We are what we eat

You have probably heard the common phrase that people “are what they eat”. Indeed, when you were developing in the womb, all the cells in your body were created based on those ‘building materials’ that your mom used to eat. From the moment you were born, your constantly regenerating cells have been using what you eat for your growth. Therefore, it is certainly possible to say that you are what you eat!

It is logical to assume that it is in your power to choose what your body will be built from. Think about what ‘building materials’ you would like to use for this? Do you want your body to consist of food additives and preservatives, sugar and chemical elements with free radicals that cripple your cells and age your body? Or do you want your body to consist of natural proteins, healthy fats and carbohydrates, mineral-rich vegetables and fruits, which contain antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals?

The food you choose has important abilities – to influence your weight, appearance, and well-being; it can destroy or conversely, maintain and improve your health.

Foods rich in protein, fiber, and healthy fats help to quickly satisfy hunger, helping to maintain optimal weight. When you consume high-calorie foods that are poor in beneficial properties, your body sends you a signal which makes you continue to eat.

Following this signal, you continue to feed your body with non-nutritious food, and the body requires more, because it has not yet received the components it needs to grow and restore … In the end, this cycle leads to the fact that you gain weight, lose energy, and acquire chronic diseases.

Modern studies show a direct relationship between nutrition and various diseases, even such as asthma and cancer. Medical experts have long proven that diabetes and cardiovascular diseases can be prevented or delayed in their offensive if you lead an active, healthy lifestyle, and eat right. Although this rule does not guarantee that you will live a life without ever getting sick, it will help your body resist ailments. A strong and healthy body recovers faster than a weak and sick body — an indisputable fact!

Balanced nutrition is one of the key factors affecting the body’s ability to resist diseases, or rather its immunity. If you eat too little, you deprive your body of vital elements. If you overeat, you wear your body out, forcing it to recycle empty calories. In both cases, you weaken your body and your immune system. But how to achieve a golden mean in your diet and strengthen your immune system?

The transition to a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet takes time and perseverance. Optimally, each meal should consist of half of vegetables and fruits, a quarter of healthy carbohydrates, and a quarter of pure proteins.

Fruits and vegetables, filled with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, supply your immune system with powerful “weapons” that your body can use for its own fortification and to fight against external aggressors — viruses and bacteria. Try to use vegetables and fruits of different colors, because their colors indicate their own specific content of various vitamins and minerals.

As an example, garlic, which belongs to the onion family, is a natural defender of your body. The sulfur compounds contained in it stimulate the production of cells that affect the strengthening of the immune system. In addition, garlic is also rich in antioxidants, which lower the free radicals in your body and reduce the risk of many diseases.

7 useful items for immunity enhancement:

1. Vitamin C
2. Vitamin E
3. Carotenoids
4. Bioflavonoids
5. Zinc
6. Selenium
7. Omega-3

Pure proteins, found in foods such as fish, chicken, eggs, and legumes are excellent building materials for all the cells in your body, including those that strengthen your immune system.

Life-giving bacteria, which we call probiotics (found in kefir and yogurt) make your body less susceptible to external infections. Such probiotics “fight” carriers of infection, starting with the digestive system, but also beneficially affect others.

But what about pharmaceutically produced vitamins and minerals? The fact is that the consumption of nutrients, vitamins and minerals in food is not the same as taking them in the form of pills. In many cases, the human body is unable to digest and absorb high concentrations of vitamins and minerals. Moreover, vitamins and minerals in the form of tablets or nutritional supplements are much more expensive than in food. And the process of eating is much more pleasant than swallowing pills. Isn’t it?

Optimal weight and overall health are two important reasons for eating healthy. Remember that the cells of your body are constantly regenerated, and each cell is built from what you eat. The cells of the skin, muscles, brain use the “building material” that you supply for them. A balanced diet helps you to look and feel, move and think like a young person. And although none of us are able to turn the back the hands of time, at least we can eat so that we look and feel younger! The choice is yours, and we, nutritionists, can help you with this. Be healthy!

Angelika Kalinina,  licensed nutritionist