Nutrition for a Healthy Lifestyle
 by: Dr. Jeff Hand
Proper nutrition is an area of confusion for most
people. With all of the conflicting information in the media and all
of the fad diets out there, it is hard to know how to eat right. Eating
right comes down to eating the proper balance of the three main compounds
that make up our food: carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Knowing the
balance is the first step, knowing the right foods to eat within these
groups is the next.
Carbohydrates: 40% of your calorie intake should
come from carbs. A good portion of the carbs you take in should be
low glycemic and dietary fiber rich. Low glycemic carbs take longer
to digest and fill you up quicker. Good sources of these types of
carbs are fruits such as mangos, grapefruits and pears. Whole grains
breads, rice and pasta, veggies and popcorn (without butter) are all
excellent sources of dietary fiber as well. Eating carbs rich in dietary
fiber help prevent many cancers, decrease cholesterol in the bloodstream
and decrease the chance of diabetes, which is increasing within the
population.
Protein: 30% of your calorie intake should come from
protein. You should take in no more than 2 grams per 2.2lbs of body
weight to avoid kidney damage although this takes a long time to develop
(15 years of high protein intake). Animal proteins are the most complete
form of protein. Good animal sources are chicken, turkey and lean
cuts of beef. Plant proteins are incomplete sources and a variety
of them must be consumed to get a complete protein. Vegetarians run
into this problem and depending on the type of vegetarian, a protein
or amino acid supplement may be needed.
Fats: 30% of your calorie intake should come from
fats and less than 10% should come from saturated and trans fats (the
bad and evil fats). The rest should come from essential fats. I know,
this sounds like a lot of fat in a diet but hear me out. The big thing
is to decrease saturated and trans fats and eat the essential ones.
But what are sources of essential fats? Good sources are cold-water
fish, peanuts, walnuts, avocados and sunflower seeds. Also, using
olive or canola oils for cooking will increase essential fats in the
diet. The most important thing to do is to stay away from foods cooked
in shortening, processed foods, deep-fried foods and fatty cuts of
meat.
Now the next question, how many calories should I
eat a day to have a healthy lifestyle? Well that depends, is your
weight ideal right now? To maintain your current weight, there is
a certain amount of calories you must take in. To figure out your
maintenance level, multiply your weight in kg’s (lbs/2.2) by
24 + 200 for males and 23 + 200 for females. Dieting is very simple.
To lose weight, take in fewer calories. About 500 less than your maintenance
level is a safe start. To gain weight, eat more than your maintenance
level. It’s as simple as that! For more information about health
and wellness check out our website at http://www.gearforhealth.com.
About The Author
Dr. Jeff Hand was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada,
where he attended Lakehead University for his Bachelor of Science
degree. He then attended Northwestern College of Chiropractic in Minneapolis,
MN for his doctor of Chiropractic degree. Dr. Hand now practices in
Baxter, MN at Family Chiropractic Clinic. His hobbies include hockey,
golf, fishing and weight training.
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