Hello friends ...
We've all heard the phrase ... you are what you eat ... well ...
To understand this concept, we need to view the body’s composition and what fuel requirements it has, in order to function efficiently. No two bodies have the same requirements. Each is considered bio chemically unique, due to strengths and weaknesses since birth, genetic inheritance and environmental influences etc, but there are generalities that apply to all.
It is believed that the body is made up of 50 essential nutrients, which come under the following categories:
1) Good fats, (such as linoleic and linolenic, also known as the Omega oils), essential for brain function and maintenance. They produce hormone like substances, called prostaglandins which, albeit short-lived make sure the blood is kept thin, regulate the amount of fluid within the blood, decrease pain and inflammation within the body, aid arthritic complaints and toxin elimination, from the joints and muscle tissue, improve the immune and nervous systems and help insulin to work properly, which in turn helps to promote good blood sugar balance. Good sources for good fats are fresh fish, oils like the Olive variety, certain seeds and nuts like soya, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame etc.
Au contraire, bad fats derived from products such as animal and dairy produce, butter etc, have the opposite effect, especially in great quantities. The body cannot dissolve them easily, therefore, they accumulate and disperse in the blood stream, being carried through the arteries, often causing build ups and ultimately blockages that lead to cardiovascular disease and, in some cases, death.
It is considered optimum that no more than 20% of daily calorie intake should be made up from fat.
2) Amino acids, are singular acids which freed of their peptide bonds (the links bonding amino acids together to form proteins) become absorbed by the body and make up 75% of the body’s composition. Everything from the neurochemicals, which make the brain function, to hormones and protein the body uses, to regulate and rebuild itself, are created from singular, isolated amino acids.
Besides building cells and repairing tissue, they form antibodies to combat invading bacteria & viruses; they are part of the enzyme & hormonal system; they build nucleoproteins (RNA & DNA); they carry oxygen throughout the body and participate in muscle activity.
Unable to be stored in the body, essential amino acids must be supplied daily. Of the 22 amino acids commonly found in nature, 8-10 (essentials) must be supplied through a diet of high quality protein, such as: soya, tofu, lentils, pulses etc., or through supplementation.
3) Vitamins contain no calories, they can be either fat soluble or water soluble, they are responsible for optimum health and cell growth and development, (such as bones in children, hair, vision, skin tissue, proper organ function etc.). They play a part in energy metabolism and are, therefore, essential for the functioning of certain metabolic enzymes. They help maintain blood calcium levels, are used in the protective lining of the organs such as the lungs, heart, stomach etc and act as antioxidants, ridding the body of toxins.
There are roughly 13 essential vitamins needed by the body, each with its own specific duty. Some of these 13 are produced within the body, such as Vitamin D & K, whilst others like Vitamin A, B & E can be found in organic food produce and/or may be supplemented, albeit not in great quantities. To maintain a healthy balance of essential vitamins and as a good food source, a person should have a daily intake of fresh vegetables and fruits such as: dark leafy greens, mushrooms, broccoli, apples, oranges, grapefruits, cauliflower, cabbage etc.
4) Minerals are essential component items for regulating heartbeat, building bones and teeth, transporting oxygen from the lungs to the tissues and much more. They are not needed in great quantities, in fact, in large quantities they have been shown to induce toxicity, but a poor diet will increase the chances of deficiency. The most commonly known minerals are: calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium etc. They all work in synchronicity with each other and excess supplementation of one without the other could imbalance the working order of both.
The best mineral sources are: dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, mushrooms, cabbage, apples, pumpkin seeds, tofu, sesame seeds, mineral water etc.
5) Carbohydrates, which derive from sugars and starches and are transformed and used, by the body, in the form of glucose, or else known as the body’s major fuel. These can be complex and slow releasing, such as found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables or simple and fast releasing such as sugar, honey, sweets etc. There are two groups of complex carbohydrates: high fibre and low fibre. High-fibre (high-cellulose) vegetable foods are the healthiest choices for human nutrition, and intake of these foods is associated with lowered incidences of hypertension, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, etc. Examples are lettuce, cabbage, beans, broccoli etc. Examples of low-fibre, complex carbs are banana, tomato, squash and all cereals and grains (therefore bread and pasta), potatoes and rice.
Excessive, unhealthy, carbohydrates can cause cardiovascular disease. A high-carbohydrate diet causes the pancreas to produce large amounts of insulin, and if this happens for many years in a genetically predisposed person, the insulin receptors throughout the body become resistant to insulin. Because insulin's action is to drive glucose into the cells, this results in chronic hyperglycaemia, also called "high blood sugar." A large portion of this sugar is stored as fat resulting in obesity. Excess insulin also causes hypertension and helps initiate the sequence of events in the arterial wall, which leads to arteriosclerosis, diabetes and heart disease.
6) Water. The body is made up of between 60 – 80% of water. It is a vital component, without which, the body could survive no longer than a few days. It acts as a lubricant for the joints etc. It is needed in the food conversion and digestive processes. It flushes toxins through the body and cleanses the whole system. The ideal intake, per day, should be about 2 litres, as the body loses at least 1.5 litres through the skin, the kidneys and the lungs. Since fruit and vegetables are made up of about 90% water, by eating 4 portions of fruit and the same of vegetables, per day, a person would be getting at least 1 litre of water from these, in addition to essential vitamins and minerals.
7) light & oxygen, which are self-explanatory.
Just to recap, in order to fight viruses efficiently, control weight, avoid harmful diseases and make sure the body is working at optimum levels, it is important that all the above nutrients be supplied in proportionate quantities and derived from the suggestions made above, as per each section. Bad fats should be kept to a minimum, if not avoided completely, fresh fruit and vegetables should be bountiful and plenty of water should be consumed every day. In addition to this a person should avoid consuming more calories than is necessary for their body’s function and daily activities, exercise regularly and take up some form of meditation.