Diet knowledge (pt2)

Eating to Live vs Living to Eat

Many of us have heard the phrase “Eat to live, not live to eat” when referring to indulging in healthier nutrition choices. However, can there be balance between the two? Well to a degree, I say, “Yes.” I believe everything in life requires balance. Therefore, I am a big fan of the Yin Yang symbol and its representation. Notice that I used the word “can” when I said that there can be balance between the two. Many times, unfortunately when someone sees or hears about a shortcut (or way to void responsible/purposeful decision-making), they tend to run with it. What I mean by “can” is that there is a positive opportunity to find that balance.

Want to know a secret? I LOVE FOOD; especially good food! I love sampling foods from different cultures, and I love mixing and matching when I cannot decide. I love french-fries, burgers, and pizza to name a few of the “normal” American style junk foods. I can eat and eat and then eat some more! The thing is, if I ate like that all the time, I would be as big as a house. At one point I actually was unhealthily large aka FAT. I am fat no longer. I am still a big guy, but my body composition of muscle and fat has changed greatly over the years in favor of muscle. This is because mentally, I have grown. I always make it a point to upgrade my mind and my body in some way. I strive for living verses existing. I believe in doing things for a purpose versus living blindly like a zombie going through motions absent thought. I chose to simply not accept that my body is destined to be that composition or that size due to genetics or whatever excuse I could grab onto (and there are many, as we know). It took time, but as quote from Lao Tzu states, “A journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step.”

So how does purpose relate to eating or nutrition? Well, as most of us frequent the internet, we can pull up pretty much every theory in the world to support what sounds good to us. If you believe and try to convince someone that a diet based upon solely eating cakes and pies and being completely sedentary is a healthy option, more than likely you can find a supporting argument about it. Unfortunately this is why those that actually want help, have trouble. Their minds are scrambled up and are on information overload.

BALANCE

Want to keep things simple? You remember that food pyramid you learned about in school? Ok, I want you pull up the imagine in your brain. Now imagine that image on fire until it burns away never to be seen again. It is useless and is a tool that people have used to accidentally increase the risk for diabetes, heart conditions, and other medical issues. The main topic I am currently after is body fat and weight loss. Here are the big three that you need to be the most concerned with: protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Ok, now do you remember the Yin Yang example? There are two sides to everything. These things are not created equal and this is where more confusion happens.

Protein: is built from building blocks called amino acids. Our bodies make amino acids in two different ways: Either from scratch, or by modifying others. A few amino acids (known as the essential amino acids) must come from food – Google. So what that means is that our bodies basically make protein, but we need to feed in order to get the maximum benefit of protein development. Protein is how we build muscle. Even if you are not a “gym rat,” you need muscle from the time you rise out of bed (or roll over) to the time you return to it.

• SIDE 1 of the coin: There is a such thing called “dirty protein.” This is where people get into protein shakes and other supplements. Now I support and believe in supplements only if they are used for the correct purpose. What I don’t support are companies that put “fillers” within their shakes. “Ok, so I just won’t get protein shakes or supplements and eat regular foods.” Not so fast. Fillers are within you “normal foods” as well. When you go to a restaurant (including documented healthy ones), you are consuming fillers. When you are shopping at the grocery store, unless you know what to look for or know for a fact where your food came from, more than likely you are consuming fillers. This can cause a wide variety of unhealthy effects.

• SIDE 2: Clean protein. This can come from meats, veggies, or complex carbs. You can get it from trusted and third party tested supplement companies as well. In regards from going to the grocery, this is where you need to educate yourself at least a little bit. Things to look for: Non-GMO, Cage-Free, no nitrates/nitrites, grass-fed. It is a shame we have to watch that so closely, but that is the way it is. Basically, all that stuff means is if you do not know where the food came from, that is the closest to clean/pure as you are going to get unless you grow/raise it yourself. If you want to go deeper into it, you can research the company that makes your food of choice. “Well, healthy protein is expensive.” I get it, but at the same time it is all about perspective. If you keep end up with medical problems minor or severe, it will cost you money. Think about any time you get a cold or other virus and feel the need to go to your drugstore for relief. That cost money. Not saying you will not get sick at all while eating cleaner, but I can guarantee that the probability of you getting sick will significantly decrease. It’s not a coincidence.

· Fats: a natural oily or greasy substance occurring in animal bodies, especially when deposited as a layer under the skin or around certain organs. – Google.

Sounds gross right? Ok try this one,

“Like carbohydrates and protein, fat is an essential nutrient. This means that your body requires it for key functions, such as absorbing the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K” – Health.com.

We are all aware of what fat looks like. You’ve seen it come from bacon. You’ve seen it on a steak. You might even have an excess of it around your mid-section or other parts of your body. So why would we want to eat it if we have so much (or more than what we want) already? What if I told you that fat is not the cause of you (or someone you know) being fat. *GASP*. As I am sure, by process of elimination, you can deduce which of the big three is potential the culprit. Don’t be so quick to give it the evil eye though. Remember, two sides. Let’s finish discussion on fat, first.

