As I said in my last post, I'll be briefly moving onto nutrition for the next few days. I didn't mention this in my last post but I have an exam next Wednesday. It's a resit that I've been putting off for around a year now! I was due to go in October but was too ill from my M.E. to make it. I failed by 1 mark last time! It's a vicious circle... my worst time of day when I have bad brain fog, aches and pains with fatigue is 1st thing in the morning which is when the exams are, non negotiable - if it was in the afternoon I'm pretty sure I'd have passed it long ago... anyway, got to be done!
I'm fairly knowledgeable about nutrition, it's all the technical terms I get a bit confused with at times!
1st of all, the human body repairs itself daily and requires energy to maintain. Oxygen, food and water are the most important ingredients!
What can healthy eating be defined as? The "technical" term is "food intake that promotes the correct and optimal operation of the structures and systems of the human body". Seems simple enough?
So next, there is what is called "Macronutrients" and "Micronutrients".
Macronutrients are carbohydrates, protein and fat whilst the micronutrients are vitamins and minerals.
The macronutrients are used for structure, function and fuel within the body.
However, the micronutrients are needed in smaller amounts. It's also used to activate the energy that is contained in the macronutrients.
Food is used to repair and rebuild vital structures constantly in the body though not all food we eat is digested, some parts of food will be excreted.
There is a certain organisation that is needed in the body, this starts with the cells, the tissue, organs, systems and eventually the human body.
In 1992, a "National Food Guide Pyramid" was made to help people choose what they have in their diet. It was very vague so a new "US National Food Pyramid" was made in 2005.
It was helpful with regard to servings but didn't give any advice regarding the macronutrients quantities.
This included:
- Fats, oils and sweets to be used sparingly.
- Milk, Yogurt and cheese group - 2-3 servings
- Vegetable group - 3-5 servings
- Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts group - 2-3 servings
- Fruit group - 2-4 servings
- Bread, cereal, rice and pasta group - 6-11 servings
- At the bottom of the pyramid it has "daily exercise and weight control" as priority
- 2nd level it has "whole grains, healthy fats/oils, vegetables and fruits
- 3rd level consists of nuts, seeds, beans and tofu as well as fish, poultry and eggs
- 4th level consists of dairy
- And to the top of the pyramid are food to be used sparingly such as refined foods, red meats and butter
However, there are still advantages and disadvantages...
Obviously, the pyramid will get people to think about their diet though the pyramid isn't aimed at individuals but more so certain populations. The pyramid shows that processed food should be minimised along with alcohol whilst foods such as fruit and vegetables are encouraged. It's still very unclear on the amounts that should be included in portions. The pyramid is a good starting point but more advice would be needed overall, especially for someone who wasn't knowledgeable about food portions etc.
In the UK, there has been an adapted version of the "US National Food Pyramid". It is called "The Eatwell Plate".
This is divided into different sections like a pie chart. Fruit and vegetables, bread, rice, potatoes and pasta taking up a large section of the chart whilst meat, fish, eggs, beans, milk, dairy foods, foods high in fat take up a small section of the chart.
There are 8 healthy eating tips that have been stated by the FSA (Food Standards Agency).
These include not skipping breakfast! It is true that breakfast is the most important meal of the day!! Drink plenty of water, around 6-8 glasses a day. Cut down on sugar and fat that is saturated. Eating 2 portions of fish a week including one oily, eating 5 portions of fruit/veg a day and also basing meals on starchy foods such as rice/pasta etc. Get active and try to be a healthy weight! Eating less salt too, no more than 6g.
The average target calories per day for Males and Females are 2550 and 1950 respectively.
When working on your diet, it's also very important to get the right balance between the macronutrients. No less than 50% carbs, no less than 9% protein and no more than 35% calories from fats.
That's enough for now!
I'll be back tomorrow with some more facts!!!
