Part 3 Discussion - Nutrition basics for EVERYONE

I've decided to launch a 10-part discussion feature on Nutrition...specifically the state of nutrition nowadays.  I hope that sharing the very basis of what I've learned from years working in the field might make it easier for some of you to start taking the right steps towards getting healthy!  If you missed my previous discussion post, click here. 

Happy 2014 everyone!  I hope the holidays were as wonderful for you all as they were for me ♥  And I hope you'll forgive my holiday-hiatus but I'm back in full-swing and ready for part three of our discussion feature!  For this installment,  I wanted to share some very basic and general nutritional information that can benefit pretty much anyone - assuming of course, that there are no pre-existing health issues or concerns that require a special diet or supplement protocol.  Some of these tips might be no-brainers for a lot of you, but I think they bear repeating.  Others still might go against things we have been lead to believe for years by the general health population.  If my years of working in the natural health industry have thought me anything, it's that a little change...can do you good ;-)

Alright so - here we go:

Water.  Water is likely THE most important and overlooked healthy habit to get into.  I won't get into all the benefits of water (again) since I've posted more than once about it here and here...and I don't want to nag y'all but for ANYONE even remotely invested in their health or well-being; start by drinking more water.  It is the easiest way to detox, energize and help your body do all the things it needs to!

Protein Fat & Carbs - know as macro-nutrients, these are the three basic groups everything we eat fall under.  Here's the most vital piece of information I can give you about them: EVERYONE needs to eat protein AND fats AND carbs. Period.  Cutting out all fat is BAD for you. It's a simple as that. You need GOOD fats to help your body get rid of bad fats. It may sound wrong, but it is a fact.  People trying to lose with by cutting out all the fats in their diet will likely not be able to meet their weight loss goals.  Why?  Because starving your body of the fat it needs makes it hold on to whatever calories it can...making it very hard to shed those pounds.  

The typical ratios to guide yourself by here - considering you have no pre-existing dietary requirements is as follows:  Daily and for EVERY single meal: proteins should make up about 40% of your caloric intake. Carbs should take up about 30-40% but these should becomplex carbs - none of that refined pasta and bread guys! The final 10-20%...leaning more towards 20% should be healthy fats which include but are not limited to: olive oils, nuts, seeds, butter, avocados, coconut (meat/oil/milk) and the fat from meats and cheeses if you eat them.

I mentioned weight loss briefly there, so here's another simple tip: skipping meals will not help lose weight. Your body needs fuel and if you restrict it too much, it will go into starvation mode and STORE MORE CALORIES.  And that's pretty much going against your weight-loss goals.

GMO's are bad.  They are worse than bad.  When we ingest them, are bodies can't even recognize them as food. It's as if we were ingesting plastic Their nutrient value is significantly less than regular foods AND they cause more harm than good in the long run.  Keep in mind that genetic modification is a very new process that hasn't been tested for long term human consumption.  A good rule of thumb with food is: if it didn't exist 100 years ago, you probably should avoid it.

Rest -  this might sound like a no-brainer, but take it from a former night-owl: sleep is good.  When someone becomes sleep-deprived, they tend to have worse metabolism, anxiety, mood-issues...not to mention low energy and brain fog.  If you have trouble getting or staying asleep, I recommend consulting with a natural health practitioner.  Supplementing with Melatonin, herbs like Chamomile and Catnip - even drinking a small glass of  pure Black Cherry Juice before bed can do wonders!  Personally speaking when I began taking a quality protein powder before bed, my sleeping habits & quality improved immensely.

Exercise -is another kind of obvious one, but it's also habit that's easy to let fall by the wayside.  Yet study after study has shown that having an active lifestyle does wonders for your health and well-being.  No matter how slow you go, getting off of that couch will surely improve your quality of life!  Whatever the weather, if you dress accordingly, you should be able to enjoy yourself and improve your well-being!

Breathing - duh right?  But I'm talking about deep, relaxing breathing here.  Either through yoga or simply by taking time every day to take deep cleansing breaths, you can calm your nerves, get more energy and think more clearly.  Do it with me now: inhale, hold it for a few seconds than sloooowly exhale.  Repeat this process for one whole minute and you'll notice the difference.

Supplements - should only be taken as needed for a pronounced lack in nutrients -OR- to correct and/or regulate an existing condition.  Supplements can't and shouldn't replace a proper balanced diet and just because someone you know had impressive results adding a certain mineral or herb supplement to their regime does not mean you will get the same results.  I recommend consulting with a nutritionist of naturopath that does nutritional testing like hair analysis or blood analysis to find out what supplements you ought to be taking.