We have all heard the saying “food is fuel”. However, food isn’t just fuel. Food is also vitamins, minerals, and chemicals from plants, and animals that work to protect us from cancers, disease, and inflammation, promote blood clotting, fights diabetes, and reduce sickness. We get fibre, water and so much more from our food for which do not provide fuel.
Food is information. Everything we eat sends messages to our bodies. However, not everything that we eat gets absorbed depending on lifestyle factors such as genetics, gut health, activity level, and the types of food we consume.
The food we eat tells a story. Where we like to eat, who we like to eat with, and the types of foods we enjoy. Food is culture, identity, and way of life. The story of the food we eat makes up our overall nutrition.
What is Good Nutrition?
Good nutrition is a way of eating that controls energy balance, gives us nutrients, helps us look, feel, and perform our best.
Too little energy intake will affect brain function, metabolism and cause reproductive problems. Too much energy coming in can cause insulin resistance, weight gain, increased inflammation and blood pressure.
Good nutrition promotes eating vegetables high in vitamins and minerals. While the calorie density of food can impact energy balance, the nutrient density of a food is also important for our nutrient status. Nutrients make our bodies tick!
It is important to eat foods high in nutrients regardless of the calorie density to replenish our nutrient needs, and vice versa, foods low in nutrients regardless of calorie density will not replenish our nutrient needs.
High nutrient-dense foods are foods that include fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds, some grains, and animal products. Otherwise known as whole fresh foods.
Foods low in nutrient density such as potato chips, refined grains, soft drinks, and fast foods, otherwise known as processed foods, will not replenish your nutrient needs.
Eating Preferences & Good Nutrition
No matter your eating style paleo, keto, vegan and vegetarian, whole foods, intermittent fasting, or anything in between, if you have good nutrition your diet will support you looking, feeling, and performing your best.
This means that if you feel healthy because you reached a certain weight, but your performance is suffering and you’re tired this is not good nutrition.
Good nutrition also focuses on your strengths and success. It helps reduce limiting factors or beliefs such as stress, exercise, genetics, mindset, your environment and support systems.
How To Get Good Nutrition
Unfortunately can’t go and get it, it’s not a product or E-book. Good nutrition is a journey. You can begin to create good nutritional habits by eating mindfully and slowly, caring about the quality of your food, it’s nutrient density, you stop eating when you’re full and you do any physical activity that you enjoy.
Our Tips
- Create strong eating habits that allow you to make the best choices you can.
- Eating a diet high in a variety of fresh produce, nuts seeds, and some animal products.
- Eat mindfully. Chew your food! Don’t eat in front of the computer.
If you would like a more specific strategy tailored to your nutritional needs, contact us by booking your FREE nutrition help call below and speak with one of our coaches.