Nutrition 101: To Eat is necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art by LittleRus

Hello Darlings,

I am pleased to share this nutrition 101 guide written by my long time friend and a nutritionist, LittleRus of Fashion By Love.

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.”

-François de La Rochefoucauld

I was excited when Marta asked me to write this nutrition-related post to share tips and secrets to promote healthy living. I’ve been working in nutrition since 2003, first at a weight loss clinic and later – running my own nutritional therapy practice. It’s an enjoyable career, and I’ve learned a great deal that I am happy to share.

Today’s post is about true or false diet and nutrition facts, with a layout as you would see on pages of a fashion magazine… Today it’s all about CLASSICS (staples for a healthy eating style) and FAUX PAS (foods and eating habits to avoid, and common misconceptions).

CLASSICS:

1. Healthy eating is about balance – between foods that provide all the necessary nutriments, vitamins and minerals your body needs while controlling portion sizes. Tip: As long as about 85% of your diet is made of good sources of protein (oily fish, lean poultry and meat, eggs, some dairy, nuts, seeds, oils, plenty of vegetables and fruits, and whole grains) it’s perfectly fine to have an ice-cream, cupcake or chocolate!
2. Chocolate is okay as long as it’s dark chocolate, meaning it contains at least 70% cocoa solids and ideally is organic. Chocolate is not only a delicious treat, but also high in antioxidants. Best bet 10-20g per day.
3. It is sugar and not fat that you should avoid. Sugar causes the brain to produce the same chemical as alcohol and drugs (according to the research by University of North Carolina), so there is a belief that sugar addiction and alcoholism have a strong connection. Sugar increases risk of diabetes, insulin resistance, weight gain, bacterial imbalances, digestive complaints, skin problems and may cause premature aging, PMS, mood swings, depression and food cravings.

FAUX PAS:

1. It is a bad idea to avoid fat altogether or to eat a low-fat diet to lose weight or improve health. Our bodies need fat, but the good kind. Essential fats Omega 3 and 6 cannot be produced in the body, but are necessary to support skin health, brain activity, nervous system and hormone production. The good fats are found in oily fish, avocado, nuts, seeds and oils such as hempseed and extra virgin olive oil.
2. Eating eggs daily is absolutely fine. If you don’t have cholesterol problems, you can have 2 eggs daily and enjoy the taste as well as give your body plenty of good quality protein, zinc, phosphorus, selenium, B vitamins, vitamins E and D.
3. Skin problems are not something that should be treated from the outside. Always start  by looking at your diet and lifestyle: reduce stress, sleep more, spend a few minutes (at least) outside daily, enjoy moderate amount of sunshine, avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates like white flour or white rice, have some natural organic yoghurt daily (without any added sugar), eat plenty of oily fish, avocados, nuts, seeds and use extra virgin olive oil as a dressing.
4. OK, red wine may contain antioxidants, but all I can say is that the body sees alcohol as a drug. Red grapes are a much better choice if you are looking for that extra antioxidant boost.
5. You really do not need to spend cash on sports drinks. Instead, make your own by combining equal quantities of fruit juice and water and adding a pinch of sea or rock salt. It will save your tooth enamel, too!
6. Quitting coffee cold turkey is not something you should try as it will put too much pressure on your adrenal glands. Instead reduce your coffee intake by about 1 cup per week until you get to 1 cup a day. And, of course, always drink fresh coffee and not the instant variety.
7. 
8. Many think to avoid dark chicken meat (legs & thighs) because it’s high in fat. In reality, it contains only 2g more fat per 100g compared to the white chicken meat. What gives the dark meat of chicken or turkey its appearance is high amounts of myoglobin, which provides oxygen to working muscles. Chickens and turkeys don’t fly, meaning they walk a lot, so their leg (thigh) meat is saturated with myoglobin while their breast and wing meats are paler due to low levels of this compound.
9. Detox diets are not essential unless you have a health problem. The body is able to detoxify itself and it is doing so on a daily basis. Moreover, any strict detox plans should never be done without medical supervision meaning that if a doctor suggests that you follow a Detox diet, he or she should be present with you 24/7.
10. There’s no such a thing as forbidden foods. The only time you may need to avoid specific foods is when there’s a health condition that requires you to do so.
11. Trying to lose more than a couple of pounds a week isn’t going to do you any good. Not only you put yourself at higher risk of gaining all the weight you’ve lost (and most of it – in a form of fat) back, but such a diet may also lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies and related health issues.
12. There is no such a thing as fat burning foods. Period.
13. Eating high protein diet will not increase your chances of muscle gain. In fact, the body’s ability to gain muscle is limited to an amount of 0.5-1kg of muscle gain (in men) per month! The rate will also be influenced by gender, body type, genetics and type and frequency of exercise. At the same time, eating high protein diet may put additional pressure on your kidneys and cause loss of minerals from the body, including the bones.
14. Carbohydrates do not make you fat. All you need to remember is that the most carbohydrates in your diet should come in a form of whole grains (oats, quinoa, buckwheat, wholewheat, brown rice, millet, etc.) and not sugary foods or things made with white flour or white rice.
15. If your diet has been low in fresh fruit and vegetables, do not attempt to start eating  plenty of them at once – instead increase slowly, by adding 1-2 handfuls of vegetables to your meals for the first week and then more and more as you continue. Lightly steaming some of the vegetables will also help to avoid discomfort and bloating.
16. And the last piece of wisdom: never try to change your diet overnight. Instead make a list of things you would like to change and do your best to achieve 1 or two every week. And remember to praise yourself every time you achieve your goal!

Wishing Everyone a Beautiful Weekend!

With Love…

Marta

Sources: fashion gone rogue, fashion spot, sarah klassen/hate design This article offers health, fitness and nutritional information and is designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The use of any information provided is solely at your own risk. No assurance can be given that the advice contained in this site will always include the most recent findings or developments with respect to the particular material. No part of this site, written articles or photographs contained herein, may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without express permission of the copyright holder(s).