You are what you eat

All the fancy talk does not help. Bottom line is: to loose weight you must

 “Burn more calories than you take in.”

It can be very difficult when you want to see overall body health improvement as well as weight loss. Good nutrition skills are a must in this case. Proper nutrition can help to reduce your risk of a variety of health problems including heart disease and cancer. This, however, entails eating many different foods, watching your consumption of some food and beverage items, and counting calories. Good diets offer balanced nutrition that reduces cholesterol, blood pressure, and aids in weight loss.

Your body cannot function when you starve it, to function properly, your body must have the correct combination of nutrients.

1.     Carbohydrates are one nutrient your body requires. They are the primary source of ammunition in your diet. The body uses them to build glucose, which can be used immediately or stored in your body for later. Too much glucose, though, is stored as fat.  You need to keep a balance.

There are 2 types of carbohydrates.  They are called simple and complex types

·      Sugars are simple carbohydrates.

·      Starches and fibers are complex carbohydrates.

2.     Proteins are another important nutrient. Proteins help your body build and fix muscles and other tissues. They also function in the creation of hormones. Like carbohydrates, excess protein is stored as fat.

Animal and vegetable proteins are the two major types. Too much animal protein, though, can cause high cholesterol, as it is high in saturated fat.

3.     Fat is another nutrient your body requires. It comes in both saturated and unsaturated forms. Saturated fat puts you at risk of health problems. Unsaturated fat is healthy, but if it goes through any type of refinement process, it can become saturated fat.

4.     Vitamins are also required nutrients. Different vitamins perform different tasks within the body. They can work with the metabolism to help with energy levels for any task you can think of that you need your body to perform. It has also been noted that certain vitamins can prevent diseases

·      Vitamins A, C, and E, also called antioxidants, can assist with the prevention of coronary artery disease by keeping build up from occurring on artery walls.

·      Vitamin B-1 is needed for digestion and proper nervous system function.

·      Vitamin B-2 is needed for normal cell growth.

·      Vitamin B-3 helps to detoxify your body. Folic acid assists with production of red blood cells.

·      Vitamin D assists with the absorption of calcium.

·      Vitamin K helps your blood clot.

5.     Minerals and trace elements are another nutrient your body requires. Both are used in all sorts of different body processes. Minerals like chlorine help make your digestive juices. Phosphorus helps build strong bones. Both can be found in the foods we consume, but with a trace element, your body just needs a tiny amount.

6.     Salt is one final nutrient your body requires. You should not consume more than 2400 milligrams per day, though, as it might raise your blood pressure.

The basis of a healthy diet is excellent nutrition.