How true is the saying “you are what you eat” and I believe that consider the truth in this like never before.
All the nutrients needed for optimum performance, come from our food , the health of our cells and in turn the health of our whole body depends on the the nutritional value our food gives us.
A lot of people think that what I eat is irrelevant, they can take a multi-vitamin and mineral to give my body what it needs in terms of nutrition. This is a huge mistake , most vitamins and mineral supplements on the market are synthetic; also when you take vitamins in tablet form a lot of the potency is lost due to the manufacturing process.
If you feel that you need that extra boost there are some fantastic Whole Super Food Preparations on the market that don’t have any preservatives, additives, flavours or fillers. For instance have a look at our Super Greens and Super Reds
Supplements however, does have a place when:
- If you have been sick
- Run-down
- Recovering after an illness or surgery
- Your body is under extreme stress
- If you are over-exerting yourself (athletes or sports training or a extremely active occupation)
But, supplements is not the be all and end all, you body still needs a balanced diet of approximately:
- 5 cups of vegetables or salad daily
- 3 to 4 pieces of fruit
- 2 to 3 serves of Complex Carbohydrates daily (wholegrain cereals, bread, pasta or noodles and brown or basmati rice).
- 30% lean protein daily
Organic vs non-organic
The word “organic” refers to the way farmers grow and process agricultural products, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and meat. Organic farming practices are intentional to boost soil and water conservation and cut back pollution. Organic produce and meat farmers don’t use established methods to feed, control weeds or prevent livestock disease. For example, rather than using chemical weed killers, organic farmers conduct sophisticated crop rotations and spread mulch or manure to keep weeds at bay.
Here are some of the reasons why I feel organic is better;
- It has been proven that organic can sometimes contain as much as 2 to 3 times the nutrients that conventional produce has
- Organic food just taste’s better
- Yes, the preservatives helps the non-organic food to last longer than organic food. However, if you buy a non-organic apple from the supermarket, that apple could have been picked 10 months ago, let me pose this question to you, what sort of life-force or nutrient benefit would that non-organic apple have? that the non-organic apply would have}
- Avoid food that has been genetically modified, treated with pesticides and where crop rotation is not heard of.
Yes is can cost a little more and the availability is sometimes a problem, having said that there are a lot of farmers markets around on the week-ends and home delivered organic food that you can order over the internet is always a up and coming alternative .
Modern Diseases
Modern diseases such as, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Arthritis, Gout and Cancer only to name a few can be laid at the door of poor nutrition, the listed foods should be removed from our daily diet.
- Fast Foods
- Fatty Foods
- Foods High in Sugar
- Simple Carbohydrates (white bread, cakes, biscuits etc)
Water
We all need 2.5 to 3 litres of water daily if you are doing moderate physical exercise, However, if you work in the sun or hot environments you will need to drink more.
The body uses water for near all its functions – for maintaining unvarying body temperature, building tissue, transporting nutrients, excretion, circulation, absorption and digestion .
Water is needed by almost all the body’s living cells to perform their function. Nutritive elements are transported to the cells by water and water carries waste salts and waste matrials to the kidney’s where they are eliminated as urine. Water serves as an important constituent of lubricants, helping to cushion the joints and internal organs, keeping body tissues such as the eyes, lungs and air passages moist, and surrounding and protecting the fetus during pregnancy. Water is required in each step of the process of converting food into energy and tissue. Digestive secretions are mostly water acting as a root for nutrients; in effect, water softens, dilutes and liquefies food in order to service digestion. It also helps move food along the alimentary canal. The absorption process of the intestinal wall is facilitated by the differences in the fluid concentration on either side of the intestinal wall.
Summary
It is important for our health and the health of our children that we eat well, with a balanced diet that gives us all the nutrients that our body’s need, if that is not possible then look at 100% natural products that assist in balancing our bodies. At the end of the day there is no better way of achieve this goal than having a balanced healthy diet of wholegrain foods, salad, fruit, fresh vegetables and lean protein.
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