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Nutrition

NUTRITION AND DIET. A CRITICAL BALANCING ACT.

In today's world, there is a wealth of dietary and nutritional information available for you to review. In fact there are thousands of diet books, publications, articles and internet sites dedicated to the subject. It is no secret that a balanced nutritional diet is a key element in leading a healthy lifestyle. Proper nutritional intake means receiving all of the vital nutrients that are required to keep your body functioning normally. Many of these nutrients are called, essential nutrients, meaning they can not be manufactured by the body and it is mandatory that they be consumed in the diet. If the essential nutrients are not included in your diet, your body will ultimately have a shortage of them. This shortage, over time, will cause many functions and activities in the body to be negatively affected and might even prevent them from happening at all. A chain reaction of dysfunction can develop as the essential nutrients are used in many metabolic and cell building processes in the body. The best analogy to describe how this shortage and chain reaction occurs is by comparing it to a string of Christmas lights. Every light must be in place and working accurately in order for the whole string to light up: if just one light is missing, the whole string stays dark. In the same way, if you do not have adequate nutrition, your body will lack one or more essential nutrients and will not be able to perform at its highest potential.

There are seven main types of nutrients that the human body requires in order to maintain proper health and function. Those nutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber and water. It is important for all seven of these nutrients to be consumed on a daily basis in order to build and maintain quality health. The essential nutrients that can not be produced by the body include many well known vitamins, minerals, several amino acids and some of the more important fatty acids. Most experts would agree that the formula for good health is eighty percent nutrition, ten percent exercise and ten percent genetics. None of us can do anything about genetics, but we definitely have control over and can take action on the other ninety percent of this formula. Through nutrition, there are lots of methods for us to live a more balanced life and be productive.

Unfortunately, many people get nervous or scared when they hear the word "diet", especially when they find it is associated with healthcare. They think of bland tasting food, cravings and starvation. Healthy eating does not mean giving up foods you like best; just learning to balance the food choices you make. You can enjoy snacks and meals while still keeping yourself in good health. We use the word diet in the context of describing food and drink in terms of its nutrition quality, composition and its effects on health. Poor health is generally caused by imbalanced nutrition, either through excess or deficiency. Everyone's nutritional intake can be improved by making changes to their diet. When you have found the right diet and nutritional intake for you, energy levels will increase and it will be much easier to achieve and maintain a comfortable and healthy weight. Not only will you be healthier, but you will feel and look terrific. In fact, ongoing nutrition becomes a necessary factor in your body's recovery and a critical element in your long term health and wellness. Most agree that by eating more nutritiously, you directly impact the rejuvenation and healing rate of your body. Making a few simple changes in your lifestyle and improving your nutritional intake, will have a positive impact on your overall well-being.

Keep in mind that it can be challenging to obtain all your nutrients from food without eating huge amounts. Originally, we were gifted with a world abundant in whole foods to support every body's needs. Many chiropractic doctors recommend supplementation along with making smart nutritional food intake choices. You should always try to eat foods that are as close as possible to the way nature intended them to be. Eating right is not that hard, but it does take effort and dedication to change your eating routine. It is always recommended to be consistent in your approach towards eating healthy nutritious food. This way you will not have to wait for long to start seeing the results!

To help reverse the effects of an unbalanced nutritional lifestyle, most chiropractic doctors suggest the following:

• Plan and maintain a balanced nutritional regiment.

• Drink plenty of healthy fluids, especially water.

• Plan and maintain a healthy exercise routine.

• Improve your nutritional intake with appropriate supplements.

• Plan, schedule and maintain periodic chiropractic wellness reviews; and if I did not mention it,

• STOP SMOKING!

The Basic Tenets of a Healthy Nutritional Intake.

Here's a quick overview of what constitutes a healthy nutritional intake, what to eat and what to avoid. Regardless of your preferences, these principles will help develop good eating habits and keep you on the right track.

• Eliminate the refined whites, which include refined sugar, white flour and white rice; including foods like white bread, pasta, white tortillas and baked foods. White processed flour has the same negative effects in the body as white sugar.

• Consume more whole grains like brown rice and barley. While you are at it, choose whole grain breads and pastas. These foods are nutrient-rich and provide an excellent source of dietary fiber.

• Stop using refined and artificial sweeteners; like white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup or foods and drinks that contain them. Sugar can slow healing, accelerate tissue breakdown, aggravate symptoms and deteriorate your overall health and wellbeing.

• No more damaged fats. They include heated polyunsaturated oils, margarine, hydrogenated oils. Deep-fried foods are off limits. The high heat essentially destroys the fat's health properties and these foods are usually made with the vegetable oils or hydrogenated oils mentioned earlier.

• Use traditional strong and hearty fats and oils in cooking and baking, which include butter and/or extra virgin olive oil, expeller pressed nut oils and the tropical oils including coconut and palm oil.

• Switch to clean, naturally raised meats and animal products grown without hormones, antibiotics and chemically altered feed. Examples of these types of meats include fish, seafood, poultry, eggs and grass-fed beef, lamb.

• Consume whole, naturally produced milk products from pasture grass fed cows, such as whole yogurt, cultured butter and raw cheeses. Choose full-fat varieties over low or non-fat. Butterfat is in milk for a reason; so choose full fat varieties over low or non-fat products. The butterfat allows the body to absorb and utilize the vitamins and minerals found in this food group.

• Kick the habit of consuming unhealthy beverages. This one may be tough as we are talking about soda, coffee, processed teas, alcohol and untreated water. Remember, fruit juices fall into this category as well, since they are a concentrated source of sugar.

• Drink pure, filtered water. This is the healthiest beverage and is necessary for optimal body function. Keep in mind there are also some cleaner, more natural sodas on the market that can serve as a good substitute when the soda craving occurs.

• Add fresh or lightly steamed organic vegetables and fruits to your salads and soups.

• Consume cod liver oil, Brewer's yeast, spirulina, bee pollen, raw wheat germ and kelp.

• Fermented foods like sauerkraut, raw vinegar and eating full-fat plain yogurt can be a very healthy dietary addition.

• Start using sea salt and assorted non-irradiated herbs and spices as an all natural seasoning substitute.

And finally, this process is not going to happen overnight; personalize your nutritional intake to fit your unique lifestyle, routine, energy expenditure and biochemistry. There is no "one size fits all" plan that is suitable for everybody. The concept of blending your biochemical uniqueness into a personalized nutrition plan has been around for centuries. Incorporating the above listed tenets can boost your immunity, help in your healing process, improve your overall health and promote disease prevention. Remember your body is still your best nutritional guide and advisor. You will need to pay close attention to your moods, feelings and sensations you may feel as a result of eating different foods. A great way to keep track of these changes is by charting them in a food diary. Now you will have a great list of the foods and nutritional sources that are right for you.

Note: This is a general overview of what you want to incorporate into a healing, disease preventing diet. This overview does not take specific health conditions into consideration. Please seek a professional nutritional specialist for your specific health needs and conditions.

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