HEALTHY EATING

We've all heard the saying "you are what you eat" and such words could not be more true.

We have such a vast selection of foods all around us, yet we still suffer from so many diet related diseases - eg: diabetes. Most of our Western diet related problems unfortunately stem from over eating. Over eating is just as dangerous, and believe it or not, can actually cause vitamin and mineral deficiencies within the body, just as much as under eating, or malnourishment can.

So what is a healthy diet then? A healthy diet is one that provides all your daily nutrients and contains low levels of the not so good things such as sugars, cholesterol, preservatives, fats, colourings etc. It should contain largely natural and unprocessed or packaged foods. A healthy diet should provide you with abundant whole grains and plant foods, such as vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, pulses, etc, with moderate amounts of animal protein (fish is best). The type of food we eat affects every single one of our bodily processes, playing a vital role at some stage of physiology.

A good diet should also take into account the actual process of eating, digesting and even preparing the food. Some things to keep in mind include:

  • Being aware of how you feel before you start eating. Make sure you are relaxed, and turn off distractions such as the television or work. Let your body 'eat' and nothing else! This will enhance digestion. Also, ensure rest for 15-30 mins after your meal.
  • Digestion starts in the mouth with chewing and saliva. Saliva contains essential enzymes that begin the break down of certain foods. You need to CHEW your food thoroughly to ensure it's coated in saliva.
  • Don't drink too much liquid during meals as this dilutes your stomach acids and enzymes, reducing stomach function.
  • Eat bitter foods such as bitter green leafy vegies/salad (eg: rocket, radish, etc) as this will help to stimulate digestion. Begin each meal with a serving of bitter salads or vegies. If your digestion is very sluggish, pour some apple cider vinegar onto the salad and vegies for further digestive stimulation.
  • For digestive aid after meals, grate fresh ginger into warm water and drink 30 minutes after finishing your meal. Herbal teas such as chamomile, spearmint, ginger and peppermint can also aid here.
  • Pineapple and papaya are both naturally packed with digestive enzymes. Eating these with heavier meals will aid digestion.
Some other good healthy eating tips include:
  • Eating roughly a palm sized portion of protein at every meal
  • Decreasing saturated animal fat consumption
  • Avoiding fatty and fried foods - whether cooked at home or take out
  • Drinking 1.5-2L of filtered/still mineral water daily
  • Avoiding preservatives, colourings etc - if it has a number, beware!
  • Including a kaleidoscope of colour at each meal
  • Eating organic where possible
  • Avoiding burnt foods and organ meats

PROTEIN

Protein provides the basic structure from which all living things are composed. Protein is made up of an assortment of amino acids. Different amino acids combine to make up the many different proteins we require. Our entire structure, including tissues, nails, hair, bone, etc is based on a protein structure of some sort. Protein repairs and builds the bodies tissues (eg: skin), and manufactures hormones, antibodies and enzymes. It has little storage in the body, and thus needs continual replacement.

Protein can be divided into 2 categories -'complete' and 'incomplete'. To get the full range of essential amino acids that make up a complete protein you need to eat either a 'complete' protein or a combination of 'incomplete' proteins.

Complete protein sources are generally derived from animal sources, eg: eggs, meat, fish and dairy products. Incomplete proteins are generally derived from plant sources and always need to be combined to provide all amino acids to make up different proteins. For example:

1. Beans with grains: tofu and rice; lentils and rice; corn and beans; buckwheat and tempeh; muesli and soy milk; kidney beans and barley.
2. Beans and Seeds: tahini and beans; tofu and sesame seeds. 
  3. Grains and nuts: nut butters on bread; rice and cashews; rice and peanut sauce.

Protein requirements vary a lot from person to person, with the average being about 1gm/kg of body weight, or roughly 7% of total energy intake. It is needed in smaller amounts than carbohydrate.

FATS

Fats are essential to life. They consist of cholesterol, vitamins A, D, E and K, fatty acids, triglycerides, sterols, etc. The body uses fats differently depending on whether they are saturated or not. Generally, saturated fats are used for storage and insulation. Unsaturated fats are used more for structure, cell membrane maintenance, hormone manufacture and metabolism.

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates primarily work to provide us with energy. There are two types of carbohydrates - simple and complex. They can be used for immediate energy, or stored as excess fat for use as energy later.

Complex carbohydrates include: grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, etc. Simple carbohydrates include: honey, some parts of fruit, chocolate, white bread etc.

Aim to ingest more complex carbohydrates. They provide longer lasting energy, generally more nutrients and have a lower GI (see below).

BREAKFAST

Your morning meal needs protein. Your morning meal needs protein. No you are not going mad. This is written down twice to ensure that it sticks! During the day, you are physically active and need decent fuel to keep you going, so always eat a decent breakfast.

Protein is the stuff that will give you long lasting energy, allowing your mornings to get off to a blazing start! Complex carbohydrates should be added in balanced ways. This can be as simple as a wholegrain piece of toast with a boiled egg on top! Or trying avocado instead of butter on bread for example. You are really only limited by your imagination here. Think of it like this:

Breakfast like a king,
Lunch like a prince and
Dine like a pauper!

