About your diet with Hedvika - myths, truths and how to approach it
There are multiple pillars to taking care of your health; your diet is one of them. Like in everything today, even here we are met with plenty of half-truths and myths that makes a dangerous weapon aiming at you from completely harmless food. There are some definite facts however, to which it is recommended you stick. Through this you will secure both your mental and physical wellbeing. Today we will focus on the most common myths and truths that are going around.
Healthy and unhealthy ingredients
The theme of health incites the idea that we will only be healthy after eating and doing that which is ‘healthy’. It’s not so black and white though. There is no measurement that states that an ingredient or foodstuff is strictly healthy. Anything, consumed in excess becomes unhealthy. A typical example of this is water. Water is one of the basic and most important building blocks for our body and we have to drink an amount every day, however when consumed in excess it becomes problematic for the body and can even become dangerous. Many people like to place even basic ingredients into the category of ‘un-healthy’ where the interpretation of what that ingredient is actual good for has been misunderstood or twisted. Even though, the only food that is unhealthy is that which has gone bad, moldy, invaded by a pest or otherwise not up to hygienic standards.
Three meals a day and no more
Another problematic issue arises when discussing the frequency of meals during the day. Do you eat once? Twice? Five times? Do you also have no idea? The correct frequency of meals during the day is very individual and depending on many factors. Do you live alone or have a family with kids? Do you work on shifts or have a fixed work time? Do you work out or have a seated employment? And what about if your every day is different? You need to take all these factors into account and then adjust your meals and when you have them during the day.
Food should bring happiness
Eatig has many functions – replenishing energy, regeneration, building a healthy relationship with your food, socialization and also the enjoyment of actually eating good food. Exactly those last three points are reasons for why food cannot always be a 100% detail perfect balanced plate. Sometimes we want to meet up with our friends for a meal of their choice, other days we want to eat food that is not suitable for everyday consumption, or we really want to make our taste buds and soul happy. These are situations which when strictly adhering to a diet will bring about feelings of failure and inadequacy. While in actuality, nothing really happened. These needs are perfectly natural. If talking about macronutrients, one can endure for some time, on just a few basic meals. While on the side of micronutrients, stress can quite quickly use up all your body has stored up. Then it is quite useful to help your body out with dietary supplements which will replenish the micronutrients that you are missing easily and painlessly.
Detox
While it is fine to clean up your life, rebalance your mind, organize your home, look out for needles organism cleansing with different detoxifying treatments. If that means fasting, a one-sided diet, drinking only liquids without eating solid foods, anything that promises the detox of your organism. Don’t be tricked. The complete detoxification of your body is provided naturally 24/7 by your liver, lungs, intestines and kidneys. They need a steady and balanced intake of nutrients so that they can continue to do these natural processes properly. Therefore, limiting your food intake makes no sense.
Diet is what’s most important
Do not forget; your health does not depend strictly on your diet. How you eat is only one of the many pieces of the puzzle. Another piece is sufficient exercise. So that your body is strong enough for these activities, you need sufficient and quality sleep. Thus, the diet is not all there is to health, but it is the important piece without which the other pieces are not possible.
How much you eat is important
When you imagine a plate, half should be filled by a side-dish and the other half should be shared by fats and proteins. Approximately. When you change the ratios, that could fit you better, but it also does not have to and it could have a negative effect. For example, if you put a spoonful of nuts into your morning yoghurt or eat a whole bowl of them in front of the tv after work. Same ingredient. Different amount and as such different result. Like I have said before; what is unhealthy is unhealthy because it is consumed in excess not because of its composition. It is not useful to the body to eat only proteins or only saccharides or only fats. It is important, however, which ratio you balance these nutrients.
Small changes make a difference
‘All or nothing’ is not thing in your diet. What counts are small changes. Maybe you have already experienced it. Full of expectation because you have just forbidden a specific food group from day to day. After a few days, most likely, you found out that it did absolutely nothing. You find out that you are constantly thinking about those forbidden foods and in the end you end up overeating on those foods anyways. Changing your daily menu is not a job that can be done in one afternoon, it’s something that takes weeks when you slowly learn to place new ingredients and meals while also changing the ratios of the current foods. This is the way to go about it. It’s not an extreme change that you have to get used to immediately, its functional and its easy to maintain. It’s not accompanied by feelings of failure or regrets. Multiple small changes make a big difference over time.
Recommendations for everyone
Every individual has unique needs. There are some recommendations, however, that encompass everybody, regardless of age or gender. For instance, the intake of fruit and vegetables, which should be above the amount of 400g in the ratio 2:1 in favor of vegetables. It’s also important to include un-sweetened milk products. You can add them to any of your daily foods, whether sweet or salty. They work as great bases for breakfasts or snacks. Containing, proteins, probiotic cultures, calcium and vitamins, they are wonderful. The effect of probiotic cultures is multiplied by the intake of saccharides with fiber content which works as a substrate for bacteria. Do not be afraid of saccharides; add cereals and legumes to every main meal. If they are whole grains, then all the better!
A balanced diet is not expensive
Healthy is expensive? It is good to remind yourself here that the concept of healthy ingredient is completely relative. To fill your fridge, you only need basic ingredients that have gone through the minimal technological process, are local, seasonal and possibly even on sale. Out of ingredients like this, you can easily prepare a varied and balanced meal.
Hedvika Jakešová - nutritionist