New Age Health Spa
Mark Twain said that everyone complains about the weather but no one does anything about it. Similarly everyone knows the importance of good nutrition but few people take the time but few people take the time to learn how to improve their diet. Fortunately though we can make dramatic changes in our health and sense of well being through knowledge and application of proper dietary principles.
Many of us feel that the topic of nutrition is so confusing that they don’t make the effort to understand it. Despite diverse opinions and many nuances there are certain basic principles that almost all in the field agree with.
Probably the most important principle is to eat a variety of natural unrefined foods. Carbohydrate sources should be high fiber and low to moderate glycemic. Most vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains fall in this category. Did you know that the “foods” that correlate highest with degenerative diseases are refined carbohydrates such as those containing added sugars and white flour products. High protein food choices should come from fish and range fed animals. A sensible vegetarian diet can for the most part provide adequate protein especially if certain amino acids are supplemented. A more critical concern may be getting enough micronutrients such as B12 and Zinc.
Nutrition can be a fascinating topic. A meal of vegetables and tofu stir fried in safflower oil sounds healthy right? Unfortunately the above is excessively high in Omega 6 type fatty acids. Further, skewing the preponderance of such fads over important omega 3 type fads (fatty fish, flax). This increasingly high ratio of omega 6 to 3 E.F.A.’s is implicated in hormonal imbalances resulting in degenerative diseases such as arthritis and cancer. Do you eat dairy and take calcium supplements to prevent osteoporosis? Then make sure you are getting enough magnesium, which few people do, Otherwise you may be doing more harm than good. Do you want insulin to help your body use carbohydrates for energy rather than storing the excess as fat? If you're eating processed foods and are deficient in chromium, zinc, and alpha lipoic acid, as the majority of people are, you are headed for problems. Would you like to avoid public enemy number 1, Cardiovascular Disease, the incidence of which rose from 1 percent to 50 percent during the past century? Were you aware that the antioxidant Vitamin E, which was refined out of whole grains during the above time period, prevents free radicals from oxidizing cholesterol and minimizes plaque formation? Want to age gracefully and increase life span? Increase antioxidant vitamins and phytonutrients and decrease calories. Want to be happier and handle stress better? Learn about the food mood connection.
Ignorance is definitely not bliss when it comes to nutrition. Take the steps that can lead to a healthier, happier, longer life for you and your loved ones.
