Our health depends on our diet

Proper nutrition is one of the most important conditions for well-being and a healthy lifestyle.

Those who want to lose weight and get rid of excess weight, those who have simply decided to embark on a healthy lifestyle, those who are involved in sports and want to maintain good physical shape, those people who want to avoid possible health problems, or those who already have health problems caused by improper nutrition (people with gastrointestinal diseases, cardiovascular diseases, heart problems, vascular problems, blood pressure problems, diabetes mellitus, and other diseases related to improper nutrition) should consider switching to proper nutrition.

The essence of proper nutrition

Proper nutrition (also known as healthy eating or balanced diet) is wholesome food, the basis of the diet of which includes only natural products that bring only benefits to the body. The diet of a person who intends to eat according to this principle should include only those dishes that contain the necessary amount of macro- and microelements.

UNIVERSAL RULES of proper nutrition are suitable for almost everyone:

No. 1: Junk food

Remove junk food from the diet – so-called food waste, which combines a multitude of harmful components. Most often, these are ingredients of artificial origin, detrimental to health and generally alien to a living organism. This list also includes:

a) Sweets

It is believed that sugar is a real enemy of humans. It disrupts metabolism, weakens immunity, and prevents weight loss. The prospect of developing diabetes is most frightening. However, not all sugar carries this risk, but white sugar, derived from beets. It is used in the production of:

• candies;
• pastries;
• cookies.

Often, these beloved products also contain dyes and flavorings that cause allergies. They are often prepared with margarine, rich in trans fats, which cause an increase in "bad" cholesterol levels. Therefore, it is best to exclude habitual sweets from the diet.

White sugar in cooking is best replaced with brown (cane) sugar. It does not cause harm (unless a person suffers from diabetes) and does not hinder weight loss.

If you crave something sweet, instead of candies and cakes, it is better to choose honey (if there is no allergy to it). Fruits, especially bananas, grapes, figs, and mangoes, are also worthy substitutes.

b) Fast food

Fast food, despite its taste appeal, contains a large number of substances that are harmful to health. When we consume another hamburger or a portion of french fries, the body receives:

• simple carbohydrates, which are stored as excess kilograms;
• a large amount of calories, not compensated by energy value;
• trans fats, which overload the liver, pancreas, and increase cholesterol;
• monosodium glutamate, which enhances taste and forms food addiction;
• preservatives, which increase the shelf life of products but destroy intestinal microflora.

We suggest replacing fast food with homemade dishes that can be taken with you and consumed during short breaks. Potatoes can be easily baked in the oven, and a homemade hamburger can include natural meat instead of a patty of questionable origin.

c) Instant meals and processed meats

Mashed potatoes that are prepared with boiling water, instant noodles, and bouillon cubes from packets seem like lifesavers on the road or when there is no time. However, all these products firmly stand on the list of food waste due to their high content of:

• salt;
• dyes;
• palm oil (a source of cholesterol);
• sodium polyphosphate, which disrupts the body's acidity.

Sausages, frankfurters, and wieners are about as related to meat as instant noodles are to soup. These products contain more chemical than natural components.

Sodium nitrite provides the "sausage" color, while hydrocolloids, which act like wallpaper paste, give the minced meat its desired form.

d) Sweet carbonated drinks and juices

There is an opinion that soda is the most harmful drink in the world. In terms of the abundance of synthetic components, it can only be surpassed by energy drinks. The dyes included in such drinks are potent carcinogens and cause cancer:

• pancreas;
• breast;
• prostate.

Insulin resistance is not only caused by high fructose content (harmful sugar). The effect of carbonation is due to carbon dioxide. Consuming it rapidly increases blood glucose levels.

It is better to give up carbonated drinks in favor of natural juices. We mean fresh juices, not packaged drinks. The latter can hardly be called juices, as they contain preservatives that extend shelf life, as well as sugar and colorings.

If drinking fresh juices daily is too expensive, you can add a small amount of juice to mineral water to add flavor and aroma.

d) Snacks

Chips, crackers, and popcorn are always among the favorite foods of children and teenagers. Their active consumption at an early age causes significant harm to health.

Chips are not potatoes (despite the name), but a substance made from potato flour, deep-fried with a large amount of salt, flavorings, and technical fat. Although crackers are still based on bread, the main danger lies in the frying process. Low-quality vegetable oil is usually used, and repeatedly. As a result, crackers are literally saturated with carcinogens.

Popcorn is abundant in salt and diacetyl, which is released when fat is heated. In addition, dried grains become a breeding ground for microorganisms during prolonged storage. The best alternative to snacks is nuts. The main thing is not to overeat and to ensure there are no allergies.

e) Sauces and dressings

Mayonnaise, ketchup, and ready-made sauces are used to enhance the taste of dishes. They do not fit into a healthy diet plan due to their content of:

• sauces – hidden fats, preservatives, colorings;
• mayonnaise – trans fats, thickeners, and stabilizers;
• ketchup – sugar, artificial starch, flavorings.

For the same reason, processed cheese, crab sticks, and similar products with complex compositions should be excluded from the usual menu. Their bases may even be beneficial, but all sorts of synthetic additives negate the benefits.

Alternative dressings for dishes can be prepared at home from natural ingredients: tomatoes and garlic, sour cream, ginger and mustard, olive oil, onions and carrots. In many recipes, fermented dairy products (sour cream, Greek yogurt) are preferred over mayonnaise by default.

No. 2: Temporary exclusion of alcohol

Complete exclusion of alcoholic and low-alcohol beverages when transitioning to proper nutrition (a period of at least 21 days).

Any habit is formed in a person in exactly 21 days. It is for this period that you set yourself the rule: NO ALCOHOL!

No. 3: Adherence to the drinking regimen

It is necessary to start drinking water from 1.5 to 2-2.5 liters per day, depending on weight and age. Water participates in almost all biochemical processes in the body, including fat breakdown, suppresses appetite, and prevents overeating.

No. 4: Adherence to the eating regimen. Meals should be consumed approximately every three hours, in small portions of 200-250 grams. The intervals between meals should not exceed four hours. This means you stop starving yourself between main meals and make sure to have nutritious snacks. Such nutrition will increase metabolism, speed up the weight loss process, and provide the body with necessary energy and nutrients. Also, do not forget about breakfast. Breakfast should be eaten within an hour of waking up, and dinner no later than six in the evening.

Proper nutrition is the path to health and external beauty.

Eat right - and be healthy!

SI "Rassonsky RTCGE", 2023