Issue 04: Mindful Eating- Health Nutrition and You

ARTICLE 1:

MINDFUL EATING

Instead of focusing on eating around your activities, try the opposite, focus on activities and the foods needed to sustain them! Did you know that dancing for an hour burns 260 kilo calories and that shopping burns 181 kilo calories an hour? So, get thinking before you eat; treats are allowed with discretion!

When we sit down for a meal, it would be unusual to ask ourselves why we are eating, but if we get into a habit of doing so, there’d be a lot less illness in the world. How we digest our meals and how we feel after is just as important. Often, we simply do it out of routine or habit; we tell ourselves that it’s mealtime, so we should feel hungry, and that we should eat to sustain us till the next meal.

We can challenge this construct with some points for mindful eating!

• Our best friends in healthy eating are understanding ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and leptin, the satiated hormone (tells you when you’re full), let’s learn to listen to, and respect them!
• Our bodies are made up of zillions of cells. Cell contains mitochondria or “power houses”, which charge up on fuel from food and exercise; in fact, with every activity, the number of mitochondria increase in our cells.
• If you are bounding with energy after an aerobics class or simply taking a brisk walk, these power houses have increased in number, you therefore need to eat to sustain this metabolic activity. Remember, you do work up an appetite with exercise, so get moving.
• I often hear some girls say, “we don’t eat till noon, we’re not hungry!” Well, what’s going to happen at noon, if you haven’t had time for meal prep, is that you will be eating the first thing that you can get your hands on, which may not be the healthiest option.
• Eat a decent meal before you exercise and have a small snack of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, a boiled egg, low sugar protein bar or a glass of milk after exercise.
• Most days, the breaking of a fast should be a healthy one. Consuming a plate full of high carbohydrate, high saturated fats and low protein may just be one of the reasons we are midst a global obesity crisis. There’s no easier way to say it, girls!

Vitalicious = bootilicious!

• Sliced oranges, strawberries and red capsicums are high in Vitamin C, which helps with absorption of iron and prevents gum disease.
• B vitamins supply energy and are found in grains, animal food sources and mushrooms.
• Animal products as in dairy, carrots and sweet potato are sources of Vitamin A, good sources of retinol for healthy eyes and skin.
• Seeds and nuts are high in vitamin E, mixed berries are high in vitamin C & antioxidants.
• Vitamin K in kale and spinach is beneficial to blood clotting.
• Half a plate of mixed green vegetables will supply you with a daily dose of Magnesium, prevents muscle cramps and aids with sleep.
• A few slices of roast beef are high in Iron and Zinc.

It’s important to remember that the absorption of nutrients varies from person to person. If we have a weak gut (symptoms include bloating, diarrhea, nausea, cramping, bad breath) none of the good stuff is being digested and utilised by the body successfully. Therefore, we show signs and symptoms of a deficiency. General practitioners are helpful in investigating outside of their bio medical field and may recommend that you visit a naturopath or nutritionist for holistic assessment and treatment. A comprehensive stool or hair analysis can identify bacterial overgrowths, mineral deficiencies, or fungal infections.

Supplementation with vitamins should only be taken if your dietary intake is low, the body will consume what it needs and simply get rid of the rest.

EAT FOR YOUR ACTIVITY!

What foods are you planning to include in your diet this week? How active are you planning to be?

Remember energy intake should equal energy expenditure. Simply put, if you’re planning to run a marathon, you should have started eating accordingly two months ago. If you are sitting at your desk all day, you would probably require one or two light meals, with less caloric intake. Quite honestly, if we find time to widen our knowledge about food, eating the right food will become second nature to us. Nowadays, there are a stack of websites with recipes for easy nutritious meals and calorie intake. We’re not suggesting master chef classes or cooking gourmet cuisine, just simple, tasty, and nutritious food. So, I’ve put together some options for each meal below. These have been popular with clients, and the prep can be done the night before if you have a busy school or work schedule. You only have to shop for food once a week! If you are counting calories, then look up these ingredients on a food app. You may have to adjust quantities to suit your current health requirements, body type, and exercise regime. Please note the “or” in snack options, and if you aren’t hungry, don’t force yourself to eat.

Breakfast

1 cup of cooked oats, chia seeds (soaked in water overnight), half a banana, blueberries, a teaspoon of maple syrup, 1 teaspoon of peanut butter, a splash of your choice of nut milk. Served warm or cold, it’s up to you!

Or

1 cup of cooked congee, with pickled ginger or radish, spring onions, mushrooms, tamari, and chili with a fist size of protein as in tofu, roasted chicken slices, beef, or pork (lean).

Water 250ml

Mid-Morning Snack Options

Low sugar protein bar or a handful of unsalted nuts and 3 dried apricots or a slice of grain bread with a spread of peanut butter or 6 raw vegetable sticks with a tablespoon of humus or eggplant dip (homemade) or two slices of melon or mango.

Water 250ml

Lunch

1 Rye or sourdough roll with chopped salad or cucumber, grated carrot, tomato, capsicum, bean sprouts, 2 boiled eggs sliced or roasted chicken or vegetable patties with tomato relish and tablespoon of low-fat mayonnaise.

Or

Chicken or vegetable broth with cooked soba or buckwheat noodles, oyster mushroom, bok choy, chili, and tamari to taste.

Water 250 ml

Snack options

1 slice of banana or sour cherry wholemeal cake with a cup of green tea or handful of strawberries dipped in dark chocolate or 1 glass of nut milk with protein powder (if doing an afternoon exercise session).

Water 250ml

Dinner

Stir fry – mixed vegetables, the more variety in colour the better for you, add some protein as in tofu, sesame seeds, chicken, fish, beef, or pork (the steamed, grilled, or poached kind) with 1 cup of steamed brown rice or basmati rice.

Or

One serve of roast meat (your choice but less fat) with zucchini, pumpkin, green beans, and Brussel sprouts (roasted in the oven with fresh herbs, garlic, and olive oil).

Dessert

A scoop of low–fat gelato or coconut yoghurt with mixed berries or a cup of calcium fortified nut milk or chamomile tea with two pieces of plain dark chocolate or 1 slice of warm homemade apple pie with a dollop of low–fat cream or coconut yoghurt.

Water 250ml

While a balanced portion of each macro nutrient (carbs, fats, and protein) on your plate is important, the vitamin and mineral content is just as important, the more colours on your plate the better for you!

Serving size 1 cup = 250ml

My “treat” recipe for May (try a slice of this with a drizzle of melted dark chocolate)

Cherry & nut slice:

¾ cup vegetable oil or softened butter

1 cup almond meal

1 & 1/2 cup plain, buckwheat or spelt flour

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of sour cream (Greek yoghurt or coconut milk, if you prefer)

A pinch of baking powder

½ cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon almond or vanilla essence

1 cup of fresh cherries unseeded or store-bought sour cherries

1 handful of toasted walnuts & Brazil nuts (crushed not ground)

Method: oil, butter a loaf pan, or line with grease proof paper; beat the maple syrup and vegetable oil, add the eggs one at a time, till completely blended; add almond or vanilla essence (natural preferred); slowly add the almond meal and flour, then the baking powder. Mix in the sour cream, add the sour cherries and toasted nuts. Bake in a hot oven at 160 C degrees for 40 minutes. Eat warm. Serves approximately 8.

What would you like me to discuss in our next issue? Please post to the IMTAC team, till then happy mindful eating!