The Basic Rules of Nutrition
By Sara Butler
Nutrition is about more than just what you eat. Nutrition should be looked at as a process, steps you take to help you maintain your health. Here are some of the basic rules for nutrition to help you see the bigger picture and the role nutrition plays in your overall health and wellness.
Good Nutrition
The idea of good nutrition is rooted in the idea that you eat to get the nutrients your body need to function effectively. But, the food you choose to eat is only half of the equation. The nutrients have to get taken into your body first, then your body must break them down, use them and then efficiently get rid of them.
The Rules of Good Nutrition
If you want to make good nutrition a priority in your life, then you need to understand the basic rules for a healthy diet and food selection. They are:
- Eat breakfast – You should endeavor to eat breakfast within 30 minutes of getting out of bed.
- Pack in protein – You need to eat protein at least three times per day.
- Eat frequently – It’s a good idea to eat every two to three hours, including healthy snack choices.
- Eat your vegetables – You should try to limit starchy vegetables but include a large variety of vegetables in your diet.
- Snack on fruits – Fruits are almost the perfect snack.
- Avoid white sugar – Limit the amount of sugar in your diet as well as artificial sweeteners.
- Allergies – If you suspect a food allergy, you should try to figure out what may be causing it through a process of elimination. Most often wheat, corn, eggs, dairy or soy will be the culprit.
- Go nuts – You will want to make sure you’re getting seeds, nuts, and legumes as a part of your daily diet.
- Stay hydrated – Make sure you drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of water per day.
- Watch out for juice – Vegetable juices can be OK in a pinch, but stay away from fruit juice.
When You Eat
What you eat is important, but so is when you eat it. You should avoid watching television or movies as you eat since this can cause you to eat mindlessly, ending up in overeating. Also, make sure you chew your food completely. When you chew your food well, your body will have an easier time breaking it down and getting the most from it.
Nutrition doesn’t have to be difficult to understand, you simply need to know what to eat and what you should limit in your diet and you’ll be off to a great start!