Good Nutrition

Leading a healthy lifestyle is a combination of not only staying active but eating a balanced diet. What you put into your body can impact on weight gain and loss, aches in your joints and even aid mild depression. Learning what to eat and why and what effects of eating badly can be essential if you're looking to be healthier. Having bad nutrition can leave you vulnerable to heart disease, raise your chances of diabetes and increase your risk of developing certain cancers. Here we'll help you learn how to have a good nutrition.


How to Have a Good Nutrition

One of the simplest ways to have good nutrition is to start with the basics: instead of reaching for the processed foods in the frozen section - try grabbing ingredients instead to make the meal. Another tip is to go for whole foods: wholewheat and wholegrain for example. This encompasses cereals, breads and pastas. These groups are still carbs and should be eaten in moderation, but switching to wholewheat and grain can help your health. Carbohydrates provide you with energy to get through the day and helps keep your body functioning.

Another tip on how to have a good nutrition is eating healthy fat. Fat in general is good for your body so don't shy away from the right kinds. Healthy fats are found most in nuts and fish which are also a great source of protein. Fatty acids are essential to the body because our bodies can't make them. Fat helps keep us warm, gives us energy and even protects our organs.

Other sources of protein that help you have good nutrition are beans, meat (as long as it's lean), and dairy (providing its low fat). Protein helps maintain our bodies and assists in making tissue, hormones and enzymes. Protein is also essential for our bones, muscles, skin and blood. Carbs, fats and proteins are known as macronutrients.

Micronutrients are also very important to our bodies. Vitamins and minerals can be found in sweet potatoes, fish, seafood in general, bell peppers, low fat yoghurts, milk, seeds, spinach and chicken liver (the last may sound gross but take a chance with it). Vitamins and minerals are completely essential to the body as they support your bones, heal your wounds and strengthen your immune system.

Antioxidants are also part of the micronutrients and can be found in berries, dark chocolate, nuts and beans. Antioxidants help prevent against things like cancer and blood diseases.

The last of this group is fibre. Fibre can be found in fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Fibre prevents constipation and can help with IBS, heart disease and certain forms of cancer.

Everything in modertation is fine, but when you start having a repetitive diet of unhealthy things it can lead you to have bad nutrition. Sugar is one of the worst culprits. Sugar exists naturally in fruit and honey and can be a good way of sweetening things up but sugar found in fruit juice, fizzy drinks and desserts are refined. Refined sugar has had its nutrients taken away from it. Refined or added sugars can ruin your teeth, damage your liver, increase your risk of diabetes and cancer. Sugar is the bigger cause behind obesity, heart disease and other weight-related problems as opposed to fat.

Another factor of bad nutrients is sodium. Naturally occuring sodium can be found in beetroot, celery and milk. However processed, smoked and cured foods have a lot of sodium in them. This includes bacon, ham, sausages, frozen prepared meats and ready meals. An excess of sodium (salt) can increase your blood pressure and you'll be more at risk of having a stroke or developing heart disease, stomach cancer or even suffering from kidney failure.

How to Find a Nutritionist

If you need further guidance on what to eat and why, you can find a nutrionist who can plan a diet for you to follow. Finding a nutritionist can be done by contacting your GP or nearest hospital. You can also try looking for Freelance Dietitians or by consulting the HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council).