Stress and Nutrition
In many Western societies, the typical diet is high in fat, sugar and salt, but low in fibre and other complex carbohydrates. However, in many countries, there is now a growing trend toward more healthy eating and, in general, diets do seem to be improving - slowly. One problem is that there are many who try to capitalise on this trend with special foods, "diets" and supplements. In fact, the secret to healthy eating is quite simple.
You do not need a special book, supplements or special (expensive) plans. All you need
is some basic nutrition information and motivation to change your eating habits and diet.
There are two main problems that affect our ability to change our eating habits. The first is what we learned to eat while growing up. This is a very strong factor in our dietary decision making and, as they say, old habits are hard to break. The other is a growing social problem - the 20th century passion for "High-tech" and accompanying distrust of older, traditional or "Low-tech" options. Many now believe that the best answer to any problem is one which involves simply pressing a button and letting a computer work it out. We don’t have the time, and often don’t have the desire to cook meals and would rather purchase them ready to throw in the microwave. In fact, some people don’t even go to a grocery shop, they order online – some fridges are now sold with this feature built in!
Diet is one of these problems and what is needed is a change in attitudes, together with a selective return to more traditional eating habits. The result is the "Dietary Pyramid". At the base are high fibre foods, rich in complex carbohydrates. These include wholemeal and wholegrain breads, cereals and pastas (without the sauce), rice, pulses and vegetables - these should make up the bulk of your diet. One simple but effective dietary alteration is to switch from white bread, pasta and grains to wholemeal and wholegrain, wild rice instead of white rice etc. The fibre content is significantly greater, aiding in maintaining a healthy bowel (bowel cancer is the leading cause of cancer death as it affects both sexes). Fruits are also included in the lower portion of the food pyramid, however, they are higher in simpler sugars such as fructose, and should be eaten less than vegetables, but still in larger quantities than most other foods, as they are packed with vitamins and minerals.
In the middle of the Pyramid are the protein rich foods - eggs, meat, fish, cheese and other dairy foods - eat only moderate amounts of these. Most people in western countries get far too much protein in their diets. It is poorly understood by most people that if there is an oversupply of protein it will eventually be converted to fat and stored in the body. While the body must have protein (tofu is an excellent source for vegans) to build and maintain muscles, to create enzymes and biochemicals and also the building blocks of our DNA too much can lead to weight problems.
At the top of the pyramid are the fats, oils and simple sugars (eg. fast foods, butter,
margarine, cakes, biscuits) - eat only a little of these. Generally they offer very little
nutritional value, given that we ingest plenty of fats in our normal diets anyway. The
reason most people eat fatty foods is the taste, and also the convenience and price. Fast
foods are generally cheaper than healthier options, and quicker. It can be easier to
prepare a fatty dish than a lean healthy dish and unless you start early and make a
consistent and concerted effort, it can be difficult to get young children to eat healthier
meals. However, by constantly offering colourful meals with variety and healthy
flavourings a child will learn to eat well and enjoy healthier foods. The sugar and salt
content in many foods is not apparent. Learn to read labels and make informed decisions.
Often the ‘diet’ option is not the best option, as the reduction in fat is compensated for by
increasing simple sugars. In general, try to limit fat from animal sources, and stick to
vegetable fats and other unsaturated fats.
One thing that is omitted from the standard pyramid is what we drink. Almost all people do not drink enough water. In fact, we are at most times at least partially dehydrated. Aim to drink at least 1.5L of water each day. Being well hydrated can stave off headaches and help flush toxins out of the body and keep blood chemistry balanced.
All cells require water and are comprised largely of water. Avoid soft drinks, they are
extremely high in sugar and if you must have one, try to have a limited amount of diet soft drink instead. Caffeine is a diuretic and can leave you more dehydrated, try to limit
caffeine intake by reducing your coffee, tea and cola intake.
