We can all agree that with current lifestyles, workloads and social schedules, our lives are full of fast foods, quick meals, protein bars and powders, meal supplements and convenience, and it feels like the meaning of nutrition has been long distorted. For many of us the concept of nutrition and its original meaning are poles apart. So, what is the meaning of food and nutrition? According to the Oxford dictionary food is nutritious substance that you eat or drink and absorb in order to maintain life and growth. Nutrition is the process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth. “…to maintain life and growth” and “…obtaining the food necessary for health and growth” sounds like a very important role, wouldn’t you agree?
Please stop for a moment and ask yourself a question - why do you eat? And consider this: food is to provide energy and nutrients, not comfort – people are for that! I know that embracing this new approach will determine you and your family's future, as it did with mine.
For as long as I can remember, I have been telling my clients as I am telling you now to look at food as a source of nutrition and energy rather than a reliever of hunger and stress or a source of pleasure. To never avoid or skip meals and to prevent a drop in blood sugar levels, as this creates an imbalance in insulin levels. This imbalance always leads you to overconsumption of simple carbohydrates with your next meal and high blood sugar levels shortly afterwards. The sugary rollercoaster only make you feel weak, tired and generally unwell. Skipped meals, if overcompensated for with sugary snacks or drinks, leads you to falsely fuelling with energy and missing out on those important daily nutrients. A prolonged state of reduced nutrient intake can jeopardise the body’s functions. There are many diets and eating patterns that do not provide enough nutrients throughout the day. The human body is remarkably adaptable and will try to survive undernourished stages on divergent diets by cannibalising its own body tissues (mainly muscles) in order to provide necessary nutrients and we have only so much muscle to go by, and you are not an exception. Each body works the same way. There may be subtle genetic differences, but the underlying body functions are the same and you know that, because these are undeniable facts. In simpler words the nutrients in food gives the body instructions and enable the cells to perform their necessary functions. Thinking about food this way opens your eyes and widens your horizons on nutrition, which goes beyond calories and grams, taste, texture, good or bad foods. The food you eat and your eating habits are answers to everything – your energy level, size, brain, skin, hair, nails, mood and health. Now that you know you need nutrients to function properly and support you throughout the day, what will you do about it now?
Nutrition is like time, once it is gone, lost or missed, it can never be recovered.
I am telling you now to intentionally create time to prepare meals and eat every day and perhaps you will notice next time that you have spare minutes in your day to do so. I never leave home without breakfast, because I need to be ready for my day ahead. This helps the body get energy for a busy day, to deal with all the challenges ahead, rather than deal with increased anxiety and irritability triggered by hunger and starvation.
Stop driving your life on the empty tank now. Eat breakfast and do not skip meals and you will notice an easier ride through your day.
Aren’t you the lucky one who knows that by eating nutritional food you are directly impacting your health?
Our health is the primary and totally overlooked contributor to a happy life. We go out of our way to advance socially, read more self-help guides, advance our skills and gain financially, but can we do any of it without good health?
We look after our material things better than we look after ourselves or our family, renovating and maintaining our houses, cars and gadgets, not with quick convenient fixes, but careful selection of products, finishes and professionals who carry out the work. When it comes to material things, we take exceptional care to extend the longevity and appearance of our precious possessions, making sure they are well looked after. We make sure that our car has an MOT and service done on time. We use only recommend fuel and high-performance oil.
You wouldn’t deliberately put the wrong fuel into your car, would you? And yet you consume the wrong energy sources every day. The rules of the game are simple, if you do not look after things properly, they will stop supporting you and soon will need repair or even replacing.
Your and your family’s health is the same, there is only so much abuse it can take with quick fixes, shortcuts, convenience and low-performance fuel.
You may be wondering if there is something you can or you should change now, because most people do and you will also notice there is nothing stopping you from doing so. Start feeling better at any time from now.
Now that you know all that, I’m wondering whether you have a different view on nutrition now and how eager are you to apply it.
I wouldn’t want you to think about how easy it is to follow the advice yet. Before I leave you, I want you to remember that you are your kids’ best teacher. It is you who introduces them to food. Without a doubt if changes are not done your kids will imitate you, and your eating habits will be passed on to them, whether they want it or not.
Check our media regularly, relax and enjoy your new learning with www.theplan-be.com.
Yours,
The Plan Be
コメント