Every one of us can achieve and experience a profound sense of health and wellbeing by laying the foundation with a healthy diet. Health isn’t just an absence of illness, it’s the abundance of vitality.  This is characterised by a consistent, clear and high level of energy, emotional balance, a sharp mind, a desire to maintain physical fitness and a direct awareness of what suits our bodies, what enhances our health and what our needs are.  This state of health includes resilience to infectious diseases and protection from the major killer diseases such as heart disease and cancer. It consequently means slowing down the ageing process and living a long and healthy life.

Imagine that you are born with a health reserve – a certain amount of money in your health deposit account.  Depending what you eat, drink, breathe and think, gradually money is lost from that health deposit account.  Once you get overdrawn your energy is low, you can’t get out of bed in the morning and you suffer from niggling health problems, from colds to PMS.  As your overdraft grows you develop diseases and when you exceed your overdraft limit, that’s when you die.

Take a look at the table below.  Where are you?  A great number of people fall into the vertically ill category – lacking energy and enthusiasm for life.  How would it be to sit comfortably and consistently in the Healthy category – full of energy in both mind and body?  By building up your health reserve, not only do you not get sick but also experience what it is to feel Healthy, with plenty of capacity to adapt to stressful times.

 

HEALTHY	VERTICALLY ILL	HORIZONTALLY ILL
Boundless energy Perspective on life Sharp mind Positive outlook Joie de vivre Physically fit Rarely/never ill Full life contentment	Constant tiredness DrainedLow concentration Mood swings Unfit Run down and frequently ill Easily overwhelmed	Chronic fatigue Exhausted Constant achesDepression Pessimism Unable to exercise Incapacitated by illness Life is hard work

 

Really good nutrition, seeks to perfect the balance of the body on a chemical level.  It is very simply giving yourself the best possible intake of nutrients to allow your body to be as healthy as possible and to work as well as it can.  Even minor changes to your eating habits can lead to major changes in your health.  Your body has an amazing capacity to heal itself if given the proper resources to work with.

We are continuously bombarded with messages about healthy eating but how many of us really understand what the messages are saying?  Our nutritionist has helped us to formulate the F.I.T. Nutritional Program.  It consists of 3 phases: Normalize, Stabilize & Functionalize. These three phases will give you very simple basic advice to help you achieve vitality through a good diet and a healthy digestive system.

Phase 1 – NORMALISE

EAT REGULARLY – DON’T SKIP MEALS

Studies show that Western cultures are moving away from eating regular meals.  This trend adversely affects health by altering the way the body breaks down fats and sugars, leading to increases in insulin and cholesterol.  Insulin is the catalyst for the creation of new fat cells and inhibits the breakdown of fat.  So long term skipping meals can lead to weight gain, obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

Summary: Don’t skip meals. Eat 3 meals and 2 healthy snacks a day. It’s a great way to speed up your metabolism.

GET HYDRATED!

The body is consists of 60% to 70% water. Since most of your body is water, we need lots of fresh water every day to stay healthy. Every function in your body takes place in water. It is the solvent that removes the nutrients, hormones, antibodies and oxygen through your blood stream and lymphatic system. Water is also necessary to move the waste out of your body. If you are not drinking enough water, your body has to recycle dirty water and every metabolic function in your body does not work as efficiently.

Summary: Drink 2-2.5 liters of filtered water or herbal teas a day.  Avoid carbonated drinks which leach calcium from your bones!

HOW ARE YOUR BOWELS?

Do your bowels open daily, if not you will be reabsorbing toxins affecting your long term health and vitality and putting strain on your liver and kidneys.  White foods (bread, biscuits, cakes, pasta) and cooked cheese are all very constipating!

Helpful hint: Try a tablespoon of linseeds in your porridge or cereal every morning, followed by a large glass of water and eat high fiber foods such as apples and pears. If that doesn’t work try taking 2 x psyllium husk capsules a day and get moving to stimulate your bowels.

HOW’S YOUR DIGESTION?

Do you get lots of bloating, wind or heartburn?  Make sure you chew your food thoroughly and sit down to eat to avoid indigestion.  Does it happen after eating a particular food, if so avoid this food for 10 days and see if this improves, you may well have sensitivity to that food and have difficulty digesting it.  Try to eat some fresh raw foods every day, as they contain enzymes which aid your digestion and are a great source of vitamins and minerals.