Dietary Fibre
The term fibre conjures up an image of a tough substance that is tough to breakdown. In
fact this is true of dietary fibre. It is, at a molecule level, quite complex, and simply cannot be digested in the stomach or small intestine. Rather, it is digested by bacteria in the large intestine. It also has properties (notably an ability to retain water) which aid digestion of other foods. And research has also shown that increasing dietary fibre intact can significantly reduce the incidence of problems such as bowel cancer, diabetes, gallstones, heart disease, obesity and constipation. This is a relatively simple area of the diet to work on and improve. Look for foods with as little processing as possible, fibre is found in the husks around grains, in large amounts in pulses and legumes, and in the skin of fruits and vegetables.
Vitamins and Minerals
In a well balanced and varied diet, there will be no need for supplementary vitamins or
minerals. However, there are two minerals which do warrant special attention - Calcium
and Iron. In both cases it is women who most commonly suffer problems associated with
their short supply. Iron in particular, can be deficient for many women - who need roughly twice as much of the mineral as men, and more still when pregnant. In this case, a mineral supplement can often be of real value. Low iron levels in the blood affect how efficiently oxygen is transported around the body. Women lose blood during their menstrual cycle and with it iron.
If you are feeling lethargic constantly, anaemia (low iron levels) is a common cause.
Calcium is often emphasised in the diets of children but then overlooked in later life. The
essential level of calcium in the blood is maintained by utilising that stored in bone tissue, and is monitored by the parathyroid glands in the neck. Deficiency of calcium in the diet means the parathyroid will detect low levels of calcium and release hormone signals to direct the breakdown of bones to access calcium. Calcium is involved in a variety of body processes, not just bone development and strength. It is an ion, and so is involved in electrolyte balance, cellular transport and a number of other processes. High calcium, or calcium enriched milks, breads and dairy products are available. While some calcium can be obtained from vegetables, fish and their bones and some nuts generally dairy products are the most important source.
Also, for those living in industrialised cities, special attention to calcium intake may be
doubly beneficial. It has been shown that calcium and lead compete for the same binding sites in the body. So, high calcium intake can serve as a partial protection against moderate levels of the lead pollution produced mainly by vehicle exhausts.
THE BALANCED DIET
A balanced diet will contain a wide variety of foods and thus provide a wide variety of
nutrients. Obviously, what is a balanced diet for an endurance athlete in training will not
be a balanced diet for an elderly, sedentary person. Different foods provide different
nutrients and these nutrients are used for different functions:
The Food Pyramid - Summarised
Over the years, nutritionists have divided foods into various food groups. The groups vary depending on the nutritionist who developed them, but generally they look something like this:
1. Bread, cereal, rice and pasta
2. Fruit and vegetables
3. Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, nuts
4. Milk, yoghurt and cheese
5. Fats, oils and sweets
Basically, in order to eat a healthy, balanced diet the idea is to eat more of the foods in
Group 1, with gradually decreasing amounts of Group 2, 3, 4 and 5 (as if the foods were
stacked inside a pyramid).
THE FOOD PYRAMID IS A GUIDELINE ONLY! NO NUTRITIONAL ADVICE SHOULD
BE TAKEN AS CONCRETE – IT VARIES WITH THE INDIVIDUAL.
Various groups of people will eat differently and have slightly different needs (athletes will need more protein for example)
The Basics for Healthy Eating
• Balance food intake with regular exercise
• Eat a wide variety of foods from the different food groups
• Eat only a small amount of fatty foods, particularly those high in saturated fat and
cholesterol
• Eat plenty of whole grain products, fruit and vegetables, legumes and foods rich in
complex carbohydrates and fibre
• Choose food and drink which is low in sugar in preference to highly sugared
products
• Choose and cook food to have a low salt content
• Drink alcohol only in moderation
• Maintain adequate protein intake, with an emphasis on plant rather than animal
protein sources
• Choose foods to provide you with enough iron and calcium to meet your RDI
• Practice good food preparation and food safety
• Be cautious with the consumption of food additives and dietary supplements
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