Healthy Lifestyle - Putting It All Into Practice

Recap - Make a Healthy Diet Plan

Over the last few posts I have been discussing a range of things that can help in the quest towards good health. Just to quickly remind ourselves of the main points, eat healthy, natural food such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, meats and seafoods.

Remember that it is easier to get the all important vitamins and minerals from fresh, natural foods. Try to keep processed foods to a minimum, especially those that contain additives like colours and preservatives.

Healthy diets don't just happen by themselves, make a healthy diet plan. It is a bit like a road map. It shows the direction you want to go.

Eating foods that provide the nutrients that our body craves for, not only brings good health but makes it a lot easier to lose weight and to maintain a healthy body weight.

Adding herbs and spices to our diets helps to provide nutrients and contributes to good health. Some spices, such as cinnamon, have a reputation for assisting weight loss and also in helping control blood insulin levels. See my posts on Cinnamon and also Weight loss? for further details.

Then there are things like walking or other regular exercise, staying hydrated and getting enough sunshine to keep our Vitamin D levels up. There really are many things that contribute to being in good health.

Know what to do but it still doesn't happen?

Information like this, and then putting it into practice, is really important. However, many times people find that when it comes to putting it into practice is where it all falls down.

It is easy to know what to do but you get results when you know how to do it.

That in a nutshell is where the problem lies. We might know what we need to do but knowing how to do it is another story altogether.

Some of the answers to this lie in how we think, our attitudes and beliefs about the issue or topic.

For example, if a person feels as though they are missing out because they are not eating cream cakes, donuts and lollies they are much more likely to break out and fill up on those things than a person who believes that eating fresh fruit and nuts for snacks is delicious and exactly what they want.

The battle is largely won or lost in our brains. Reframing our questions or thoughts, evaluating our attitudes and beliefs go a long way towards being able to do what it takes to live a healthy lifestyle.

Ask yourself questions like does this serve me well? Is this useful to me? Is there another way to do this? How else could this be done?

Ask how can I do this? It is more beneficial than saying I can't do this.

Perhaps asking questions like this can help us to know how to do what we know we need to do.

I hope you have great success as you begin to sort out which attitudes and thoughts serve you the best.

Jocelyn

Healthy Diets Must Include Vitamin Rich Foods

Vitamins are a lot more complex than most of us realise. Each vitamin is part of a complex of compounds rather than just a single component. For example there are at least 17 vitamins labeled B and they all work together. Vitamin D also has several components while vitamin P has at least 5.

The nutrients found in food varies according to the soil and farming method used to produce it. Some vitamins are heat sensitive, others are water soluble, some are fat soluble. Oxidation causes most vitamin loss in food.

Below is a brief look at some of the known vitamins.

Vitamin A - Fat Soluble

Benefits

• Catalyst on which many processes depend
• Needed to utilise protein, minerals, other vitamins
• Needed to digest protein
  
• Antioxidant
• Protects against pollutants and free radicals
• Necessary in building strong bones
  
• Needed for eyesight - formation of visual purple

Sources of preformed vitamin A (called retinol)

• Butterfat
• Egg yolks
• Liver and other organ meats
• Seafood
• Fish liver oils
  

Sources of provitamin A or carotene

• All yellow, red, orange or dark green fruits and vegetables.

Carotenes are converted in the body to vitamin A. This can only happen if all necessary conditions exist, one of which is the presence of fat in the diet. However, many people are not able to do the conversion. Therefore it is important to get some vitamin A from animal sources.

Vitamin B Complex - Water Soluble

Benefits

• They work together as a team to promote healthy:
• Skin
• Eyes
• Hair
• Nerves
• Liver
• Muscle tone
• Cardiovascular function
  
• They protect us from:
• Mental disorders
• Depression
• Anxiety

Sources

• Whole grains - best source
• Fresh fruits
• Vegetables
• Nuts
• Legumes
• Seafood
• Organ meats
• Produced by intestinal bacteria

Vitamin C - Water Soluble

Benefits

• Necessary for tissue growth and repair
• Strength of capillary walls
• Lactation
• Adrenal gland function
• Formation of collagen, the body's structural substance
• Promotes healing of wounds
• Powerful antioxidant

Sources

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Certain animal organs

Destroyed by

• Heat
• Alcohol
• Many common drugs including aspirin
• Smoking

Vitamin D

Benefits

• Needed for calcium and phosphorus absorption
• Strong bones
• Healthy teeth
• Normal growth and brain development
• Protects against cancer and multiple sclerosis

Sources

• The body manufactures Vitamin D out of cholesterol in the presence of sunlight.
• Butterfat
• Eggs
• Liver
• Organ meats
• Marine oils
• Seafood - especially shrimp and crab

