nutrition&supplementation

"If it’s not in the soil, it’s not in the spinach."

There are many ways to describe and understand the basics about nutrition. A Google search will testify to that fact. However, at the heart of the matter is truly understanding the answers to two simple questions:

How much of each food type should I eat, and supplementation, Do I need to supplement my diet, and if so, how do I go about learning which ones are right for me?

In the next few pages you’ll get most of everything you need to know to answer these questions. Congratulations for taking the first step along the way on your journey to achieving optimal health and wellness through proper nutrition and supplementation!

Let’s start off with, "Why should I take supplements?"

Read these next few paragraphs over a couple of times. This information will completely change your mindset on nutrition and supplementation.

FACT 1: Out with the Good, In with the Bad

In 1910 approximately only 10% of our foods were processed. Today it’s closer to 80%! More often than not, during the food "processing," many of the food’s vital nutrients are lost. At the same time many chemicals and preservatives are added.

Unfortunately, this is a double whammy. It’s not bad enough that much of the good stuff is taken out, but compounding the problem is that many of the "additives" are actually toxic to the body, and secondarily require additional nutrients in order to eliminate them. It is a downwardly spiraling effect that can have many deleterious effects.

For example, check out how our foods are altered for today’s consumption:

Fats:

Creating margarine, partially hydrogenated oils that are well known to have a tremendous impact in/on our bodies, alters fats. Cell damage, cancer risks and heart disease are a result of long-term consumption of altered fats. Compounding the issue is the fact that we use these products in cooking which exposes them to high temperatures, therefore creating additional toxins.

Proteins:

Proteins, like meats, dairy and poultry are injected with antibiotics and hormones such as steroids, so that they will produce a larger quantity. Studies are showing that today’s water supplies are carrying the byproducts of this process and antibiotics and steroids can be found in the water supply.

Carbohydrates:

Take a look at the food labels of any of the processed carbohydrates, snacks, cookies, breads, cereals, etc. and you will be astonished at the amount of dyes, etc. We were not created to handle these substances and many of us have sub-clinical allergies leading to chronic allergies, and conditions such as hyperactivity and arthritis.

Is it any wonder that we are as a society growing sicker and sicker each year?

FACT 2: If it’s not in the soil, it’s not in the spinach!

Think about this. Where do the nutrients that end up in the foods we eat come from? For example, the vitamins and minerals in our fruits and vegetables, how do they get there? From the soil! Recent research reveals that our soil is becoming more and more depleted in nutrients over the past few decades. Studies show that a head of lettuce from 1948 contained 50 times the nutrient levels than it does today. Which brings us to the age-old debate, is it better to eat organic to get more nutrients? Well, let’s see.

A Rutgers University study (Variations in mineral content in vegetables, the Firman E. Bear report) quantifies this point very clearly. In comparing commercially grown, non-organic vegetables (typical grocery store variety) to organically grown vegetables, a significant difference was found. Here’s a snap shot of some of the finds:

The Basics

The nutrients found in food can be divided into two classes: macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fat, and water) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). In order for your body to feel healthy and energized, and to function at its best, it's important to make smart decisions about the types of food you eat. The rest of this section will explain the basics of several nutrients. Remember, consult your doctor before starting any diet and exercise program.

Calories (k/cal)

Your body requires a specific amount of calories every day for your body to function properly. Individuals with active lifestyles require more calories in their diet than those with sedentary lifestyles. If your energy intake consistently exceeds your energy output, you will begin to notice a change in weight. For every 3500 calories consumed beyond the energy needs of your body, you may gain 1 pound of fat. On the other hand, creating a deficit of 3500 calories can result in the loss of 1 pound. To put this in perspective, cutting out a mere 250 calories a day could amount to a weight loss of 26 pounds in just one year!

Protein (4 kcal/g)

Protein, which is composed of building blocks called amino acids, performs a number of functions in our body. Protein helps:

Build and maintain healthy muscles when combined with diet and exercise

Support red blood cell production

Boost your immune system

Keep your hair, fingernails, and skin healthy

Protein is an extremely important macronutrient and should be eaten frequently throughout the day. High-quality sources of protein include whey protein, red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, yogurt, and cheese.

Carbohydrates (4 kcal/g)

Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of energy, especially in low-fat diets. They're a great source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and are split into two categories, complex and simple carbohydrates. Choose a variety of foods ranging from fruits and vegetables to whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread and whole-grain cereals.

In addition, try to select foods made with little fat or sugar, such as pasta, lentils, and beans. Baked goods such as cakes, cookies, croissants, and pastries are carbohydrates as well, but most of the original fiber is removed during processing. Try to limit your intake of these types as much as possible.

