Nutrition how important is it?
I am sure
you have heard the saying: You are what you eat. This is not just a funny
statement, but an actual fact that has been proven time and time again. Every cell in your body is controlled by
nutrition, now notice I did not say food, for not all food have nutritional
value. Most over weight individuals are
actually malnourished, that’s right you heard correctly, obesity is a form of
malnutrition, your body has learn to feed of it’s self and produce excess
fat. The average American diet consists
of junk food and empty calories. This in turn creates a deficit of vitamins and
minerals that normally help nourish your cells which are responsible for all
the function of your machinery.
When we eat
junk, our bodies will respond with toxic build up, gas, stomach problems,
irritability, headaches, aches, pains, and depression, just to name a few. We
however fail to understand or even accept that the reason we feel the way we
do, is because we eat poorly. Our bodies
need vitamins and minerals, water, macro nutrients such as proteins,
carbohydrates and fats in a correct combination to have proper cell
function. Cancer, diabetes, multiple
sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, just to name a few, are caused by the
added processed garbage and fast foods we ingest. Add lack of exercise, stress, and not enough
rest and we have the human species before us today; tired, ill, over worked and
under paid and who are constantly popping pills to feel and look better.
We have been
programmed to find quick fixes either via medication or through quick weight
loss scams that not only place your health in danger, but ruin your
metabolism. We visit our health care
providers with the idea in mind that they will make all ailments go away with a
magic pill and make it all better. After all, every commercial you see on the
hypnotic television set, instigates the idea to ask your doctor about the blue
or red pill which will make everything okay. We of course ignore the long list
of side effects and precautions that go with it just to receive instant relief
and results.
We are a
nation that is overfed, yet malnourished. We eat way too many calories in one
sitting, empty calories that leave our bodies starved for nutrition. This in turn creates sugar cravings which
leads to increase insulin production and in turn creates hypoglycemia or
diabetes. Our Ancestors had no
McDonalds, Burger King, pretzels, white flour, sugar and the junk we consume
today. They ate what they killed, picked from a tree and went on with their
business, they where grazers, hunters and gatherers, who did not indulge in
today’s practice of consuming more than what they needed. When we needed
energy, the body would get it from its stored fat and we maintained a leaner
and healthier physique. You see, fat is
stored calories which is to be used in a time of need. With the way we eat
today, and the lack of physical activity our fat cells are always in surplus
and make us vulnerable for diseases. We
have taught our bodies to use processed garbage for energy; and our bodies have
forgotten how to utilize that stored fat for energy. In turn, our entire life
style brings forth ailments and imbalances that lead us into a dead end.
We have
created a love affair with food, forgetting its true intent and purpose. We eat when we are sad, when we are happy, and
create activities and festivities that revolve around food. It is time we took our health into our own
hands, and start to respect our bodies, learning what we need to eat for greater
health. Diets do not work and only
create further damage to our metabolism and cellular function. We do however need to learn the proper
balance and nutritional intake needed to bring forth a well functioning
metabolic rate, fat to muscle ratio, and overall fat burning. Our bodies are resilient and will respond
well when proper care is given.
To get
started start a journal and write all the foods you are eating on a daily
basis. Learn to eat small meals through out the day with proper combination of
protein, low glycemic carbohydrates and healthy fats. Make sure you are
drinking a minimum of half a gallon of water to one gallon daily, water is very
important for cell function and is a natural diuretic. If we take a look at babies and how they eat every
2 to 3 hours, we can learn that this is our natural eating schedule. By following this rule of thumb, small
balance meals will place less stress on your digestive system, it will provide
your body with an immediate nutritional need, and will not allow your body to
store fat, hence increasing and improving your metabolism and over all health.
An example
of a meal would be ½ cup of oatmeal cooked in water, this is considered your
carbohydrate, 3 scrambled egg whites, this is considered your lean protein, and
a handful of walnuts, this is considered your healthy fats. If you follow the rule of threes, which
means you divide your plate into thirds, utilizing the portions of proteins,
carbohydrates and fats to make up your meal. This will improve your metabolism,
allow your body to build lean muscles as long as you indulge in a work out
routine that includes weight lifting, and follow a sensible nutritional
plan.
Staying away
from processed food and eating nutritionally sound meals that will provide the
proper vitamins and minerals needed to help your cellular system function
accordingly is the name of the game. Remember, you are what you eat and
nutrition is definitely the answer to a well balance and healthy body.
Mark Angelo
Cummings is a Certified Nutritional Consultant, Master Personal Trainer and
Occupational Therapist who has taken wellness one step further. . He can be
reached at markangelocummings@yahoo.com
for an individual program or call 954 347 1267 to change your life today.
