You would think that with the copious amounts of scientifically-backed nutrition information available, your choice to eat a healthy diet would be easy, but unfortunately, it's not. You are bombarded every day via TV commercials, billboards and bright Internet flashing ads for fast food, miracle elixirs, and quick and easy supplements. For good human nutrition, the classic food pyramid is a sensible place to start. Remember to eat enough of the big three: carbohydrates, protein and fat.
Synthetic vs. Natural
So many food items available at your local supermarket are adulterated with synthetic ingredients that actually reduce or restrict your body's absorption of important nutrients. A review of Trum Hunter's "Food & Health: Learn How You Can Become an Enlightened Consumer in a Bewildering Marketplace," by the American Nutrition Association, or ANA, notes that many of the vitamins you need on a daily basis, such as E and B12, can be less effective or ineffective if you choose the man-made version over a natural source.
Back to Basics
Suzanne Girard Eberle, a registered dietitian, points out in her book, "Endurance Sports Nutrition," that whether you are physically active or not, poor eating habits can stop you dead in your tracks. She says start with the four-tier Food Guide Pyramid, with the number of recommended daily servings. The bottom and largest tier is bread, cereal, rice and pasta. The next tier is the vegetable and fruit groups. The third tier is dairy, meats, fish, poultry, beans, nuts and eggs. The smallest and top tier is fats, oils and sweets.
Personal Food Pyramid
Eberle says a good way to tune into what foods work well for your overall health and well-being is by making your own personal food pyramid. Create your own four-tier food pyramid and write in each food grouping what and how much you eat in a day. She says at the end of the day, you may be prompted to rethink your food choices and the amount and source of your calories consumed. She also suggests that you add a bottom tier--eight 8 oz. servings of water per day--as the pyramid's foundation. By doing this on a daily basis, you can fine-tune your diet to what works best for you.
The Big Three
The three main categories of food are carbohydrates, proteins and fats. The ANA's review of Dr. Joseph Mercola's "Total Health Cookbook and Program" says that while these three nutrients are essential to your overall nutrition and health, not everyone is the same. Because you may metabolize these nutrients differently than the next person, you may need more or less of one than the other. The amount of carbs, proteins or fat that you eat is fundamental to how you feel. Monique Ryan, in "Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes," advises consuming 60 percent carbs, 25 percent fats and 15 percent protein as a starting point on your journey to finding what balance works for you.
Choose Organic
It is very clear that today's leading nutritionists, such as Hunter and Mercola, are very adamant about including all-natural, organic food and low-sugar choices in your diet. Hunter's book cites research that shows that your body can distinguish between synthetic and natural nutrients. This research says the synthetic nutrients are actually excreted more quickly and are used less for your body's nutrition and fueling.
References
- "Endurance Sports Nutrition"; Suzanne Girard Eberle; 2000
- "Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes"; Monique Ryan; 2002
- American Nutrition Association: Food and Your Health
- American Nutrition Association: Total Health
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