Nutrition

The Food Groups

There are five main food groups and each one contains essential nutrients. Nutrients are vitamins and minerals that regulate the body's chemical processes and functions. Eating nutrients from the right food groups helps keep your body fit and healthy.

• Carbohydrates: which contain lots of energy and nutrients and are found in starchy foods, such as bread, pasta and potatoes, their main function is to give you energy but if you eat more than your body is required it will store as fat.

• Protein: helps with growth and repair and is found in meat, fish, beans and eggs and assists with smooth running of body parts.

• Fruit and Vegetables: They provide your body with essential vitamins and minerals to help maintain good nutrition.

• Dairy foods: Provides the body with vitamin A and D however, some dairy products can have a high fat content.

• Fats and Sugars: Our bodies use these for energy, however we need very little fats and it is better to get your energy from carbohydrates.

The triangle of the mind, body and spirit represents the three inseparable components of our being and wellness, so we should all be concerned with providing the body with the right fuels so that it can remain healthy or return to a state of health.

Major factors affecting health

• Stress: Unfortunately, in modern society stress is a crippling strain on bodily resources.

• Digestion: Inefficient digestion of our body's cells can be the start of the problems.

• Absorption: If the absorption of these digested foods is not occurring then nutrients cannot get to the cells.

• Circulation: We rely on our blood to carry absorbed nutrients from the digestive system to each cell this will not happen if circulation is impaired.

• Elimination: If the cells are bathed in their own waste they cannot function therefore the elimination via kidneys, skin and bowel is extremely important.

These processes play a major role in determining the wellness of an individual. They are all related....an imbalance in one will have an effect on all of the others. There are 2 other dietary components our bodies require, these are enzymes and roughage.

Most enzymes are manufactured in our bodies and are also provided in fresh, raw foods. Enzymes speed up chemical reactions in the body. The enzymes provided in raw foods like sprouts; greatly assist in the digestion and use of the nutrients from these foods to the cells of our body. Enzymes are easily lost through cooking and processing so when we eat processed foods, we not only don't supply the body with sufficient nutrients, we make it harder to eliminate them. More energy is used in digesting processed foods so less energy remains for the good things in life. There is also much less energy for our immune system and other vital functions that all contribute to good health.

Everybody is aware of the need for more fibre in the diet; this bulking of our food is lost during the refining process. Manufactures generally remove this from our foods because it is more acceptable to the consumer, but doing this causes a sluggish eliminatory system. Without roughage, the transit time in our colon is greatly increased. This means that the food can sit there for many hours or days longer than it should, the food purifies and rots and much of the toxins are reabsorbed back into our body.

Large amounts of saturated fats can cause heart disease which is the biggest killer in adults today because their arteries become clogged up with fat deposits.

One of the procedures you can use alongside a healthy diet is Remedial massage and acupuncture, it has many benefits. Regular treatments, accompanied by a healthy diet helps to build and maintain muscles in good condition. Proper health of muscular tissue in the body is vital. It makes it possible for efficient elimination of toxins and wastes from the system. Massage is also beneficial as it can help you unlock the power to lose weight.

It is calming and relaxes the body, which is an important part of your overall well being. Another important practice is to drink water regularly. This is a natural way of cleansing. It works well and has other benefits such as providing optimal conditions for vital functions. A healthy diet also goes hand in hand with all other Complementary Therapies, including Reflexology, Hopi Ear candles etc.