There is much information to go through to figure out what
to eat and how to exercise.
Rules from no-fat to high-fat, no-carbohydrates to all
you-can-eat-carbohydrates, and no-protein to high-protein. For
many people, it is a scary world out there when it comes to
what is healthy and what is not.
To start, it is important to understand what the body needs to
be healthy.  The dreaded "fat" has been given a bad rap
over the years. There are "bad fats" - animal based saturated
fats that are known to cause heart disease. There is the other
fat - the good one that most of us forget about. The
unsaturated fats (plant based fats) are building blocks for
many hormones in our bodies and are as important to our bodies
as the engine oil in our vehicles.
We need some fat in our diets to assist in fat-burning,
producing beneficial hormones, maintaining a healthy brain and
nervous system, heart and artery system  and immune system
There are many reasons why we need good fat in our diets,
however we have becomes so "fat phobic," many eliminate what is
good for us as well.
The beneficial fats include olives, olive oil, and nuts. These
beneficial fats are great examples that should be eaten
regularly. Proteins are important to support our muscles - just
like the engine of our car. We cannot expect a large truck to
be efficient with a four-cylinder engine no more then we can
make our body work without a strong muscle system. The protein
we eat is required to keep our muscles working well, while at
the same time supporting out metabolic rate and bone structure.
Proteins come from animal sources as well as plants. Meat,
chicken, fish, eggs, cheeses, soy, and tofu are examples of
protein choices. Carbohydrates are those foods that come from
the ground and do not move around . They are plant-based. All
grains, fruits, vegetables, and lentils are carbohydrates and
contain sugar. The body breaks carbohydrates down into its
simplest form, which is sugar.
Sugar in moderation is fine, however, for the most part, the
bulk of our diets contain sugar. The first step in decreasing
sugar is to avoid processed foods, including snack food, candy,
baked goods and pop.
The key to health is decreasing the amount of sugar in your
diet, consume vegetables and fruit, get moving, drink lots of
water, and add beneficial fats and protein to your meals.
Karen Hourtovenko RN(EC), is a health and wellness consultant from Sudbury who writes columns about healthy living for Northern Life.