Fat (9 kcal/g)

The two main types of fat are saturated and unsaturated fats. Saturated fats maintain a solid state at room temperature (like lard) and are generally considered to be associated with various health problems. On the other hand, unsaturated fats maintain a liquid state at room temperature (like olive oil) and have positive effects on the body's health. Due to these effects, you should try to eat oil-rich fish, nuts, and seeds more often, while limiting your intake of saturated fats like non-dairy creamers, high-fat meats, French fries, and pastries.

Another fat found in our diets that needs to be controlled is hydrogenated fat/trans fats. To counter its effects, enjoy a diet full of essential fatty acids (EFAs). Natural sources of EFAs include cold-water fish, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and other supplemental sources such as flaxseed, canola, or fish oil.

Fiber

Dietary fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate that passes through our system without absorption. Our bodies lack the enzymes to break down the various types of fiber into a form that can be absorbed into the blood. Two main classes of fiber in our diet are soluble and insoluble types.

Soluble fiber is found in fruits, legumes, oats, and rye among other foods. This fiber combines with water to form a gel in our intestinal tracts, which softens our stools and slows the rate of food that passes through our digestive systems. Insoluble fiber can be found in vegetables and wheat bran. This fiber tends to bulk in size when absorbing water, thus accelerating the rate at which food passes through our systems. The American Dietetic Association's recommendation for daily fiber intake is approximately 20 to 30 grams per day.

Cholesterol

A Well-Known Fat-Like Compound: Cholesterol is a fat-like compound that is found in many foods, your bloodstream, and all of your body's cells. The liver creates about 85 percent of your blood cholesterol, while the other 15 percent comes from your diet. Dietary cholesterol comes primarily from animal sources such as meat, eggs, dairy products, fish, and seafood.

The American Heart Association recommends a daily cholesterol intake of less than 300 milligrams, as a higher intake of dietary cholesterol and saturated fat is linked to atherosclerosis (clogging of the arteries). As a result of their health effects, you should maintain appropriate levels of the various protein-composed outer coverings that transport cholesterol through the body. There are two main types: HDL (good) blood cholesterol carriers and LDL (bad) blood cholesterol carriers. Always make sure the HDL levels are high and your LDL levels kept low.

Water

The Other Element of a Healthy Diet: Your body's important chemical reactions all occur in the presence of water, which comprises about 60 percent of your bodyweight and 70 percent of your muscle weight. Water helps regulate and maintain your body temperature; transports nutrients and oxygen; removes waste products; and moistens your mouth, eyes, nose, hair, skin, digestive tract, and joints. Limiting water intake can result in dehydration, elevated body temperature, fatigue, decreased performance, and increased risk of heat-related illness. Consume at least 8 to 10 glasses of water per day.

Micronutrients

Micronutrients (more commonly known as vitamins and minerals) are different from macronutrients in that they do not supply direct energy. Rather, they work with your body to help extract energy from the foods you eat, in addition to helping ensure that your body functions optimally during everyday activities. Some of the tasks minerals perform include maintaining water balance; aiding absorption, digestion and transport of nutrients; transmitting nerve impulses; and regulating muscle contraction.

There are 13 vitamins (4 are fat-soluble, and 9 are water-soluble) whose responsibilities include ensuring normal metabolism, growth, and mental alertness. Vitamins and minerals are vital to our health, as deficiency in one specific vitamin or mineral can result in a related illness or disease that usually subsides once appropriate levels are reached again.

What are superfoods?

Superfoods are a category of foods found in nature, they are superior sources of essential nutrients - nutrients we need but can't make ourselves. Growing concerns for the quality of foods grown on mineral depleted soils makes superfoods a must for daily health. They are nutritionally more potent than regular foods and are wonderful food sources of anti-oxidants for healthy healing. Superfoods are nutrient dense and calorie sparse.

Greens are good, but Green Superfoods are even better! Greensuperfoods have the highest concentrations of easily digestible nutrients, fat burning compounds, vitamins and minerals to protect and support healing in the body. They contain a wide array of beneficial substances including proteins, protective photonutrients and healthy bacteria helping you to build cleaner muscles and tissues, aid your digestive system function and more effectively helps protect you against disease and illness. A healthy lifestyle incorporating a variety of superfoods will help you maintain your weight, fight disease, and live longer. These multitasking "super foods" provide multiple disease-fighting nutrients, fill you up, and provide plenty of energy without the calories. Oh, did we mention that it tastes great too!