Eating well: the main principles of good nutrition
Eating well is essential for staying healthy and ageing well. In this fact sheet, you will discover the main principles of nutrition, the basic nutritional needs, how our body assimilates food, the benefits of eating well, how to eat well in practice, how to consult a nutritionist, and finally, how to practice in this field.
How to eat well?
The vast majority of food specialists, whether or not they are in the official or unofficial sector, agree on some principles that can serve as a guide, here they are:
A balanced diet: it is advisable to choose foods from the different food groups: vegetables and fruit (half of the plate), grain products (one-quarter of the plate), meats and substitutes (the other quarter), to which calcium should be added, by eating dairy products, for example. This way, your meal will contain a good dose of carbohydrates, enough protein and little fat.
A varied diet: To achieve the necessary range of nutrients and avoid deficiencies, not only should you eat foods from each food group every day, but several foods from each group.
Fresh, good quality food: Fresh, local food is recommended. Refined products and hydrogenated fats should be avoided.
Eat-in reasonable quantities: Excess weight promotes the development of many diseases and considerably reduces life expectancy. A slightly under-caloric diet (but without nutrient deficiencies) maintained over the long term could help prevent certain cancers and increase longevity. Also, it limits oxidation and prevents fouling. An example of an adjustment: systematically reducing, by a quarter or a third, the portions of high-calorie foods (pasta and rice, for example) and replacing them with nutritious, low-calorie food such as a vegetable.
Tasty food: first and foremost, it is the taste that determines our food choices. If so many people abandon a diet, it's because it doesn't give them pleasure. The high salt, sugar and fat content of processed foods seem to be increasingly appreciated and is becoming the norm among young people. To counterbalance the attraction of these "over-favoured" foods, we need to treat ourselves to the healthy foods we particularly enjoy and prepare them in a tasty way - with the help of herbs, many of which are a good source of nutrients...
Eating mindfully: By taking your time and savouring every bite, mindful eating is an effective technique for learning to rediscover the flavours of food, while reducing the proportion of food absorbed during a meal.
Adopt chrono-nutrition: Chrono-nutrition is about eating in a certain way at different times of the day. For example, it is advisable to eat fat in the morning, dense at noon and light in the evening. In the long term, this technique allows you to regain your ideal weight and improve your health.
Managing your meals: for an optimal nutritional intake and to avoid weight gain, it is essential to get organized. Indeed, unbalanced meals are often due to improvisation, which is why it is recommended to plan the content of breakfast the evening before and what the day's meals will consist of each morning.
Attention to cooking: to preserve all the benefits of the food, it is preferable to cook at low temperatures below 100°C because the high temperature distorts the properties of the food. It is advisable to limit grilling, which contains many free radicals. The microwave should also be avoided because it distorts the chemical form of the food.
The basic nutritional needs to be known can be divided into two categories which we will develop below: macronutrients (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates) which provide energy, and micronutrients (vitamins, trace elements...), which are essential for the assimilation, transformation and proper use of macronutrients.
Macronutrients
Proteins
Proteins are essential for a balanced diet. They help the organs to function properly thanks to the amino acids of which they are composed: isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine. Our cells need these eight essential amino acids and the absence of any one of these amino acids blocks protein synthesis, which is essential for the reconstruction of our DNA.
Lipids
Lipids are the basis for the production of all our cells, our hormonal system, and all our cell membranes. They provide the energy necessary for the functioning of the body and regulate multiple physiological functions. The omegas 3 contained in food are essential to a good diet. It is important to know how to choose oils with quality fatty acids that are rich in monounsaturated (olive oil) and polyunsaturated (rapeseed oil) fatty acids.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are just as essential for providing energy to our bodies. Food sources of carbohydrates are starchy foods (cereals, legumes, potatoes, rich in starch), green vegetables, sweet products and fresh and dried fruit. The three types of carbohydrates are simple sugars, complex sugars and fibre. It is best to avoid white and brown sugar, which are refined and addictive. These are found in sweets, confectionery and sweetened drinks.
