Simple everyday nutrition habits that stick

Eating for health, not for filler

Understanding nutrition

Food is the raw material the body needs in order to function. It is an essential right to all living beings, without which could lead to consequences like nutritional deficiency diseases and even death. Food can come from vegetation (leafy greens, fruits, nuts, and berries) or animals (fish, chicken, cows, some insects, and goats). Water is also an integral part of nutrition.

Nutrition is the process by which the body acquires, assimilates, and utilizes food rich in nutrients, resulting in minerals and vitamins for repair, growth, energy, building new material, and maintaining overall good health. Nutrients are the actual material that the body needs in order to maintain function. They can be measured in terms of calories, which is the amount of energy they can give off per serving.

Nutrients are arranged in the following categories:

· Carbohydrates- maize, cassava, rice, wheat, potatoes, and their resulting products like bread and pasta.

· Proteins- chicken, fish, beans, lentils, and chickpeas.

· Fats- avocado, oils (olive, coconut), nuts and animal fats (tallow and lard)

· Vitamins- A, B, D, E, C, K, found in fruits and vegetables

· Minerals- Phosphorous, potassium, zinc, magnesium, found in fruits and vegetables

· Water

Malnutrition

This is the unbalanced state of nutrients in the body, and it can be too much (obesity) or too little (deficiency). Nutritional deficiency is the inadequate or total lack of specific nutrients needed by the body to function. In low amounts, it can lead to fatigue, mood problems, and poor immunity. In severe cases, it leads to actual diseases and syndromes as follows:

· Iron deficit- iron deficiency anemia

· Protein deficit- kwashiorkor

· B9 and B12- deficit- megaloblastic anemia

· Iodine deficit- goiter

· Vitamin D- rickets, osteomalacia

· Vitamin C deficit- scurvy

· B1 (thiamine) deficit- beriberi

· B3 (niacin) deficit- pellagra

· B6 (pyridoxine) deficit- peripheral neuropathy

A picture of an obese person as a result of excessive eating

Excessive nutrition

Excess nutrition intake is overloading the body with nutrients beyond its capacity to process, utilize, and store. This forces the body to exert additional mechanisms and pathways to deal with the extra calories. For instance, the conversion of excess nutrients to fats is a normal body process, but if the calories are excessive, the body begins to deposit fat stores where it normally doesn’t and might lead to obesity and related diseases like diabetes.

Diseases associated with overnutrition include:

· Nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases

· Hypertension

· Atherosclerosis

· Gout

· Kidney stones

· Selenosis

Illustration of the healthy plate technique

Incorporating healthy nutrition in everyday life

Ensure to take a balanced diet

This can be easily implemented using the healthy plate method of having half the plate consist of vegetables/fruits, one quarter having protein, and the other quarter having starch. There can be occasional additions to the plate of fats, like avocado, nuts, and butter, but sparingly.

Hydrate

Water is the best liquid. It is taken roughly up to 3 liters per day by adults and up to 2 liters per day by children, depending on the needs of the individual. The water should be safe for consumption. Avoid sugary and energy drinks with no nutritional or rehydrating value.

Illustration of iodized salt as an example of food/ condiment fortification

Food fortification

Food fortification is the deliberate adding of a specific nutrient into food. It is usually done to prevent or mitigate a nutritional deficit in a specific population. The target is usually a widely consumed staple of that population or a key cooking ingredient that they use in their daily meals. A local way to do this is to crush seeds and herbs and add them to food and drinks manually.

Common commercial examples include

· Iodized salt

· Milk fortified with vitamin D

· Maize/porridge flour fortified with folic acid and B vitamins

An image of a plate of food to symbolize food portioning

Portion control

This is simply matching your nutritional needs to the calorie intake per sitting and per day. This allows you the awareness and balance not to take too much or too little. You can use your hands as a way of regulating size through the hand method (palm=proteins, Fist=carbohydrates, Thumb=fats, two cupped hands=vegetable portions.)

You can also use the measuring tools that are calibrated, like mugs, spoons, and food scales, or the plate method as discussed above. Using smaller plates and eating slowly also helps.

Meal habituation

This is the act of eating at regular set intervals and times. It allows for improved digestion, nutritional stability, and better emotional, physical, and mental health. It also allows for weight management and appetite regulation, avoiding unhealthy habits like stress eating.

You can practice this by setting three or two main meals a day and 2 healthy snacks in between.

Remember! Take you worry of eating by slowly incorporating healthy eating habits into your lifestyle. Do not eat healthy as a once-in-awhile thing or when trying to lose weight/on medication only.

FAQs (Frequently asked questions on nutritional practices)

How long does it take before a nutritional habit feels automatic?

It usually takes place over several months of consistency. Solid incorporation can be seen after the 3-month mark.

Does sleep play a role in nutriton?

Yes. Sleep regulates hunger hormones like leptin. Inadequate rest and sleep increase cravings and can lead to overfeeding.

Are supplements necessary with a balanced diet?

No, direct nutritional supplements are not a requirement if you adhere to well-balanced meals as a lifestyle. Supplement if you feel the quality of food has gone down or if you are in search of a very specific nutrient that may be lacking in ordinary foods.

How does gut health influence healthy eating habits?

Gut microbiome affects cravings and appetite. Diets full of fermented food encourage a healthy biome that, in turn, reinforces cravings and demands for healthy meals.

How does emotions like stress and depresion interfere with nutritional habits?

These states may induce emotional binge eating or overeating, putting someone at the risk of malnutrition or diseases associated with high calories, like diabetes.

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