What is Good Nutrition?
Nutrition advice is everywhere, the newspaper, the evening news, magazines, Facebook, Instagram, your friends, parents, school and on and on! It is so easy to get confused and frustrated when new information is being put out there on a daily basis.
When I tell others that I am a Nutritionist, most of the time they say, “My nutrition is bad.” But what does that really mean?
Based on the Nutritional Therapy Association, where I received my nutrition education, and the Weston A. Price Foundation, good nutrition has the following points:
Low sugar
Whole food carbs
Good protein and fat
Adequate calories for energy
Good digestion
These guidelines are a little general to account for individual variations in nutritional needs and energy. Here is a breakdown of the guidelines:
Low Sugar: In general, drinks should be sugar free (and not full of artificial sweeteners either), food should not be overly sweetened with sugar, and sugary treats should be at most once a day and preferably on special occasions (birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, etc).
Whole Food Carbs: Carbohydrates are a type of calorie that comes from grains (wheat, rice, corn, oats, etc), vegetables, fruits and beans. Breads, pastas, crackers, chips, and other processed foods (from a package) should at most be kept to once a day. Other sources of carbohydrates should come from fruit and vegetables.
Good Protein and Fat: These foods contain essential nutrients. We must get them from our diet for our bodies to function well. Protein sources are animal foods such as beef, poultry, eggs, dairy, pork, fish, seafood, and some plant-based foods such as beans, quinoa, seeds, nuts, and quinoa. Try to eat at least one serving (the size of the palm of your hand) of protein based foods at each meal. Fats also come from animal sources such as butter, lard, egg yolks, and plant-based foods such as nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, and coconut. One serving (the size of the top of your thumb) per meal is a good guideline as well.
Adequate calories for energy: I find that most people are under eating. They may under eat all day and then feel the need to over eat in the evening. Some just don’t eat enough throughout the day. We need enough calories to maintain our energy, metabolism, and body processes. Try using an app like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer to track how many calories you get in a day.
Good Digestion: It is so important to digest food well to get all the available nutrients so the body can work well. Having acid reflux, gas, diarrhea, bloating or constipation are all symptoms that you aren’t digesting your food well. Nutritional Therapy can help alleviate these symptoms in a natural way.
Eating a well-rounded diet full of proteins, fats, vegetables, fruits and some grains can vastly improve your health and give you tons of energy for living your best life.