Micro-nutrients
Today's food is increasingly poor in micronutrients, as farming methods (use of pesticides, fungicides etc), food extraction methods (refining, high temperatures), cooking methods (microwave, frying) and preservation methods destroy these micronutrients. They cannot be produced by the body and must therefore be provided by a varied, balanced and good quality diet.
Essential for the body, their deficiencies create imbalances which are responsible for a large number of symptoms (inflammations, sleep disorders, memory disorders, mood disorders, digestive disorders). Also, they protect us from free radicals.
The major antioxidant vitamins are vitamins A, E and C, which are contained in fruit, vegetables, green tea, etc...
Vitamin A tones the eye area.
Vitamin C helps the body produce collagen, which ensures the cohesion, elasticity and regeneration of the connective tissue. It also has an action on the immune system and is present in the liver, brain and endocrine glands.
The vitamin E contained in vegetable oils plays an important role in the membrane of the intestines, and thus in the digestive process. A powerful antioxidant, it works in synergy with vitamin C.
As far as other vitamins are concerned, group B vitamins are useful for the nervous system, vitamin D is involved in hundreds of functions in the body, and vitamin K is essential for normal blood coagulation and plays a role in the consolidation of bones.
Care should be taken not to consume too many cereals and legumes, which in large quantities cause maldigestion and block the assimilation of nutrients due to the anti-nutrients they contain (lectins, phytates, saponins, etc).
Food assimilation
The digestion starts in the mouth and is not even finished 2 days later. During this process, innumerable chemical transformations take place, in which various enzymes and several organs work together. Also, many personal characteristics influence the way our body assimilates nutrients: age, state of health, food allergies or intolerances, the quantity of adipose tissue, nutrient reserves in the body, type of work, physical activity, quality of sleep, smoking, emotional and nervous state, time of day when we eat, posture during meals, etc.
The process of assimilation is so complex that, since the beginning, all kinds of approaches have been advocated that are supposed to be better suited to our digestive system: vegetarianism, the choice of food according to blood group, acid-base balance, food combinations, raw food, various diets (Montignac method, Pritikin, Kousmine...), not forgetting Chinese dietetics, Ayurvedic food, etc. Also, public health organisations in most countries publish official food guides that are constantly evolving. However, even today, specialists still do not agree with each other and new dietary hypotheses regularly appear.
The benefits of a good diet
The list of benefits of a good diet is long, depending on the environment, emotions, food source, cooking method, physiology of the individual and his ability to assimilate nutrients, among them:
Ensure acid-base balance
As they age, fabrics tend to acidify, which results in demineralisation. The liver is the most important deacidification organ. According to most specialists, the white sugars contained in pastries, sweets, meats, sausages, preserves, industrial drinks and many other foods are acidifying if they are abused. This is why it is essential to balance your diet with alkalizing foods (such as minerals) and to oxygenate tissues through physical activity.
Optimising digestion
There are some tips to make digestion easier, such as taking the time to sit down at a meal (avoiding eating in front of the computer or television). Conscious chewing allows the brain to transmit the feeling of satiety, and the digestive system to ensure its salivary secretion functions to make crushed food more easily assimilated.
Protecting the intestinal ecosystem (or microbiota)
The intestinal ecosystem requires a nutritional and emotional balance to be optimal. It is composed of our intestinal flora, but also of "friendly" bacteria, which ensure good digestion, contribute to the immune system and act on multiple functions in the body (appetite, assimilation of nutrients etc). To multiply, they need fibre, polyphenols, omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin D.
Avoid fatigue and compulsive eating
Avoiding nibbling helps to ensure the proper functioning of our biological rhythm (circadian). This regulates blood sugar levels and the entire metabolism to avoid fatigue and sudden cravings for food.
Preserving our liver by a light and easily digestible diet.
This consists of limiting foods that are too fatty, overcooked, over-sweetened and alcoholic drinks. Favour a diet free of toxins and pollutants that can slow down the metabolism and make it sick.
Fight against certain cancers
Certain foods such as turmeric, green tea and pepper reduce the risk of developing certain cancers. On the other hand, excessive consumption of meat promotes the development of colorectal cancer.
