The Basic Way to Loosing Weight and Eating A Healthy Diet

Low fat diet meal Plan

There are two basic kinds of fat – saturated and unsaturated fat. Saturated fat is not essential to the body and can be harmful in large quantities, so for your being well and experiment, try  and eat a low fat diet meal plan. There are two types of unsaturated fats, poly- and mono- unsaturated fats. Certain of these are essential for various functions of the body – the central nervous system and the brain, the cardio vascular and immune systems, and the skin. The optimal diet provides the right balance of these two.

Optimum nutrition protein diet

There are 25 amino acids, which are different forms of protein. These are the building blocks of the body and are essential for growth and the repair of body tissue. Their use is complex - to make hormones, enzymes, antibodies and neurotransmitters. The modern optimum nutrition protein diet provides much more protein than is actually required by the body. The quality of protein consumed, the balance of amino acids and the quantity are all-important to the body – a breast-fed baby, for instance, doubles its birth weight in 6 months, but just 1% of its total calories are received from protein. This is because that 1% is of an exceptionally high quality.

High quality protein is to be found in foods including eggs, quinoa, meat, fish, beans and lentils.

Low carbohydrates diet

Carbohydrates are the main fuel for the body and come in fast-releasing forms (refined foods, malt, sweets, honey and sugar), and slow-releasing ones like whole grains, vegetables and fresh fruit. The best forms of carbohydrates for the body are slow-releasing, as they provide a steady, sustained release of energy throughout the day. Fast-releasing low carbohydrates diet, like refined white flour products, cause spikes in energy and play havoc on blood sugar levels. This makes weight control or loss very difficult.

High Fiber Diet

High fiber diet is essential to maintain a healthy colon. It absorbs water in the digestive tract, which makes food content bulkier and easier to pass through the colon. Inadequate consumption is related to bowel diseases such as colitis, bowel cancer and diverticulitis. The following are good sources of high fiber diet: whole grains, lentils, nuts, vegetables, fresh fruit, lentils, and seeds. Avoid refined, white and overcooked foods, which contain little or no fiber.

Vitamin B Water Retention

The fact that two thirds of the body consists of water makes it our most important nutrient.

In an ideal world, we would obtain all our vitamins and minerals from the food we eat. However, due to poor soil quality and long storage times of fresh foods, the vitamin content of our food is decreasing. This makes supplementing essential (see chapter 15 for more information). Vitamins activate enzymes that facilitate all body processes. They are necessary to balance hormones, produce energy and to boost the immune system. They make healthy skin, protect the arteries and are vital for the brain, nervous and all other bodily systems.

Vitamins A, C and E – antioxidants that slow down the ageing process and protect the body from cancer, heart disease and pollution.

Vitamins B and C – turn food into energy, both physical and mental.

Vitamin D – assists with the controlling of the balance of calcium in the body.

Good sources of vitamins are dark green, leafy and root vegetables, and red, yellow and orange vegetables, plus fruit, nuts and seeds.

For information on what and how to supplement, see Supplements – the Key to living Longer!

Minerals

These are essential for almost every function of the body. We require large daily intakes of calcium and magnesium, found in vegetables such as kale, cabbage and root vegetables, as well as most nuts and seeds. Fruit and vegetables provide potassium and small amounts of sodium, in the right balance for our bodies. We also need iron, zinc, selenium, manganese and chromium and other minerals in small quantities.

Good sources are kale, cabbage, lentils, beans, whole grains, dairy products, seeds or nuts, seed foods (peas, broad beans, broccoli) as well as fresh fruit. What You Eat Can Make You Younger!