Summary:  Try increasing your stomach acid by drinking a little warm water and 1/2 a squeezed lemon before each meal.  Alternatively try a digestive enzyme with HCL with meals, it will help digest foods taking the strain off your tummy and easing any bloating or discomfort you may be suffering.

BALANCE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS

One of the key areas to feeling really good every day is to stabilise your blood sugar levels.  Trying to avoid High GI foods such as cornflake, white bread (baguettes) and pasta can really help you achieve consistent energy levels, prevent mood swings and sugar cravings. Low GI foods such as whole grains, oats, nuts & berries all trickle glucose slowing into your blood stream keeping your energy levels balanced with the added benefit of making you feel fuller for longer.

Summary:  Keep the list of Normalise foods on your fridge and don’t buy the ORANGE foods, it’s a good idea for all the family to “avoid” these foods.

EAT PROTEIN WITH YOUR CARBS

Eating meals low in protein and high in carbohydrates such as a bowl of pasta with tomato sauce is more than likely to leave you lethargic, hungry soon after and craving something sweet.  Make sure you include protein with each meal and snack.  Choose a chicken salad with new potatoes instead of a chicken sandwich.

Summary: Snack on pumpkin or sunflower seeds or nuts when you eat some fruit.  When eating shop bought sandwiches simply ditch the 2 x 1/2 slices of bread in the middle to make a protein rich sandwich rather than a carbohydrate rich lunch.

PLAN YOUR MEALS

Planning your meals will cut down on your trips to your favorite fast food restaurant and save you money in the process. Meals prepared at home tend to be higher in all nutrients, including fibre, calcium, iron, and vitamins B6, B12, C, and E. They are also generally lower in saturated and trans fats. When you plan your meals include some good quality protein such chicken, eggs, beans as well as a variety of salads and vegetables.

Helpful hint: Try shopping online to avoid tempting ‘isle distractions’ – you’ll save money and cut down on calories to!

EAT TO YOUR RMR

Based on the result of the metabolic profiling you should aim to eat your recommended calories aiming to never over or under consume. This will help you achieve a consistent healthy weight that is right for you. You should login to your own nutritional page and use the nutritional calculator to work out calories consumed.

Summary: Don’t finish everything on your plate, stop when you feel full.
Eat slowly and enjoy each mouthful.

Common Sense Rules for BETTER Nutrition

1)     Eat less in a calm environment (leave 1/3 of your plate) 2)     Eat 3 small meals a day with 2 snacks 3)     Eat more fruits and vegetables 4)     Drink more water 5)     Eat fish regularly (> 3 x week) 6)     Limit sweets and grains 7)     Exercise daily (helps what goes in go out and increases your metabolic rate) 8)     Cut out artificial sweeteners

