Nutrition, Nutrition, Nutrition

In your quest to lose weight have you forgotten about nutrition?

If you have significantly reduced your calorie intake and/or are not eating real food, you could be starving yourself of essential nutrition. Fruits & vegetables absorb raw minerals from the soil & bind them to organic compounds such as protein & fiber. It is this bound form of minerals that our bodies are designed to absorb & utilize. Does your new diet not consist of whole foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.) at every meal? Is your new diet a ketogenic-like diet (high protein, low carbohydrate)? If so, your body isn’t getting essential nutrition & you are starving without being hungry. Your consistent consumption of calories is preventing a “true” starvation, but without the intake of essential vitamins & minerals your body will cannibalize itself in order to keep vital organs, most significantly the brain, heart, & lungs functioning allowing you to continue “hunting for food”.

The human body is a finely tuned, efficient, & adaptable machine designed to survive at all costs. If it isn’t getting the nutrition it needs through diet, it will begin to break down tissue, muscles, bones, etc. in order to metabolize the glucose, fatty acids, minerals, etc. that your brain, heart, lungs, & other vital organs need in order to function. As noted above, unless you are eating real, whole foods, your body isn’t getting the essential nutrients it needs through your diet. It is only through the binding process described above that your body can properly absorb & utilize these nutrients. Without that process, these nutrients crystallize in the intestines making them difficult to absorb. Unfortunately, labels on packaged foods don’t indicate the rate of solubility, availability, or absorption of the nutrients inside.

Carbohydrates are not bad. In fact they are one of three macronutrients that are essential in every balanced diet. There are three types of carbohydrates: refined, simple, & complex. It is the “refined” carbs (i.e. added sugars) in food that are the “bad” carbs. Refined carbohydrates are found in cakes, white bread, cookies, crackers, etc. Even though refined carbs are a subgroup of simple carbohydrates, not all simple carbs are bad either. Simple carbohydrates include sugars naturally found in  fruits & vegetables & the sugars your body needs for quick energy & to help your body absorb the additional nutrients found in the fruits & vegetables. Starch & dietary fiber are the two types of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates take longer to break down into glucose, which burns more calories in the process. So, in essence, by consuming more complex carbs you will actually lose more weight of the unhealthy (i.e. fat) kind.

Bottom line is: losing weight isn’t worth the health risk of poor nutrition.

Good nutrition & a healthy, balanced diet begin with a hearty, substantial breakfast. Below are a couple of good places to start.

FiberWise^® cereals are made with psyllium husk fiber and other sources of fiber as well as a proprietary blend of herbs, vitamins, and antioxidants, including:

Aloe vera leaf —helps promotes regularity
Burdock root—well-known soothing agent
Ginger root—reduces gas
Peppermint leaf—helps soothe indigestion
Licorice root—helps calm the stomach
Grape seed—powerful antioxidant that helps protect the digestive tract
Green tea—helps support a healthy metabolism
Vitamin A—helps enhance immunity
Vitamin C—powerful antioxidant
Vitamin E—free radical fighter

Psyllium husk fiber has been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease by helping to reduce both total cholesterol and LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol. It also helps promote regularity and it helps collect and sweep away toxins for a healthier digestive tract.*

The ingredients are also whole foods, real foods, healthy foods, not isolated nutrients removed from their natural source. These ingredients, other than what is listed above, include the following: whole oats & wheat, dried strawberries, barley, brown rice, honey, cinnamon, & sesame seeds.

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Simply Fit Hot Cereal

Simply Fit Hot Cereal was featured last week as well. This week will focus on the difference between Simply Fit & Quaker® Instant Oatmeal.

Compared to Quaker® Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice & Maple & Brown Sugar, Simply Fit Hot Cereal has:

66% more fiber
25% more protein
33 – 46% less sodium
22 – 33% less sugar
260 mg ALA omega-3
More whole grains

Again the ingredients are whole foods, real foods, healthy foods including: rolled oats, rolled barley, rolled rye, rolled wheat, whole flaxseed meal, whole oat flour, & cinnamon.

for more info on Simply Fit, Fiberwise, & other products from Melaleuca, the Wellness Company, contact janna at 503.756.6822 or info@phoenixfunctionalfitness.com.