduce dietary fat, the body does need fat. During infancy and childhood, fat is necessary for normal brain development. Throughout life, it is essential to provide energy and support growth. However, after 2 years of age, our fat requirement is greatly reduced. Excess intake can result in obesity for one with fat gene, cardiovascular disease, colon cancer and other disorders due to poor blood circulation.

Fats are composed of building blocks called fatty acids. The 3 major categories are: saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. The classification is based on the number of hydrogen atoms in the chemical structure of a given molecule of fatty acid. A 4th kind called transfat comes about when polyunsaturated oils (eg. corn, sunflower, salt-flower oil) are altered through hydrogenation, a process used to harden liquid vegetables oils into solid foods like margarine and shortening. Health studies conclude it raises LDL and lower HDL raising concern in the West that led to a ban of such substance in food preparation.

Carbohydrates

Never to miss is carbohydrates from our daily food intake. Found exclusively in plant foods, such as fruits and vegetables with milk and dairy products being derived foods from animals that contain a significant amount of carbohydrates.

It is divided into 2 large groups: simple and complex defined according to its structure (single molecule vs chain of molecules). Being the fuel for the body cells and the only source of energy for the brain and red blood cells, it is converted into glucose for ready use or stored in the liver as fats for future use. Note that refined foods offer few, if any, of the vitamins and minerals. Instead excessive intake can lead to a host of disorders, including diabetes and hypoglycemia.

Recent findings showed that excess carbohydrates can damage good skin when glucose reacts with proteins, causing a process called gyration which results in wrinkling of the skin as the protein loses its shape (the building block is amino acid chain).

Enzymes

The body manufactures enzymes and obtain them from various food sources. They are catalysts which help to speed up biochemical reactions like breaking down food passing down the digestive tract and protect our cells for survival (called antioxidant enzymes). Each enzyme can perform only one specific chemical reaction and thousands of enzymes must work in harmony to enable all the physiological activities in our bodies, from digestion to wound healing. The liver itself produces a thousand different enzymes, but the lack of one enzyme can break the chain of biochemical reaction, causing imbalances which are reflected as allergies, nutrient deficiencies and deficiency diseases. As enzymes are sensitive to heat, they are easily destroyed in the cooking process. As such, many people are enzyme-deficient if their diets consist primarily of cooked foods. Enzymes are also destroyed by external forces attacking the body.

More comments

With more people joining the workforce, getting meals with a balanced diet is getting tougher. Many people resort to skipping meal or having a fast food devoid of nutrients is common these days. Not forgetting nutrients are lost in the transportation, poor preparation and storage of foods (estimate 70% lost).

The problem is further compounded by things that interfere with nutrient absorption such as water-contamination, drinking, smoking, drugs, laxatives and antibiotics. Diets laden with caffeine, fats, cholesterol, sugar and sodium further deplete the body’s reserves of nutrients.

Source: Prescription to Natural Healing

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