Eat good quality food and maintain a balanced diet - that’s the key!
What exactly is food?
Food is molecular information and is fuel for our bodies. It’s what keeps us going, much like gasoline powers a car, but food is more than just a source of energy. It’s a complex mix of ingredients that our bodies need to function properly.
Food nourishes our bodies, gives us energy, helps us grow and basically keeps us alive.
The main components of food:
macronutrients: protein, fats and carbohydrates
micronutrients: vitamins and minerals
Why do we need food?
to grow: food provides the nutrients children need to grow
to repair: it helps repair our bodies, like healing a wound
to sustain: food sustain our vital processes and give us energy
While food is necessary for survival, it can also bring joy and pleasure. The taste, aroma and act of eating can be pleasurable experiences, while sharing food with others creates social bonds.
How do you view food?
We often struggle when we have toxic beliefs about food.
Some toxic thoughts
Food is the enemy/Food makes me fat - this belief keeps people on restrictive diets. We constantly stress about food, avoid certain types of meals, and skip meals… All of this triggers a stress response when our brain perceives a threat- cortisol floods our system - weight loss can’t happen and we can even gain weight.
Fat is bad, this misconception leads us to purchase low fat products. Let’s be clear here: we need Essential Fatty Acid in our diet. If we don’t consume enough Omega 3, we may experience weight loss resistance and weight gain, and we may struggle with inflammation and a low immune system. 60% of our brain is composed of fat. So not all fat is bad fat. What we need to avoid and eliminate from our diet are trans fat and vegetable fat.
Fat makes me fat - but did you know that what truly makes us fat is sugar? Excess sugar is stored in the body as fat, through the process of lipogenesis.
Food is a necessity for life, a source of pleasure, and a foundation for good health. It is a diverse and vital part of our daily lives, and understanding its role is key to maintaining a balanced diet.
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