SIX COMPONENTS OF HEALTH - NUTRITION, PFC'S EVERY 3

In case you missed the last blog, it was the first in a series addressing the six components to health. Contrary to what you might think, eating well is only one of six components needed to ensure optimal health. Sleep, nutrition, exercise, supplementation, water and stress all play a role in our level of health. Last article we looked at how sleep and stress affected the body's ability to metabolize food and burn off fat. This week, let's address the benefits and pitfalls associated with nutrition.

As I'm sure you are aware, what we feed our bodies plays a huge role in the level of health we either enjoy or suffer with, and by extension, our quality of life. We truly are not only what we eat, but also what our bodies can metabolize. It is for these reasons fuelling our bodies with as much nutrition as possible while maintaining a balance that stabilizes blood sugar, balances hormones and increases energy is so important. Let's begin with the basics.

The easiest way to begin making improvements to the types of foods you are putting into your body is to cook at home. Whether it's packing your own lunch versus take out, or having dinner around the dining room table, almost anything you would put together at home is better nutritionally, and saves you money. Choosing to eat out only on special occasions will actually make that occasion seem even more special and chances are with the money you've saved, you will be able to afford that special dining experience rather than drive thru on the way home.

Now that you're packing your lunch and taking things out of the freezer for dinner, let's take a look at quality. There is a hierarchy to the foods we eat and single ingredients foods come out on top every time, no question. Real, whole foods, either raw or prepared with fresh herbs and spices, as well as quality protein sources, provide top quality nutrition and actually nourish your body at the cellular level rather than just filling it. Packaged foods listing very few ingredients on the label are next down the chain, fast food falls even farther down and empty-calorie foods (essentially non-foods) are at the bottom. In case you are wondering, “empty-calorie” foods are those that contain a few or even all of the following; sugar and/or salt content, unhealthy fats, artificial sugars, preservatives, colours, MSG, to name a few. We should know by now that preservatives won't preserve us. Soda pop, most boxed cereals, powdered drink mixes, lunchables, instant noodle soups and most packaged snacks that are marketed towards kids' school lunches.

Ok, so now you're packing lunches, cooking most meals at home and using more whole, real foods than “empty” foods. Excellent! Balancing all that good nutrition is where our PFCs every 3 comes in. With so many good things in place, the only thing left to do is combine those choices in a way that promotes blood sugar stabilization.

When packing that lunch, or cooking a meal, remembering to include a protein, fat and carbohydrate (PFCs) and repeating that combination every three hours throughout the day creates balance within the body. PFCs every 3, simple. If you're thinking, “Is balancing really going to make that much of a difference? I'm eating good food and making smart choices...” You bet it does.

When blood sugar is stable, good things happen. Stored fat can be released and burned as energy, excess weight is shed, hormones become balanced, moods are improved, cholesterol and blood pressure are lowered, and that's just to name a few. By consciously making good food decisions on a consistent basis and then balancing those choices, you have effectively improved your quality of life and often extended it as well.