Back to Basics

With endless information now at our fingertips, it is no wonder people out there are feeling so confused about nutrition information! On the wild web you will find countless ‘experts’ claiming to have the sole answer to your weightloss goals, nutrition and health needs – fad diets, body resets, rapid weight loss plans... and on it goes. We are challenged to be more conscious, care for the planet and eat less meat – at the same time being told animal sources of protein are superior by far, so we should eat more meat. Some say diary is a great source of calcium, others say it’s inflammatory. Eat gluten, no avoid gluten. Regardless, eat more protein and fewer carbs.

Sheesh, there are a lot of differing opinions to take in.

So how do you sift through all the information and land on what is right for you? A good starting point is getting back to basics.

So what are the basics of nutrition?

Our bodies are made up of cells, tissues and organs that require nutrients, vitamins and minerals derived from food and water for optimal function. Nutrient dense foods help our bodies to thrive and reduce the risk of lifestyle related diseases such as Type 2 diabetes. On the flip side, there are countless food items available to us now, that are not real food, but instead are full of synthetic substances, additives and chemicals that over long periods of time can be detrimental to our health.

The foods that naturally contain vital nutrients, vitamins and minerals, are those that are pulled from the ground or picked from trees – fruit, veg, wholegrains, nuts and seeds. Meat, animal products and seafood with minimal processing and additives, are also high in nutrients. The simple food our grandparents ate. Then there are those foods which have undergone extra processing but are useful in the diet for meeting nutrient requirements eg milk and dairy products, fortified plant and soy products.

In a nutshell, a wholefood, non-diet approach is always going to be the best for our bodies (yes this is possible on a vegan diet). Wholefoods need to take priority in our lives over highly processed packaged foods. If we are constantly ingesting food items full of substances our bodies don’t like, we will be wasting our body’s energy as it tries to counteract the effects of these. In a nutshell, we will be trying to function at 100% with the wrong fuel in the tank, and wonder why we are not feeling our best!

Getting back to basics and focusing on adding more wholefoods to your daily diet, can lead to lasting changes in how you feel, think and function.