As cross training is important for body balance, remember to purchase and try different foods for the board range of nutrition value it provides. Don’t single out or focus on one food instead choose a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, lean meat, poultry, fish, and meat alternatives.
Everyone reacts to and absorbs foods differently due to enzyme deficiencies. When your GI tract/ intestines lack enzymes to metabolize specific food products, the food remains undigested this creates bacterial fanfare in your GI tract. This translates into various degrees of stimulation or distension of the bowel. Lack of specific food enzymes for example represent the inability to metabolize dairy products, grains or beans which release bacteria in charge of metabolizing the foods your body can not deal with which in exchange creates enough gas to run your car. These GI problems are referred to as food allergies, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and food aversions/psychological response to specific food, infections, and parasites.
Pay attention to “how” your body reacts to foods when consumed. Once you recognize that the food does not agree with your intestinal tract, eliminate, minimize, or try something else.
- Consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods and drinks among the basic food groups. Choose foods that restrict your intake of fat in general especially saturated and trans fats and cholesterol, refined and added sugars, and salt
- Follow a balanced eating pattern, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide. If you suffer from high blood pressure or cholesterol issues use a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (visit DASH) Eating Plan.
- Consume an adequate amount of fruit and vegetables but stay within the correct calorie level for your age, height, and weight. For example on a 2000-calorie diet, eat 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables per day. Eat more or less according to your calorie-energy needs, which should look like one half of a 10” plate. Choose from all five vegetable sub-groups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables) several times a week.
- Consume 3 or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain foods each day, with the rest of the recommended grains coming from enriched or whole-grain products. At least half your grains should come from whole grains. Eating at least 3 ounce-equivalents of whole grains per day can reduce the risk of heart disease, may help with weight maintenance, and will lower your health risk for other chronic diseases.
- Consume 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products. Adults and children can consume milk and milk products without worrying that these foods lead to weight gain. There are many fat-free and low-fat choices without added sugars that are available and consistent with an overall healthy dietary plan. If a person has difficulty drinking milk choose alternatives within the milk food group, such as yogurt or lactose-free milk.
- Limit your alcohol intake to improve digestion and reflux issue. If drinking on a daily bases limit your consumption to one 5 oz drink by day for women and no more than two 5 oz drinks for men. The digestion and absorption of alcohol takes approximately 1hour per 1 ounce. When drinking restrict all fat intake to allow less fat storage.