Some breakfast ideas to maintain an energetic morning include:

2 poached organic, free-range eggs + spinach/wholegrain toast
2 hard-boiled organic, free-range eggs/wholegrain toast
Omelette with an assortment of veggies
Baked beans on wholegrain toast
Raw muesli plus 1 tablespoon FSA (flaxseed, sunflower, almonds) or raw nuts, yoghurt + fruit compote
Protein Drink. See the following recipe:

Protein Power Smoothie
Large scoop good quality protein powder based upon rice or soy
1 tsp Spirulina or 'green' supplement (available at most health food shops)
1 tablespoon of organic flax seed oil or "Udo's Oil" for the right balance of essential fatty acids (EFA's) ie: omega 3:6:9.
1 tsp acidophilus/bifidus powder to re-populate beneficial gut bacteria
Lecithin granules (feed white brain cell matter, emulsify & remove fats from the body). Available from most health food shops. ALWAYS ensure you buy this in a dark, sealed container, as it is very reactive to light.
Half a cup fresh/frozen berries
Soy, rice or almond milk

Fruit is fine eaten in the morning, but remember that fruit is broken down very quickly into sugars, leaving your body hungry again quite soon after, so best to ensure protein alongside fruit.

LUNCH

Always choose your protein source first, eg, fish, tofu, tempeh, organic beef or lamb etc. Aim for a palm & a half of protein at any one sitting - any more and your body will only store this as excess fat. Add complex carbohydrates eg, vegetables, salad, brown rice to this. If vegetarian, it is a wise idea to learn about food combining. Vegetable sources of protein are considered 'incomplete proteins' and therefore, need to be eaten in combination to get the full spectrum of amino acids. See above for ideas.

Some lunch suggestions include:

Stir fried tofu with mixed vegetables + brown/wild rice
Grilled fish with mixed leaves + homemade salad dressing - eg: cold pressed virgin olive oil/apple cider vinegar/balsamic vinegar/garlic/lemon juice/mustard etc
Grilled organic lean beef with grilled vegetables
Grilled organic chicken with steamed vegetables + brown rice

Avoid white things such as pasta, potatoes and white rice. They cause excess weight gain and their processing within the body robs you of essential vitamins and minerals.

DINNER

This should be the lightest meal of the day - after all, you are preparing for a restful night ahead, are you not? Your body does not need a whole lot of energy to accomplish this. Try eating yoghurt (plain, unsweetened, organic). Not only is yoghurt an exceptional source of calcium, it provides you with a perfect late meal of protein that is pre-digested for you, so your body can start to unwind and prepare for sweet dreams! This will also increase your appetite for a more filling (protein filled!) breakfast the next morning!

Yoghurt is filled with complex carbohydrates too. Be choosey with your brand though. Try goat's milk, and ensure it has the correct cultures of acidophilus, bifidus and casei in it. Remember, the cultures areas easy as 'abc'!!

If you are having a late dinner, ensure that you include the digestion-aiding tips above, or supplement with a reputable digestive enzyme. A qualified health practitioner can advise on a suitable one for your needs. Also, try to leave at least 4 hours before bedtime, to ensure complete digestion and a much better night's sleep.

GLYCEMIC INDEX (GI)

The GI ranks foods according to how they affect our blood sugar levels. This index provides a rating of how much your blood sugar will rise in the few hours after eating.

The rating refers mainly to carbohydrate foods because fats and proteins don't raise blood sugar levels as much as carbohydrates. When food is broken down rapidly into glucose molecules, there is an increase in blood sugar levels. The body then secretes insulin in order to carry the glucose out of the blood and into the cells to be used for energy.

Not all carbohydrates are the same. Some break down quickly causing blood sugars to rise rapidly. These foods receive a higher rating (high GI). Others break down slowly, and are given a lower rating and referred to as low GI. The low GI foods are better for blood sugar control.

High GI refers to foods with a rating of 70 or more, intermediate 55-69 and low GI refers to foods with a rating of 55 or below.

The GI rating system can be used to prepare healthy meals and keep your blood sugar levels under control. The lower the GI, the better in terms of diet , blood sugar control, insulin resistance, and diabetes control.

Fat and protein is more slowly digested and broken down, therefore lowers the overall GI of foods & meals. There are many factors that also affect the overall GI which include:

Type and quantity of fibre Soluble fibres are low GI. These include grains, legumes and vegetables. Those grains that contain a capsule, or outer covering are lower GI than those that are ground up or without an outer coating. Intact grains lower GI because the outer coating is more difficult for enzymes to penetrate, and the time needed to break down the food to glucose is longer.

Insoluble fibres are higher in GI. These include soy, oats, psyllium husks, as they are more easily broken down into glucose than soluble fibres. These are, of course, very beneficial foods, and should not be excluded from the diet but you can reduce their overall GI impact through proper food combining (see below).

How to lower the overall GI of your meals
Food Combining If you combine foods with low GI and those with high GI, the overall GI rating for the meal is reduced - making it a more intermediate rating. This is because the lower GI foods slow down the overall rate of enzyme activity than simply consuming high GI foods. Therefore, adding some protein or fat to a high GI carbohydrate meal, lowers the overall value.

2nd Meal effect If you have a low GI breakfast, your blood sugar levels coming into lunchtime will be lower. If you then have a high GI lunch, the rise in overall blood sugars will not be as great as it would have been had you consumed a high GI breakfast. So, stick to low GI when you can, and you will not raise blood sugars so much when you do go for healthy but higher GI foods.

Tiina is a qualified Naturopath and Homoeopath practicing privately at The Source of Wellness in Gladesville, NSW. For consultations, please contact the centre on 02 9817 8766 or 0421 644 128.

By
Tiina P Kallio, B.Hsc, ND


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