Proper nutrition is the key to health andwell-being. As Hippocrates said: "I am what I eat". It is healthy eating (and not some magical cosmetic creams and masks) that determines the condition of your skin, hair and nails, your figure, general well-being and vitality. Unfortunately, the Internet is full of various articles on this topic, but the quality of advice and recommendations included in their content leaves much to be desired. Therefore, if you want to know everything about proper nutrition, then this article is especially for you, because in it we have collected all the healthiest and most rational.
A little bit about energy
Why do we eat?Sometimes you might think that we eat to experience the pleasure of food. However, this is not true - proper nutrition is the source of energy our body needs. Energy is measured in calories or joules, with one calorie equal to approximately four point two joules. Each body requires a different number of calories/joules depending on age, gender and physical activity. For adults between the ages of twenty and thirty-five, the energy requirement averages two thousand two hundred calories for women and two thousand six hundred calories for men. For teenagers, the calorie requirement is from two thousand seven hundred to three and a half thousand calories. For pregnant women and nursing mothers - about three and a half thousand calories. For people involved in sports and heavy physical labor - from three to five thousand calories. In any case, proper nutrition should include the number of calories you need - no more and no less. There are many myths associated with calories. One of them says: "If you want to lose weight, cut your calories in half." Of course, it is difficult to argue with this, but this is not healthy weight loss - you are creating an energy deficit in your body. The consequences of insufficiently proper nutrition can be apathy, a decrease in the quality of cognitive processes, and a deterioration in the activity of various functional systems. In addition, the body primarily burns protein, not fat, so you will lose weight due to muscle. Of course, if you want to lose weight, reducing the calorie content of your diet is necessary, but only if the energy from the food you consume exceeds the norm you need. And it is better to reduce calories due to unhealthy foods, paying attention to proper nutrition - then this will be a significant contribution to the development of your health.
Fundamentals of proper nutrition
What is proper nutrition?There are a lot of rumors and speculations about what a healthy diet should look like: some people think it is vegetarianism, some people can’t live a day without a good steak, and for some it is just tasty food. If you want your diet to be healthy, then you should include these simple and useful rules in your lifestyle: Healthy nutrition requires variety: a little meat, lots of vegetables, fruits, fish and whole grain products. This gives the body all the nutrients and substances necessary for life that it needs. One-sided nutrition, used primarily in some diets, is harmful to health. Proteins, fats and carbohydrates are energy substances that must be supplied with food.
- Correct diet. Large portions create an unnecessary strain on the body and digestion. They cause a feeling of overflow, fatigue and lethargy. It is better not to eat three times a day, but five times in small portions. Breaks between meals will not be too large, and "high-calorie bombs" will not replace a healthy feeling of hunger.
- Eat slowly and enjoy - this isthe main thing for proper nutrition. A hasty eater usually eats too much. Scientists have found that signs of satiety appear only fifteen minutes after eating. This means that someone who greedily swallows their food gets enough calories/joules in just a few minutes, without giving their body the opportunity to report that the satiety limit has been crossed.
- What relates to food should be respected infor drinking. If you have a strong thirst, it is best to drink water. Do not overestimate the value of thirst quenching beer because of its alcohol content and calorie content. From the neck of the beer bottle you can very quickly get excess energy. Be careful with sweet drinks (lemonades, fruit juices or drinks with cola). They do not quench their thirst, but they contain up to one hundred and ten grams of sugar in one liter.
- Do not drink too little: the daily need for liquid is one and a half to two liters. It is highly recommended mineral water or tea (best of all - fruit tea). Moderately can be consumed milk, coffee, beer, wine, champagne and drinks with fruit juices.
- Correct ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. In your diet, they should be thirty, thirty and forty percent respectively. But do not forget about the quality of the building elements: from a piece of a sweet cake or a piece of fried meat, you will of course add carbohydrates and protein, but their health benefits are very doubtful. Full nutrition includes complex carbohydrates, good cooked meat and healthy fats (they will be discussed below).
Fats - harm or benefit?
Fat is a flavoring substance, so fat-containing foodsthe products simply taste better than their "skinny" replacement. Excess energy in the body quickly turns into "life preservers" on the waist. Reduce your consumption of harmful fat, and pay attention to the hidden fats in sausages, cheese, nuts, chocolate, sauces and fried potatoes. However, do not forget that fat is not only harmful, but also healthy - without it, proper nutrition is impossible. The whole question is what kind of fat it will be. Healthy fats are mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are mainly found in vegetable oils, fatty sea fish, avocado and nuts. Proper nutrition must include regular consumption of these products - they are the key to normal cardiac activity, metabolic processes, as well as healthy skin, hair and nails.