Vitamin E - Fat Soluble

Benefits

• Needed for circulation
• Tissue repair and healing
• Retard the aging process
• Deactivation of free radicals
• Works with some trace elements to protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease

Sources

• Unrefined vegetable oils
• Butter
• Organ meats
• Grains
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Legumes
• Dark green leafy vegetables
  

Vitamin K - Fat Soluble

Benefits

• Needed for blood clotting
• Important role in bone formation

Sources

• Liver
• Egg yolks
• Butter
• Grains
• Dark leafy vegetables
• Cabbage family vegetables

Vitamin P (Bioflavonoids) - Water Soluble

Benefits

• Enhance absorption of Vitamin C
• Promote healing
• Protect the structure of blood capillaries
• Stimulate bile production
• Lower cholesterol levels,
• Regulate menstrual flow
• Help prevent cataracts
• Has antibacterial effects
  

Sources

• Peppers
• Grapes
• Buckwheat
• White pith of citrus fruits

Co enzyme Q10 - Vitamin Q

Benefits

• Every cell needs it to produce energy
• Antioxidant
• Treatment of cardiovascular disease and periodontal problems

Sources

• All animal products

There is much more data about vitamins than I have given here. It is easy to see how important it is to ensure that each of these vitamins are included in our healthy diet plan. They can be easily destroyed by storage, processing and cooking. Therefore it requires some thought and planning to be sure that we do indeed have a healthy diet that includes the necessary vitamins for good health.

Eat well

Jocelyn

Fat Facts for a Healthy Diet

We must have some fats in our diet.

Role of Fat in Healthy Diets

• Provides a concentrated source of energy


• Provides the building blocks for cell membranes, hormones and hormone like substances


• Slows down nutrient absorption - we can go longer without feeling hungry.


• Act as carriers for the fat soluble vitamins A,D,E and K


• Aids in converting carotene to Vitamin A


• Assists in absorption of minerals

Different Types of Fats

Saturated

• Highly stable
• Do not normally go rancid
• Solid or semi solid at room temperature
• Found in animal fats or tropical oils
• Your body makes them from carbohydrates

Monounsaturated

• Your body makes them out of saturated fatty acids
• Liquid at room temperature
• Relatively stable - do not go rancid easily
• Most common type in our food is oleic acid
• Found in olive oil, and oils from almonds, pecans, cashews, peanuts and avocados

Polyunsaturated - Two Types

• Omega 6 - linoleic acid
• Omega 3 - linolenic acid
• Called essential as your body cannot make them
• Must obtain essential fatty acids (EFA) from food
• Liquid even when refrigerated
• Highly reactive
• Go rancid easily
• Never heat or use in cooking

Fatty acids are also classified according to their length. That is how many carbon atoms they have.

Short Chain

• Always saturated
• Found in butterfat
• Have antimicrobial properties - protect us from viruses, yeasts and bacteria in the gut
• Absorbed quickly for quick energy
• Contribute to health of the immune system

Medium Chain Fatty Acids

• Found in butterfat and tropical oils eg coconut oil
• Have antimicrobial properties
• Absorbed directly for quick energy so unlikely to cause weight gain
• Contribute to health of immune system

Long Chain Fatty Acids

• Can be either saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated
• Many different types
• Oleic acid in olive oil
• Palmitoleic acid - in animal fats - strong antimicrobial properties
• The two EFA's are long chain fatty acids
• GLA found in evening primrose oil - used to produce prostaglandins which regulate many processes at the cellular level

Very Long Chain Fatty Acids

• Highly unsaturated
• Some, but not all people, can make them out of EFA's. Others must get them from food.
• Organ meats, egg yolks, butter, fish oils
• Used in body to produce prostaglandins
• Important roles in function of the nervous system

That is a lot of different types of fats. They all have important roles to play in our health. It is good to eat a balance of all of the different types of fats.

Be aware that many oils sold in our supermarkets have been processed by extreme heat and solvents. This damages the fatty acids. Use expeller expressed, unrefined oils or extra virgin olive oil. Store these in the refrigerator. Virgin coconut oil is an excellent addition to a healthy diet and can be stored at room temperature as it is very stable.

There is much more that could be said about fats, enough for now to know a little about the different types and why we need to eat them.

Enjoy your food

Jocelyn

Carbohydrates as Part of Healthy Diets

Carbohydrates are used in our body to provide energy. They are broken down into glucose which goes throughout the body as energy is needed. Our brain and nervous system need this energy. If we did not eat carbohydrates the body would use some of the protein as an energy source.