• SIDE 1: Like everything, too much fat in your diet can create severe medical conditions up to death. Heard HDL (“the good cholesterol”) and LDL (“the bad cholesterol”) regarding blood pressure? Bad fats can disrupt the balance between those two. So, what are “bad fats?” You may have seen advertisements on products or on commercials stating that the company’s product(s) contain “no trans fats.” Why? To keep it simple, trans fat raise your LDL cholesterol. When your LDL is too high, you run a very high risk of a wide range of medical issues such as, heart attack, stroke, cancer, to name a few. These are often “found in those tasty fried foods, shortening, and packaged snacks like crackers and desserts” – Heath.com

• SIDE 2: So, what are the “good fats?” Well there are three left that we humans consume (or should be). These three are monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and saturated fats. These good fats help keep your blood pressure down in the proper levels and reduce your risk of heart disease and other medical problems. “WAIT, I thought saturated fats were bad for you.” Yes it can be, but it is one of those things were BALANCE must be met. It is found it a lot of unhealthy foods like cakes and pies, but also in healthy foods as well. Have you heard the “buzz” about the crazy healthy benefits of coconut oil? Guess what, that’s a saturated fat because it is solid at room temperature. Saturated fats are found in both plant and animal sources. What foods are they found in?

1. MUFA: Found in plant food like nuts, avocados, olive oil, and canola oil – Health.com

2. PUFA: Found in fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel, and corn and soybean oils – Health.com

3. Saturated fat: Found In meat and diary products such as cheese, butter, and milk – Health.com. So that means meat lovers can eat bacon! Remember to check for warning signs: Non-GMO, Cage-Free, no nitrates/nitrites, grass-fed like we talked about!

· Carbohydrates: any of a large group of organic compounds occurring in foods and living tissues and including sugars, starch, and cellulose. They contain hydrogen and oxygen in the same ratio as water (2:1) and typically can be broken down to release energy in the animal body – Google.

The “dreaded” carbs! Why is everyone so against them? Well, let us go back to what I said earlier about “the culprit” among the big three making us fat. Yes it is true that carbs are the culprits causing people to become fat, obese, and develop a wide range of medical problems. However, it is not cut and dry; yin yang, remember?

• SIDE 1: The deeper root of the cause of obesity is SUGAR. Sugar is a carbohydrate is sneakily put in many of the tasty foods we love and grew up with. It’s found in virtually every cereal. It found in breads such as biscuits, cornbread, bagels, etc. It’s found in pastas, waffles, pancakes. Basically it can be found in almost anything you get from the shelf of a store or anything that is not fresh produce. This type of harmful sugar is known as a processed sugar. It is different that natural sugar. Did you know that there is even sugar in milk? This is another way people get in trouble with combining sugars. You eat the processed sugar from the cereal then chase it down with extra sugar from milk. With just one sitting of breakfast, you may have reached your daily recommend allowance of sugar.

o TRICKERY: People that are actually trying to be healthy often get tricked. Many people are finally becoming aware, but companies are too. Food companies of course, want their products purchased so that they make money. Therefore, they want their products to taste the best among their competitors. They also are aware of people trying to “cut calories.” To keep their consumers happy, absent care of health, they put in artificial sweeteners. There is a laundry list of health issues that these sweeteners cause potentially making them even more harmful than consuming too much natural sugar. The artificial sugars are generally disguised as ingredients ending with “ose,” but there are some exceptions like sucrose, glucose, and fructose (naturally occurring sugars in fruits and veggies). You don’t need to go back to school to learn this stuff, but you should always be learning something. Why not about your own health and body?

• SIDE 2: Let’s talk about “good carbs.” Yes, there are good carbs. Beans have carbs. Natural peanut butter has carbs. All of your leafy green (and non) veggies have carbs in them. So what makes them different from the other carbs? Time for some more vocab.

Simple Carbs: Simply, carbs that are easily digested and readily absorbed. These carbs raise your blood sugar levels or insulin quickly. They are found in natural sources like fruits and some vegetables in the form of fructose and sucrose. Athletes use these for performance or if you’ve ever given blood you may have been given orange juice or some sort of insulin spiking substance to make you feel better. Click here real quick to see a brief summary about, “Is Sugar From Fruit Better For You Than White Sugar?” Don’t let the natural sugar scare you. Yin yang, remember? Besides, fruit is packed with lots of fiber and vitamins, which we all need. Vitamins are virtually not found in candies and other unhealthy desserts. Even veggies like carrots have natural sugars within them.

• Complex Carbs: Still keeping it…simple, these are carbs that are slowly digested and take time to absorb into the body. Here’s why this is a good thing: Do you notice how hungry you feel moments later after consuming a meal high in carbs. For example, if you go to a restaurant and get a pizza, hunger may once again find you quicker than later. That is because that meal containing large amounts of bread (typically simple carbs) is being absorb quickly by your body. This makes you pack on the calories because you will need another “fix” like an addict. You also may notice that you feel very sleepy afterwards. That is because your insulin or blood sugar spiked rapidly then crashed. With complex carbs, it is basically the opposite. Complex carbs take their sweet time being absorbed and lower your blood sugar. Not only do they pack tons of nutrients, but they make your body stay full longer. Therefore, you don’t have the urge to eat too much or as much. They are found in virtually all of your vegetables. Munch away!

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USE YOUR BRAIN - Commit to memory

So the biggest take away in regards to keeping things simple with these is:

• Learn to read food labels. Seriously, its not hard. This link should get you started.

• Limit or avoid processed sugars: Try to stick the produce section and cook your meals. “Too busy?” Use a crockpot. It is stupidly simple and saves you and money. “Can’t cook?” There are plenty of videos on platforms like YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook to aid you and don’t require you to be a culinary master. C’mon now, you can do it!

• On the food label in the ingredients list: If there is a long paragraph, you cannot pronounce the names of many of the words, or they simply seem “too sciency.” You might want to avoid it.