With all the information on health and diet out there, it can be hard to know which advice to follow. Still, when it comes to eating correctly and staying healthy, there are some things that are true for everyone. Knowing what can be called as pillars of good health will help you navigate the often-tricky waters of proper eating and dieting. Blood Sugar Control Most people think blood sugar control is only important to diabetics who need to watch out for high levels of blood sugar. The truth is, however, that blood sugar control plays an important role in ensuring your diet is hormonally balanced something key to maintain good health and proper weight management. When you eat foods that digest slowly foods that dont cause blood sugar spikes, a moderate release of insulin takes place. Insulin helps deliver glucose to your cells and controls the uptake of amino acids (the building blocks of protein) into muscles. If there is too much sugar in your blood stream what happens is that the pancreas releases a large amount of insulin, which stores the excess sugar as fat. When you maintain a steady blood sugar you are also keeping your energy level up. When your blood sugar gets too low, you may feel sluggish and tired. You may start craving carbohydrates, which will give you a quick energy boost for maybe an hour before making you feel even more fatigued This can be the beginning of a dangerous cycle, which may lead to uncontrolled eating, weight gain and disease. The key is to eat at the right time and always have the right kind of protein, carbohydrates and fats. Not All Carbohydrates Are Bad Contrary to what many diet experts would have you believe, not all carbohydrates are bad. In fact, eating carbohydrates is necessary for good health and maintaining a constant energy level. Good carbohydrates are found in practically all vegetables and fruits, whole grains, seeds, beans and peas. Bad carbohydrates are those ones youll find in white pasta, white bread, most potatoes, as well as in processed foods like potato chips, French fries, cookies, pastries, and other snacks. These carbohydrates are considered unhealthy because they burn quickly causing a spike in your blood sugar. They generally leave you craving more and contribute to weight gain. Good Fats Vs. Bad Fats And, again, contrary to popular opinion, fat is not, in itself, bad for you. Your body needs some fat in order to work efficiently. However, it must be the right kind. The consumption of saturated fatty acids - found in whole milk, cream and cheese, beef pork, ham and, vegetable shortening among many others, should be limited. If you consume in excess these fats you can develop a number of diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure heart problems or colon cancer. On the other hand, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are healthy fats. These can be found in soybean, certain fish oils, and oils including olive, sunflower and canola oil. Keep in mind that all fats are high in calories. Your daily intake of polyunsaturated fats should not exceed 10% of total calorie intake and of monounsaturated should be between 10-15%. Fatty acids are the basic building blocks of fats and oils. Essential Fatty Acids are fats that are necessary for health and cannot be manufactured by your body. These are also known as vitamin F or polyunsaturates. EFAs are good fats that can be obtained from fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, lake trout and herring, nuts, seeds and oils such as canola, flaxseed or olive oil. Next time, we'll talk about the role of protein in your health, the importance of water and the rule of thumb you must follow for making sure you are eating a balanced diet that helps you stay fit. Until next time, |