Two Types of Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates form part of most peoples diet. However, in order to have a healthy diet, we need to pick and choose which carbohydrates we eat. Many of the carbohydrate sources available to modern people have been very highly refined. This removes vitamins, minerals, enzymes, protein, fat and fiber that were originally in the food. In fact, in order to digest refined carbohydrates the body's store of vitamins, minerals and enzymes are used in order for them to be digested properly. Foods like this are often called empty calories.

Blood Sugar Levels

Eating refined sugar and starches, particularly when eaten without fats or protein, enter the blood stream quickly and cause a sudden increase in blood sugar levels. This in turn floods the body with insulin. Repeating this day after day causes a big drain on the body and can result in the diseases of diabetes and hypoglycemia.

Examples of simple or refined carbohydrates:

• sugar
• white flour and then the products made of it eg bread, cakes, other baked goods
  
• white rice
• syrup, high fructose corn syrup
  
• candy bars
• processed cereals

A healthy diet would include carbohydrates. However choosing unrefined, unprocessed carbohydrates will build health rather than destroy it.

Examples of complex or unrefined carbohydrates:

• whole grains, wheat, brown rice, oats, barley, maize, buckwheat, corn
  
• potatoes
• other root vegetables
• peas
• beans
• lentils
• quinoa
• amaranth
• fruit
  

These lists are not intended to be complete but just to give the idea of the difference between refined/simple carbohydrates and unrefined/complex carbohydrates.

All of the foods in the unrefined/complex list also provide vitamins, minerals and other things necessary to provide a healthy diet.

There is much more that could be said about carbohydrates and how our body uses them. However, the most important thing is to know which kind is the most beneficial to eat.

Be in good health

Jocelyn

Healthy Diet Plan

Changes for Life

A healthy diet plan is something to work towards. For it to work, long term, it must evolve into something that you can stick to for life. The changes you make as you create your healthy diet plan will be more in the line of lifestyle changes, rather than short term diet measures. Your healthy diet plan must include a balance of foods to ensure that all the necessary nutrients are available.

Necessary Nutrients

Make sure that your healthy diet plan includes all the necessary nutrients. The main groups that these can be divided into are:

• Protein
• Carbohydrates
• Fiber
• Fats
• Minerals
• Vitamins
• Water

Protein

Healthy diets need to include protein because:

• It is used for growth and repairs in the body.
• Helps nutrients move to and from the cells of the body.
• Necessary for healthy hair, skin and nails
• Important for muscle development
• A source of energy
• Necessary to help to fight disease

Good Sources of Protein for Healthy Diets

• Fish, meat, chicken
• Eggs
• Dairy products
• Nuts
• Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah)
  
• Amaranth
• Buckwheat
  
• Peas and beans
• Rice

Protein sources such as peas, beans and rice do not contain all of the essential amino acids by themselves. As such, unless they are combined with another source, the protein cannot be used for growth or repair of tissues.

Combining Non Meat Proteins for Healthy Diets

Combining grains and legumes results in a complete protein. That is, all of the animo acids that our body cannot make itself are in the combination.

Examples of grains:

• Rice
• Wheat
• Oats
• Corn
• Barley

Examples of legumes:

• Beans
• Lentils,
• Peanuts
• Peas

Combining grains with nuts or seeds also results in a complete protein.

Examples of nuts and seeds are:

• Sesame seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Pepitas
  
• Walnuts
• Pecans
• Cashews
• Almonds
• Brazil nuts

Combining legumes with nuts or seeds is another combination that provides a complete protein. Using these combinations can help you devise a healthy diet plan that will assist in getting the protein needed for good health.

Quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat are seeds that are often used as grains. They are also classed as complete proteins.

Quinoa

Quinoa is an ancient crop that has been cultivated in South America since 3000 BC. It contains all 8 of the essential animo acids. Use it in the same way you would use rice. It makes very tasty pilaf type dishes.

Amaranth

Amaranth, as well as being a complete protein, contains 15-18% protein. It also provides dietary fibre, iron, phosphorus, copper and manganese. It is high in calcium, magnesium and silicon. The seeds can be cooked and used in the same way as rice. The seeds are often ground and sold as flour that can be used in baking. Puffed amaranth is a quick, tasty breakfast cereal.

Buckwheat

Buckwheat, which is not related to wheat in any way, contains 18% protein. Research has shown that the protein in buckwheat helps to control cholesterol levels. There are many other health benefits to using buckwheat such as better blood sugar control. Buckwheat flour is delicious in breads and pancakes. Buckwheat groats are something to experiment with as you make your healthy diet plan.

Perhaps some of the foods listed in this discussion on protein, as part of your healthy diet plan, are new to you. Try some new tastes, experiment with new recipes. If you have some great ideas that have contributed to your healthy diet plan, share them with us by leaving a comment.

Be in good health

Jocelyn