Since the dawn of human history on this earth, we have thrived on those foods that are available to us in nature. In every culture and every location around the world, humans have survived and been healthy living on the meats they hunted for and plant foods that grew nearby. Hunter-gatherers, our Paleolithic ancestors subsisted on what we now call low glycemic foods. We know humans have survived and thrived this way since the beginning of time. So why is it that so many people are not thriving and healthy now in such an environment of abundance?
At some point humans started to settle down into communities and began to farm. This was the point at which grains became more a part of our diet as well as dairy foods. It wasn't so much the introduction of grains that caused the problem, as it was that someone noticed if they sifted all the fibers out of the flour it made nice soft flour. This was the beginning of refined foods. Soon processing certain plants gave us sugar and we gained easier access to salt. From that point, the necessity and convenience of food preservation became something of an art form. Which brought us to our current unhealthy state of affairs.
All of the processing and refining, the additives, preservatives and packaging may be what we are used to. But too many of the good things in food are destroyed or removed by all that manipulation. Only food in it's natural fresh state, still rich in vitamins and antioxidants, enzymes, fiber and basic nutrients will help rebuild cells, strengthen the immune system and help our body produce hormones to regulate how it all works.
Many health problems begin because of the food we are eating. It's a metabolism issue. Metabolism, simply explained is when the body takes the food we eat and uses it to create energy. That energy then is used to build and maintain muscle and heal and restore the cells. It is also used to support involuntary processes like breathing, digestion, sensory functions and the brains coordination of all of those activities. If all of that energy is not used, for instance when you eat more than you burn through movement, your body will store it as fat.
The good news is that no matter what condition your body is in today, no matter what your age, you can take steps to improve the health of your metabolism and lose excess fat. It's as simple as not eating more calories than what you use. For most of us our choice of what foods we eat is the most important thing we can do to keep a healthy metabolism. In today's fast food world it's very easy to take in a lot more food energy, or calories than what most people could ever use. It's so easy to quickly run out for lunch and go to a drive through. It's fast, easy and most of the time pretty tasty.
But doing that every day when you work or are going to school, can catch up with you very quickly and before you know it you have put on weight and don't feel as good as you would like to. At the end of the day you feel tired and probably don't have the energy you need to finish up your daily activities, let alone go out for a run or to the gym. As you age, even as early as in your 20's, you will feel this effect even more because you are damaging your metabolism with low quality food. Your body needs more than just fuel to keep running efficiently. It needs the right fuel combined with daily activity to maintain muscle and good circulation of oxygen and nutrients to all your cells.
When you decide to make healthier choices your body will thank you by having more energy, fewer aches and pains because of less inflammation, and as a result not as many sick days. The very foundation of human health begins with choosing foods that release energy slowly into the system. These foods are also known as low glycemic foods. They help to sustain energy levels and increase our ability to be active and maintain that activity for longer periods.
When given the proper nutrients, combined with regular exercise the body can overcome or at least greatly improve many degenerative conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, obesity and heart disease. It has the ability to fight off the beginnings of other diseases as well on it's own. It can regenerate and repair external injuries to a large degree and become stronger if we will just provide what it needs to be healthy.
So choose a diet made up largely of a good variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and unsalted and unroasted nuts. When possible use meats from organically raised animals that are grass fed (as opposed to grain fed) free-range chicken and eggs, wild game and cold water North Atlantic fish. Cattle and other herd animals that are grass fed have a higher ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 fats in their meat, which is healthier for humans than grain fed meats.
For those who choose to be vegan, the best protein sources are tofu, tempeh and brown rice and pea proteins. Avoid textured vegetable proteins and seitan (wheat based gluten meat substitutes) because they are highly processed and quite often high in sodium. Also many people are sensitive to gluten. When foods are in their natural state they are healthier, so avoid food that is processed in any way at production facilities. Also, if desired, eat small amounts of legumes and whole grain products in moderation because they tend to increase inflammation.
For lacto-ovo vegetarians, try to get good quality, free-range chicken eggs, and low fat dairy products from grass fed cows that were raised without bovine growth hormones (BGH) and antibiotics. Studies have shown a connection between BGH and cancers in humans. Most grocery stores now carry these products as demand grows.
And for everyone, get moving! Slow, steady movement throughout the day is beneficial. Even standing has been proven to be better for you than sitting. So if you work at a desk job just get up and move around periodically if possible. Then every day, even if you are just starting out with exercise, do a minimum of at least 20 minutes of walking. After a few weeks, increase your pace and minutes. This will increase circulation of oxygen and nutrients in your body and help your get rid of toxins.
Working out with weights or anything that helps you build muscle will help you to burn fat. The more you can increase the muscle to fat ratio on your body the better you will get rid of excess fat. Muscle burns calories even when you are at rest, which is just another way of saying you have sped up your metabolism. Another perk of building muscle is that muscle takes up less space, so when you replace fat with muscle you look thinner, even though it won't show as a weight loss on the scale. You will notice that your clothes fit more loosely even if you haven't lost weight.
So, exercise in combination with eating a healthier diet will begin to make you feel better, sleep more soundly, your mood will be improved and you will think more clearly. Healthy metabolism is the key to having better health and in turn a better life.
