Food, Diet and Nutrition
The phrase ‘ you are what you eat’ has
become a bit of a cliché over recent years,
but it still has a basis in fact.
Most of us know that modern diets can contain
too many processed foods that are high in fats,
sugar and salt and that we should eat more
fresh fruit and vegetables as part of a healthy
balanced diet.
Obesity, high cholesterol levels, high blood
pressure and Type II diabetes are all common
problems in modern life and often a direct result
of poor diets.
But what counts as a healthy diet?
Our pages on diet and nutrition explain what your
body needs and why. They also show how some
simple changes to your diet can make big
differences to your life, including increasing your
energy levels, lifting your spirit and, perhaps,
reducing the likelihood of becoming ill.
Many scientists now argue that portion control is
one of the most important aspects of healthy
eating.
Protein is an essential part of our diets; it is the
building block for all cells in our bodies, organs,
bones, muscles and blood. Learn about the
different types of protein-rich food sources and
how your body uses these to keep you healthy.
(See: What is Protein? ).
Fat is an essential part of our diet – we can’t
live without it, and it is by far the most efficient
form of energy. Learn about fat and the types of
food that contain it. (See: What is Fat? and BMI
- Body Mass Index ).
Unlike protein and fat, carbohydrates (commonly
abbreviated to carbs) are not essential to our
diets. Most of us probably consume too many
carbohydrates. Learn about the types of foods
high in different types of carbohydrate and how
carbohydrate intake affects our metabolism.
Learn what the glycaemic index can tell us about
foods rich in carbohydrates. (See: What are
Carbohydrates? , What is Sugar? and Sugar and
Diet ).
High fibre foods help us to maintain a healthy
digestive system and metabolism. They help your
body to run more efficiently. We also look at
why a high fibre diet can help you lose weight
and be good for your heart. (See: What is
Fibre? ).
Vitamins are, by definition, essential to our
health, and there are 13 that we need to keep
our bodies healthy. Our page on this subject
highlights foods high in vitamins that you may
wish to increase in your diet. (See: Vitamins).
Finally, learn about the most important nutritional
minerals, what the body uses them for and which
foods contain them. (See: Minerals as
Nutrients).
Exercise
Most people are aware of advice that we
should take regular exercise.
But what does that mean and why is it
important?
Recommendations vary from 20 minutes of
medium-intensity exercise (enough to raise your
heart rate) per day, up to three longer sessions
of high-intensity activity per week.
Many people, perhaps unsurprisingly, conclude
that they just don’t have time to work out what
they should do.
Our page on The Importance of Exercise
explains more about why you should exercise
regularly.
The common sense solution is that any exercise
is better than none.
Although the recommendations for the amount
and intensity of exercise may change, nobody
has yet concluded that exercise is bad for you!
However, very intense exercise over long periods
may have some detrimental effect.
Even if you can’t do as much as exercise as is
recommended, even taking a small amount of
exercise will do you good.
It is, however, important to ease yourself gently
into any exercise programme, especially if it’s
been a while since you’ve exerted yourself to do
anything beyond lift the TV remote control, or
walk to the car.even
The phrase ‘ you are what you eat’ has
become a bit of a cliché over recent years,
but it still has a basis in fact.
Most of us know that modern diets can contain
too many processed foods that are high in fats,
sugar and salt and that we should eat more
fresh fruit and vegetables as part of a healthy
balanced diet.
Obesity, high cholesterol levels, high blood
pressure and Type II diabetes are all common
problems in modern life and often a direct result
of poor diets.
But what counts as a healthy diet?
Our pages on diet and nutrition explain what your
body needs and why. They also show how some
simple changes to your diet can make big
differences to your life, including increasing your
energy levels, lifting your spirit and, perhaps,
reducing the likelihood of becoming ill.
Many scientists now argue that portion control is
one of the most important aspects of healthy
eating.
Protein is an essential part of our diets; it is the
building block for all cells in our bodies, organs,
bones, muscles and blood. Learn about the
different types of protein-rich food sources and
how your body uses these to keep you healthy.
(See: What is Protein? ).
Fat is an essential part of our diet – we can’t
live without it, and it is by far the most efficient
form of energy. Learn about fat and the types of
food that contain it. (See: What is Fat? and BMI
- Body Mass Index ).
Unlike protein and fat, carbohydrates (commonly
abbreviated to carbs) are not essential to our
diets. Most of us probably consume too many
carbohydrates. Learn about the types of foods
high in different types of carbohydrate and how
carbohydrate intake affects our metabolism.
Learn what the glycaemic index can tell us about
foods rich in carbohydrates. (See: What are
Carbohydrates? , What is Sugar? and Sugar and
Diet ).
High fibre foods help us to maintain a healthy
digestive system and metabolism. They help your
body to run more efficiently. We also look at
why a high fibre diet can help you lose weight
and be good for your heart. (See: What is
Fibre? ).
Vitamins are, by definition, essential to our
health, and there are 13 that we need to keep
our bodies healthy. Our page on this subject
highlights foods high in vitamins that you may
wish to increase in your diet. (See: Vitamins).
Finally, learn about the most important nutritional
minerals, what the body uses them for and which
foods contain them. (See: Minerals as
Nutrients).
Exercise
Most people are aware of advice that we
should take regular exercise.
But what does that mean and why is it
important?
Recommendations vary from 20 minutes of
medium-intensity exercise (enough to raise your
heart rate) per day, up to three longer sessions
of high-intensity activity per week.
Many people, perhaps unsurprisingly, conclude
that they just don’t have time to work out what
they should do.
Our page on The Importance of Exercise
explains more about why you should exercise
regularly.
The common sense solution is that any exercise
is better than none.
Although the recommendations for the amount
and intensity of exercise may change, nobody
has yet concluded that exercise is bad for you!
However, very intense exercise over long periods
may have some detrimental effect.
Even if you can’t do as much as exercise as is
recommended, even taking a small amount of
exercise will do you good.
It is, however, important to ease yourself gently
into any exercise programme, especially if it’s
been a while since you’ve exerted yourself to do
anything beyond lift the TV remote control, or
walk to the car.even
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