NORMALISE FOODS

FOODS	AVOID	GO AHEAD
BEANS	ý  Broad ý  Refried bean ý  Baked Beans (regular)	ü  All beans (tinned and dried) ü  Baked Beans (whole-earth, no added sugar) ü  Black eyed peas ü  Chick Peas ü  Soybeans ü  Split Peas/lentils
Beverages	ý  Alcoholic drinks ý  Fruit drinks ý  Milk (whole) ý  Regular coffee ý  Soft drinks and cordials ý  Sweetened juices	ü  Water ü  Milk Skimmed ü  Soya milk – unsweetened ü  Rice milk ü  Almond milk
Breads	ý  Bagels ý  Baguette/croissants ý  Cake/biscuits ý  Cereal/granola bars ý  Scones/crumpets ý  Hamburger buns ý  Melba Toast ý  Muffins ý  Pancakes/waffles ý  Pizza ý  Stuffing ý  Tortillas ý  White Bread ý  Melba toast ý  Cream Crackers	ü  100% Stone ground wholemeal ü  Multigrain ü  Granary ü  Wholegrain high fibre breads ü  Sourdough bread
Cereals	ý  Cornflakes ý  Shredded wheat ý  Bran flakes ý  Just right ý  Special K ý  Sultan Bran ý  Cheerios ý  Fruit / cereal bars	ü  Porridge ü  Millet porridge ü  Oat bran ü  Weetabix
Grains	ý  Couscous ý  Millet ý  Rice (short grain white instant) ý  Rice cakes ý  Croutons	ü  Rice (brown, wild, red or basmati) ü  Barley ü  Buckwheat ü  Bulgar ü  Wheat grain ü  Quinoa ü  Amaranth
Condiments/ Seasoning	ý  Ketchup ý  Mayonnaise ý  Tartar sauces	ü  Garlic ü  Herbs/Spices ü  Hummus ü  Mayonnaise (fat free) ü  Mustard ü  Soy sauce (low sodium) ü  Teriyaki sauce ü  Vinegar ü  Worcestershire Sauce
Dairy	ý  Cheese ý  Chocolate milk ý  Cottage Cheese (regular) ý  Cream / Sour Cream ý  Cream Cheese ý  Milk (whole) ý  Yoghurt (fruit/flavour)	ü  Skimmed milk
Fats and Oils	ý  Butter ý  Coconut oil ý  Margarine ý  Lard ý  Mayonnaise ý  Palm oil ý  Peanut butter ý  Salad dressings	ü  Almonds ü  Walnuts ü  Brazil nuts ü  Cashew nuts ü  Hazelnuts ü  Flax seeds ü  Macadamia nuts ü  Pumpkin seeds ü  Sunflower seeds ü  Olive oil ü  Sunflower oil
Fresh fruit   N.B. AVIOD ALL FRUITS JUICES	ý  Cantaloupe melon ý  Dates ý  Honeydew melon ý  Raisins ý  Watermelon ý  Dried Fruit ý  Banana	ü  Apples ü  Blackberries ü  Blueberries ü  Cherries ü  Grapefruit ü  Grapes ü  Lemons ü  Oranges ü  Peaches ü  Plums ü  Pears ü  Raspberries ü  Strawberries Aim to eat the whole fruit wherever possible
DRIED FRUITS –	A modest amount can be use in home baking

 

FOODS	AVOID	GO AHEAD
Meat, Poultry, fish, eggs, Soya	ý  Minced beef ý  Hamburgers ý  Hot dogs ý  Processed meats (e.g. ham, salami etc) ý  Regular bacon ý  Sausages ý  Whole regular eggs ý  Sushi with rice	ü  All seafood fresh frozen or tinned (avoid battered or breaded) ü  Skinless Chicken ü  Lean Beef ü  Omega3 eggs ü  Quorn ü  Sashimi ü  Tofu ü  Turkey breast ü  Veal
Pasta   N.B. Aim to eat whole wheat or egg base pasta	ý  All tinned pasta ý  Gnocchi ý  Macaroni cheese ý  Filled pasta e.g. tortellini with meat or cheese ý  Rice noodles	ü  Fettuccini ü  Macaroni ü  Penne ü  Spaghetti/linguine ü  Vermicelli ü  Wholegrain noodles ü  Soba noodles
Pasta Sauces	ý  Alfredo ý  Sauces with added meat or cheese ý  Sauces with added sugar or sucrose ý  Creamy sauces e.g. carbonara	ü  Light Sauces with vegetables (no added sugar) ü  Tomato based sauces
Soups	ý  All cream based soups ý  Tinned black bean ý  Tinned green pea ý  Tinned split pea	All home made soups – make sure you add beans, chicken, or lentils. (e.g. chunky bean and vegetable soup)
Sugar and Sweeteners   N.B. Avoid all artificial sweeteners	ý  Honey ý  Sugar ý  Syrup ý  Treacle ý  Molasses	Use Zylatol or Fruitana sparingly (from vegetable and fruit sources both very low GI)
Vegetables	ý  Broad beans ý  French Fries ý  Hash Browns ý  Parsnips ý  Swede ý  Turnip ý  Squash ý  Beetroot ý  Potatoes (instant) ý  Potatoes (mashed or baked)	ü  Asparagus ü  Aubergine ü  Beans ü  Peppers ü  Broccoli ü  Brussel sprouts ü  Cabbage ü  Carrots ü  Onions ü  Olives ü  Peas ü  Pickles ü  Cauliflower

 

 

Note: Artificial Sweeteners – ‘low-sugar’, ‘diet’, or ‘low-calorie’ foods and drinks usually contain chemical sweeteners, such as aspartame.  Aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar and can lead to binge eating and cravings.  It has also been linked to mood swings and depression because it alters the levels of the brain chemical serotonin.  The following symptoms are all associated with regular aspartame consumption; mood swings, memory loss, numbness and tingling in the arms and legs, headaches, depression, skin problems such as urticaria and rashes, seizures and convulsions, eye problems, nausea and vomiting.