subject: The philosophy of nutrition [print this page] A few home truths about nutrition that we cannot deny:
Firstly, most of us are overweight and many are even obese!
Secondly, most of the overweight are indifferent to their condition and don't see it as being a threat to their health or maybe even their life.
Thirdly, a large proportion of those who realize they are overweight try various quick acting diets and go through the pain of losing some kilos only to yo-yo' back soon to obesity.
Of course there are people who want to change their lives, and some even achieve this. The key to making this change is to take an informed decision and then to learn the principles of good nutrition.
Each of us has the power to achieve this! But many have preferred to dream of the miracle cure; that magic pill or potion, the latest diet or even using the power of psychiatry or hypnosis.
I'm sorry to disappoint you - these miracle pills and diets do not work. So it's back to you to achieve it yourself. How long does this take I hear you ask? This is not a quick fix but is rather a life change and will last forever. But then again so will the benefits!
Now getting down to the fundamental issues there is a classic phrase - we eat to live, not live to eat. But why is it that gluttony comes so easy to us and then goes on to reduce our life quality?
To answer this quandary we must understand that our body is programmed for the accumulation of excess energy derived from food. So we are programmed to be fat I hear you say but don't take this easy answer as an excuse for not dealing with it.
Of course this programming occurred in another era to meet different circumstances. Our ancestors did not have food to hand all year around so they had to store fat when food was available and use this accumulation to survive during leaner times.
Also to find the food required a lot more energy to hunt than a drive to the local supermarket to stock up. So we must adapt to meet the life style we have today. We need food as it gives us all of the needed nutrients and in today's world it is a source of pleasure both to eat and as a means of enjoying others company.
So if eating is a key element of our life style today then we need to also learn how to have this enjoyment without putting on weight. Learning to eat properly and getting sufficient exercise is the way to enjoy eating and all it brings with it while feeling better, getting more from life and increasing the chances of a longer life.
We will deal with the physical activity issue at another time and simply say that for now you need to start making some changes in your life. The key is to take small achievable steps and these will bring benefits. Learn to eat and live better and those jeans that have been hiding in the cupboard for several years will suddenly fit. And you know how good that will make you feel.
By: Jan Filler, Dr. Med.Source: http://livelookbetter.com/The philosophy of nutritionBy: Elena
