17th September, 2014
By Sharon Jane Akinyemi
Nutrients do not perform their specific functions alone; they work as teams. If one member is missing, the body functions will be performed poorly or the job may not get done at all.
A woman I know ate mostly junk food. When she broke her wrist in an accident, her body did not contain the proper minerals needed to heal the broken bone properly. When the bone was completely knitted, the wrist had an ugly bulge on it. Her physician explained that her body had to use second choice nutrients because the adequate amount of calcium and phosphorus were lacking.
What baffles me most is for one to indulge and behave as if tomorrow won’t come. Let me make this clear: we have no excuse eating the wrong foods. It is by choice.
Our culture promotes celebration throughout the year, from birthday party to wedding ceremony, burial ceremony, house warming, I can go on and on. These are occasions to eat all the wrong things and postpone the healthy eating days to a future that may never be realised because the excuses continue day after day. You see?.
Parties can be so much fun, but let me tell you why I have a real love/hate relationship with them and trust me, I’m sure you can relate with me.
Here’s what I love. I love spending time with family and friends, especially people I may not have seen for quite some time. It’s such a wonderful time to catch up on all of the great events that happened in the past year. I also love getting all dressed up and putting on clothes that make me comfortable, but for the “head gear” count me out, I wish I can completely do without it. I may even put a little makeup on my face and brush my hair. Wow.that would make it a real party!
Here’s the part I absolutely hate (and yes, hate is a strong word, but you’ll understand what I’m talking about in just a minute). It always upsets me when I experience “junk-food pushers” at parties. I also like to call these people “trolls.” You know the people I’m talking about here…
“Oh, just have cakes and fried meat (or whatever). It’s a party, for goodness’ sake.”
“Oh, don’t worry about eating all of this bad food. You can just start dieting the next month like the rest of us.” Or the worst one of all: “Just one won’t kill you.”
Look, I think people should treat themselves to whatever tasty food they like as part of a healthy eating plan, but going on an all-out binge because of the parties that’s just going to end up having you feel awful by the next month.
How can you get through these party situations effectively and run away from the “junk-food pushers” and “trolls”?
Here are my strategies for surviving the party scene:
•Eat before you go. I use this one all the time. I eat a hearty meal that contains healthy protein and fat to keep me satisfied so I am not running to the buffet table upon getting to the party. When asked, “Are you going to eat?” I just say, “Yeah, I’ll get to it.” Or “I had a really late lunch. I’ll eat a bit in a little while.” I don’t get into a full dissertation about how their oily, fried and sugar laden food is horribly bad for you. No one really wants to hear it, especially at a party. So I just keep it light and keep it moving and keep the conversation flowing about everything else, EXCEPT the food.
•Bring your own stuff. I have become so notorious for this, people expect me to walk in with a delicious treat. Everyone loves my grilled chicken, fish and veggie side dishes, it is often the first thing they ask. “Hey, what healthy concoction did you make this year?” People really do want to eat healthy, it just needs to taste good! Whenever in doubt or at a loss for a delicious recipe, just head to the Body Confidence Diet recipe.
•Do not let one bad party dictate the rest of your season. Here’s another one I see all the time. You mess up one time and you think it’s the end of the world. Not true! Just get right back on your horse and start healthy the next day. This is not an all-or-nothing plan. This is a clean, healthy lifestyle. So you didn’t “blow” your diet. You just had a little treat…end of story!
•Start off on the right (healthy) foot. For me, this means two full cups of water blended with a cup of green tea and some garden eggs (not blended) This is how I start every day, but it’s especially important on days when I may be eating at a restaurant, a party, or a relative’s house. When you’re not the one preparing the food, you might be overindulging without even knowing it.
Fruits and vegetables are the all-natural, whole food that has been designed to cover the daily nutritional needs of active people. With just this one as juice if possible, drink every morning, I ensure that I’m getting the highest quality vitamins, minerals and nutrition each day.
The growth and maintenance of bones depend on protein, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium , phosphorus, magnesium, and fluoride,to mention only a few. However, it is dangerous to take individual vitamins or minerals without a health practitioner’s supervision. Overdoses can create a shortage of other nutrients and the body can be harmed as a result.
Many people are sick and tired because they do not get the proper nutrients from the foods they eat. If you want to stay well and have more energy make sure your diet is balanced.
Let’s take a closer look at these sources of vitamins:
Vitamin A- liver, carrot leafy greens, sweet potatoes and pumpkin, Ewedu, Ugwu and Okazi.
Vitamin A functions in visual processes, helps maintain healthy skin, thus increasing resistance to infection.
Vitamin B1- whole grains, fortified cereals nuts, dry beans. Vitamin B aids carbohydrate use; promotes appetite; aids nervous system.
Vitamin C- Oranges, pawpaw, mango, grapefruits, water melon, apple.
Vitamin C strengthens blood vessels; hasten healing; increases resistance to infections; aids in use of iron.
Calcium- milk especially skimmed milk, yoghurt, sardines. Greens, unripe plantain.
Calcium aids in building bones and teeth in blood clotting, muscle relaxation and nerves.
In conclusion, healthy eating and physical exercise equals sound mind and sound health.