Taking
time to cook more ambitiously or to cook a meal slowly is a luxury that can be
enjoyed on weekends, or to unwind during the week after a long, busy day.
Really
investing in the preparing and cooking of a meal is an opportunity to ground
yourself and truly be in the moment, taking care and paying attention to
details.
Washing
and cutting ingredients, tasting and adjusting the balance of flavours,
textures, and seasoning all require full attention. Cooking is one of the
easiest ways to practice mindfulness.
Take a
moment to think about your food – where it came from, how it was grown, what it
cost the earth to produce it – and appreciate what is given to you.
Making
sure you eat three satisfying meals a day, with an optional two snacks, is
crucial to warding off any food cravings in between meals. Have plenty of the
following in your everyday diet, rather than taking supplements that may
disrupt your nutritional balance.
Chromium –
this regulate blood-sugar levels and is found in wholegrain cereals, black
pepper, thyme, organic meat and cheese.
Magnesium
– found in meats, green leafy vegetables, dairy products, beans, apricots,
curry powder, wholegrain cereals, wheatgerm and nuts.
Iron –
iron from red meat (especially liver) Is most easily used by the body; other
good sources of fish and Sawyer, and you can get some from eggs and green leafy
vegetables.
Zinc –
rich sources are wholegrains, brewer’s yeast, wheatgerm, seafood and meat.
Tryptophan
– milk and eggs contain plenty of this amino acid.
Many
people choose to buy organic when possible, especially for soy products that
are most likely genetically modified if they’re not organic.
Genetically
modified (GM) foods are possibly harmless for our health, and our history of
eating this kind of food is relatively short, so it’s a gamble to eat lots of
it.
Another
issue with GM foods is that these crops are threatening the natural diversity
of original seeds. Farmers worldwide have reacted with despair at the
dependency on global seed manufacturers who restrict the varieties of plants
grown for food to a few favoured for their reliability, not quality.
Genetically
modified foods are not the standard everywhere, of course, and several
countries have placed restrictions on GM crops to protect the environment.
Supporting small scale, organic farming is a good thing.
A
vegetarian diet can seem extreme to some, but it’s a natural and nourishing way
to eat. Many cultures around the world have a tradition of vegetarianism dating
back thousands of years.
Science
and health authorities are pretty much in agreement that the plant-based diet
is the most vital way to eat.
Today,
more and more people are choosing a vegan lifestyle. As long as you eat with
variety and make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need, you’re eating
well.
Plant-based
food is climate-smart to, using less energy and water than it takes to produce
meat and fish.
You may
think it’ll be motivational, and allow you to keep tabs on whether your
workouts and nutrition are working for you, but if fat loss is your goal, then
weighing yourself could be counter-intuitive.
The number
on the scales may plateau, and even rise. That’s because muscle is a much
denser tissue. If you compare a pound of fat and a pound of muscle, the size of
the latter is much smaller.
To
summarise, muscle weighs more than fat. So as you build muscle, you may
actually find you weigh more when stepping on the scales.
What you
should actually be considering is body fat percentage. Women between 20 and 40
years old should be aiming for between 21 and 33 per cent.
Alternatively,
you could take holistic approach to measuring progress.
How do your clothes fit?
What has your mood been like? Do you have more
energy?
Are you sleeping better?
It is all
too easy to get hung up on the numbers, bring your focus back to how you feel.
When it
comes to nutritional benefits, vitamins have long stood front and centre. But
what about those equally important essential mineral workhorses that labour
undercover with no recognition?
I’m
talking trace minerals, compounds needed – albeit in microscopic quantities –
to keep your body running as nature intended. Unlike vitamins, there are no
non-essential minerals, meaning you have to get them all via your diet.
Although
trace minerals are, typically, harder to be lacking in, certain current food
trends – swerving dairy, for example – could put you at risk of deficiency,
symptoms of which include chronic fatigue, cognitive decline and depression.
Here are
some of the key essential minerals to get yourself acquainted with:
1. Iodine: The Thyroid Manager
Not only is iodine crucial for neurological development, it also plays a major
role in healthy thyroid function. Without it, your active thyroid hormone,
triiodothyronine, wouldn’t exist.
Which food is it in?
White fish and dairy products.
2. Copper: The Fat Burner
Research has shown that copper is essential for metabolising fat. It’s also
proven as a brain booster; deficiency has been linked to Alzheimer’s.
Which food is it in?
Sunflower seeds, cashew nuts, green olives and shellfish.
3. Selenium: The Immune System Helper
Selenium boosts immune system function and is a key player in egg formation and
fertilisation.
Which food is it in?
Brazil nuts and eggs.
4. Molybdenum: The Liver Lover
Molybdenum supports an enzyme called sulphate oxidase, which is integral to the
conversion of toxic sulphites into more inert sulphates, which the body can
then excrete in the urine.
Which food is it in?
Foods that grow above ground are higher in molybdenum than those that grow
below. Think cauliflower, beans and oats.
5. Manganese: The Bone Booster
This one is essential for bone growth and can help to reverse bone mineral
density loss when taken as part of a calcium, copper and zinc supplement.
Manganese activates glycosyl transferases, an enzyme need for the formation of
proteoglycan molecules present in cartilage.
Which food is it in?
Tea is probably the simplest source for most people. Not a tea person? Try
porridge with cinnamon or cloves instead.
Lactic acid build-up is often blamed for post-workout muscle soreness, but lactic acid isn’t the problem; it breaks down quickly and is no longer present when the muscle soreness hits.
Why muscle soreness occurs is still a grey area, but anti-inflammatory herbs and spices can help: ginger, oregano and rosemary in food as a tincture or in essential-oil massage.
Turmeric
is great to have daily with a little black pepper to enhance absorption. Aim
for a teaspoon of turmeric per day.
Tart
cherry juice has been shown to lessen pain and improve strength recovery in
athletes at 2 cups per day; it also helps you sleep which is important for
muscle repair.
Beta-glucan-rich
medicinal mushrooms, cordyceps and chaga help mitigate oxidative stress,
support community, and assist in muscle recovery.
Why are nitrates in beetroot good for you, but those in bacon bad?
Nitrates are processed by the body in different ways, depending on their source. All nitrates we consume are converted to nitrates in the stomach, where they can be made into two other components.
The nitrates derived from vegetables such as beetroot, spinach and rocket tend to become nitric oxide, which protects cells, regulates heart rhythm and widens blood vessels.
The nitrates derived from processed meats are much more likely to convert into cancer-promoting nitrosamines before or after consumption. Nitrosamines form due to reactions with proteins and iron also found in the meat.
Drinking a small glass of orange juice with your occasional bacon sarnie can help, as vitamin C reduces the formation of nitrosamines.
New
evidence suggests that magnesium can help your body to regulate vitamin D
levels. Previous studies have shown vitamin D tends to be low when the
body’s magnesium supplies are depleted.
Latest research
found that the presence of magnesium in the body regulates higher levels of
vitamin D (a moderate vitamin D level has been linked to the lower risk of
cardiovascular disease).
It is
recommended getting magnesium from food sources rather than supplements – try
dark leafy greens, whole grains, dark chocolate, nuts, bananas and avocado.
Hunger games Come 3pm, it’s likely you have already started reaping the rewards. Vegans tend to have lower blood-sugar levels and a lower risk of type-2 diabetes. Plus, plant protein is linked with improved insulin regulation, meaning you’re less likely to reach for the biscuit tin for a mid afternoon boost.
B wise Be aware that some nutrients are harder to come by on a vegan diet, such as vitamin B12. It isn’t produced by plants, so the Vegan Society recommends taking a 10mcg supplement daily. Alternatively, get it via fortified cereals and alternative milk products, including soya and almond.
Gut feeling Without meat and fish, you’ll probably be chowing down on much more fibre than the average omnivore and your stomach will thank you for it. Your gut microbes’ favourite nutrient is dietary fibre, which plant-based foods are packed with. A diet rich in these has been shown to keep weight in check and boost your mood too.
Shelf life Loading up on fruit and vegetables will sustain you in the long term, cutting your risk of heart disease by up to 42%. Multiple studies show that vegan diets are also more effective than typical Western ones at lowering cholesterol levels. There’s even evidence to suggest a plant-based diet could help ease arthritis.
Green gains Building muscle? Vitamin D helps to regulate calcium in the body – a lack of both can lead to issues with bone density and muscle weakness. This can be a risk if you’re cutting out dairy. Regardless of your training goals, make sure you’re getting enough of these nutrients – from pulses, dried fruit and fortified alternative milks.