Healthy foods
What is proper nutrition?This is the consumption of healthy foods! Those who eat a lot of fruits, vegetables and wholemeal products give their body enough so-called "ballast substances". These are indigestible plant substances that stimulate chewing, saturate well and regulate digestion. In order for food to have an optimal amount of vitamins, products should be steamed, stewed, fried or baked with a small amount of water or fat, and the liquid obtained after boiling vegetables should always be used for soups and sauces. Do not forget that the less heat treatment, the more nutrients and vitamins are preserved in food. Drink less alcohol. Not only does it provide a lot of calories/joules, but it also has a negative effect on the liver and other organs. And yet, during a good lunch, you are allowed to drink a glass of wine, champagne or beer. Avoid sweet temptations - candy, chocolate, cakes, ice cream and lemonade. After all, the body converts excess sugar into fat. Be economical with salt. Do not forget that those who often eat processed foods get more than enough of it. Salt, for example, causes, among other things, an increase in blood pressure. Make it a rule for yourself: the less, the more correct and healthier your diet. It is better to sprinkle your food with plenty of greens or other spices. Our grandmothers only knew that butter is tasty. However, now we know what is hidden in it: vitamins A, D, E, B, B2, B6, sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. Therefore, do not reproach yourself for eating a sandwich with butter for lunch - it is not only high in calories, but also healthy. In general, try to diversify your "oil" diet: add olive, flaxseed and other vegetable oils to your food.
Gifts of nature in proper nutrition
That by eating garlic you can live to beold age, has not been scientifically proven, but it has other positive properties. For example, it prevents the development of atherosclerosis (aging of blood vessels) and lowers blood pressure. It contains allicin essential oil, which helps destroy pathogens in the body and strengthens the immune system. Therefore, a clove of garlic should be added to food every day. The numerous health benefits of garlic have been studied for thousands of years, but only recently has its ability to maintain cardiovascular health attracted close attention. This has again sparked interest in the use of garlic as a dietary supplement. Garlic tablets have been developed in a special shell that dissolves in the intestines, which eliminates the smell of garlic from the mouth, but retains its healing properties. But it turns out that garlic is not the only one with amazing properties. The root of Siberian ginseng increases brain excitability and helps restore memory. It is recommended for mental and physical fatigue, decreased concentration, chronic fatigue syndrome, and vegetative-vascular dystonia. Valerian root helps relieve muscle spasms caused by tension. Hops promote relaxation. White willow bark and betony help relieve headaches, while ginger root helps with digestive problems caused by stress. Scientists have recently discovered ways to extract chlorophyll from plants for use as a dietary supplement. Chlorophyll preparations help the body create an environment that is unfavorable for bacterial growth. In addition, chlorophyll is a multivitamin nutritional supplement and has a universal effect on the body, regulating the functions of the endocrine system. Bee pollen contains most vitamins, more than twenty-five trace elements, twenty-seven mineral salts and enzymes. Bee pollen is especially rich in B vitamins, which are so important for metabolism. Due to its vitamin and mineral composition, bee pollen improves the functions of the immune system and maintains the body's energy reserves. The multifunctional plant Echinacea, with its antibacterial, antiviral and antitoxic properties, provides powerful support for the immune system. In particular, Echinacea improves the health of the respiratory and digestive systems, making it a popular herbal supplement for protection against common respiratory illnesses and the flu. St. John's wort has been used successfully for centuries to treat wounds. The English called it the "warrior's balm." In France, Italy and Germany, St. John's wort is called St. John's wort, which protects the home from evil spirits. Interest in this ancient remedy has increased dramatically in our time. Research has shown that St. John's wort does drive away "evil spirits," if by "evil spirits" we mean various serious illnesses, particularly depression. St. John's wort is said to help with a thousand ailments. Here are some of them:
- Mild or moderate depression, other neuropsychic disorders; chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Viral and microbial infections (influenza, simple or herpes zoster).
- The positive effect of St. John's wort on purulent processes.
- Wounds and burns. Helps with cut, torn and suppurated wounds; when forming purulent swells, cleans the wound from germs and viruses.
- Diseases of blood vessels. Increases blood flow in the vessels of the heart, which contributes to saturation of the heart muscle with oxygen. This is extremely important for ischemic heart disease.
- Increases the production of the hormone melatonin at night. Therefore, St. John's wort can be recommended for improving sleep and preventing sclerosis.
In conclusion, I would like to say once again thathealthy and wholesome nutrition is the basis of beauty and longevity. It is useless to live outside the city and play sports if in the evening you will be gobbling up potato chips and semi-finished products. Proper nutrition contributes not only to good health, but also to slimness, a beautiful figure and a healthy complexion. Therefore, do not spare time and effort on this, because you only have one body, and it must be loved, pampered and cherished. Take care of proper nutrition for it! We recommend reading:
