Your body requires numerous vitamins and minerals daily in
certain levels to function properly, the government has set daily
recommendations for these (RDA) which is the average for most people.
These needs can be met through your eating habits or by being
supplemented.
Protein deficiency can cause a lack of growth, muscle mass loss, weakened immune system, a weak heart and respiratory system, and even death. Not all protein is the same, you have incomplete and complete protein- the difference is complete protein has all the necessary amino acids to produce more proteins where incomplete is missing one or more of the necessary amino acids. While picking your protein you need to choose quality sources that are low in fat, especially saturated fats and stay away from processed foods like hot dogs, bacon and ham.
Carbohydrates are important and necessary, learn to stay away from diets but be extra aware of any plan that cuts out an entire food group. Carbs are needed for proper organ functions and they fuel the body for physical activity. As with anything, some carbs are better then others and you want to choose the best source possible. I go for whole grains because they are the least processed, I will mix these with fruits, beans and vegetables because they all promote good health by supplying vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other important nutrients.I will have some source of beans everyday due to the fact that they are a slow digesting carb and also a great source of protein. Stay away from any processed grains or sugars.
Calcium is necessary to build strong bones while growing up, as an adult it helps to prevent osteoporosis and colon cancer, and as we age it helps to stop bone loss. Calcium is one of those examples that more of a good thing is not always best and this is why we have recommended daily allowances, too much calcium raises the risk of prostate and ovarian cancer, even gall stones.
Salt and sodium, Americans consume way more sodium then necessary. That's why there are so many people with high blood pressure, the majority of today's processed food has sodium as a preservative and this alone puts us over our recommended daily allowance for sodium. Never add salt to your food and cut out eating processed foods as much as possible.
Fats and cholesterol can be a double edged sword, the amount of fat you consume is not as important as the type of fat you eat. There are good and bad fats, the bad fats are saturated and trans fats and should be kept out of your diet at all costs because they raise your risks of certain diseases. The good fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, these provide many health benefits and lower the risks of certain diseases.
The biggest influence on your blood cholesterol level does not come from the amount of cholesterol you consume but from the mixture of bad fats in your diet.
Developing a fitness lifestyle is 70% diet and nutrition so the importance of learning to eat right is a necessity, with all the junk and processed food today we need to eat better even if we are not seeking to better our lives through fitness. Our health depends on what we put into our bodies, even if we think we are eating better we still need to consider the chemicals and steroids that are used to make the chickens and cows grow faster or produce eggs and milk faster. These are man made and not normal to our bodies, the best we could do next to growing and raising our own food would be to eat organic...
Protein deficiency can cause a lack of growth, muscle mass loss, weakened immune system, a weak heart and respiratory system, and even death. Not all protein is the same, you have incomplete and complete protein- the difference is complete protein has all the necessary amino acids to produce more proteins where incomplete is missing one or more of the necessary amino acids. While picking your protein you need to choose quality sources that are low in fat, especially saturated fats and stay away from processed foods like hot dogs, bacon and ham.
Carbohydrates are important and necessary, learn to stay away from diets but be extra aware of any plan that cuts out an entire food group. Carbs are needed for proper organ functions and they fuel the body for physical activity. As with anything, some carbs are better then others and you want to choose the best source possible. I go for whole grains because they are the least processed, I will mix these with fruits, beans and vegetables because they all promote good health by supplying vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other important nutrients.I will have some source of beans everyday due to the fact that they are a slow digesting carb and also a great source of protein. Stay away from any processed grains or sugars.
Calcium is necessary to build strong bones while growing up, as an adult it helps to prevent osteoporosis and colon cancer, and as we age it helps to stop bone loss. Calcium is one of those examples that more of a good thing is not always best and this is why we have recommended daily allowances, too much calcium raises the risk of prostate and ovarian cancer, even gall stones.
Salt and sodium, Americans consume way more sodium then necessary. That's why there are so many people with high blood pressure, the majority of today's processed food has sodium as a preservative and this alone puts us over our recommended daily allowance for sodium. Never add salt to your food and cut out eating processed foods as much as possible.
Fats and cholesterol can be a double edged sword, the amount of fat you consume is not as important as the type of fat you eat. There are good and bad fats, the bad fats are saturated and trans fats and should be kept out of your diet at all costs because they raise your risks of certain diseases. The good fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, these provide many health benefits and lower the risks of certain diseases.
The biggest influence on your blood cholesterol level does not come from the amount of cholesterol you consume but from the mixture of bad fats in your diet.
Developing a fitness lifestyle is 70% diet and nutrition so the importance of learning to eat right is a necessity, with all the junk and processed food today we need to eat better even if we are not seeking to better our lives through fitness. Our health depends on what we put into our bodies, even if we think we are eating better we still need to consider the chemicals and steroids that are used to make the chickens and cows grow faster or produce eggs and milk faster. These are man made and not normal to our bodies, the best we could do next to growing and raising our own food would be to eat organic...