How to eat well in practice?
There are 7 main families of foods, all of which are essential for a balanced diet:
Meat/fish/eggs
This family contains eggs, cold meats, seafood, meats...These foods mainly provide proteins and lipids as well as certain vitamins essential for the functioning of the nervous system and the mineralisation of bones (B1, B2, D).
Milk and dairy products
In this family, we find yoghurts, cheeses and of course milk. These products provide proteins, lipids, calcium, phosphorus as well as vitamins A, D, B2 and B12. They are therefore mainly involved in the construction of bones. At too high a dose, dairy products can promote the development of prostate cancer.
Fruits and vegetables
Dried fruits, oilseeds, frozen fruits, fresh vegetables... The products of this family are very rich in water, which allows the body to stay hydrated. They provide carbohydrates, vitamins (A and C), calcium and dietary fibre, which contribute to good digestion.
Fatty substances
This family contains the most caloric foods: butter, margarine, oil... They provide energy, vitamins (A, D, E) as well as omega 3 and omega 6.
Sugar and sweet products
Sweet products are mainly carbohydrates and minerals (magnesium) and provide energy. Even if they provide a lot of pleasure, they should not be abused because they are not of great nutritional value.
Beverages
Our body is more than 60% of water. It is the basis of a healthy diet because it dilutes the acids in the body. Good hydration is essential for physical fitness and for cleansing the body. Specialists consider that an adult should drink between 1.5 and 2 litres of water per day, i.e. 4 to 6 glasses of water, light tea, herbal tea, soup, or even more depending on the ambient heat and physical activity.
Cereals and starchy foods
Rice, pasta, bread, potatoes... Foods in this category satisfy the feeling of hunger and provide a lot of energy. They contain protein, carbohydrates, magnesium, iron, dietary fibre and vitamin B.
Some practical advice :
It is preferable to eat the fruit outside of meals (ideally 5pm-6pm) to avoid intestinal fermentation.
Favour white bread: in white flour, only the central part of the wheat seed (the starch) is preserved. It is, therefore, preferable to eat bread with semi-complete flour, which contains more vitamins and minerals. Even better is bread with "natural sourdough", which allows better assimilation of the food.
Try the Mediterranean diet: it consists mainly of semi-complete or wholemeal cereals, olive oil, starchy foods (pasta, rice, potatoes), legumes, green vegetables (5 to 15 varieties), sheep or goat cheese, fruit and little butter. Oilseeds (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts), condiments and herbs (garlic, turmeric, onion, thyme, savoury, fine herbs, sweet spices) are added very regularly. Proteins are mainly provided by poultry, fish, eggs and rarely by beef or lamb. Very few sweets. The wine is consumed regularly but in moderation. Herbal teas are regular, and coffee is exceptional.
The nutrition specialist: nutritionist, naturopath or doctor
The nutrition specialist maybe a naturopath, nutritionist or doctor.
How does an appointment with a nutritionist work?
Although basic nutritional needs are similar for all human beings, an optimal diet will differ for each person and there is no such thing as an ideal diet. Given the real complexity of nutritional data, it can therefore be useful for most of us to periodically consult a competent person who can determine our needs and guide us in making the best nutritional choices.
This is the role of the nutritionist and naturopath. As far as naturopathy is concerned, this practice aims above all to stimulate the body's natural self-healing mechanisms. First of all, the specialist will have to find out where his patient's problem comes from. First of all, he will administer a questionnaire to his patient to know his history (anamnesis), his background (the field, childhood), his lifestyle and his eating habits. Secondly, he will precisely identify the signs and set up the follow-up programme. Wise, personalised advice, based on natural means, will generally enable the patient's problems to be resolved.
Become an expert in nutrition
University-educated nutrition experts who are members of a professional order bear the reserved title of nutritionist, dietician or dietitian (the title varies from country to country). However, other health care providers, such as naturopaths, have very good knowledge of the subject. Indeed, naturopathic training includes courses in medicine, anatomy and biology.
No comments:
Post a Comment