Author and Broadcaster Colin McKeand is a Nutritionalist and specialises in ‘eating for energy’. Although we know that weight management is all about your relationship with food and not the food itself, Colin can show you how some small changes to the things you eat can have you feeling better and bursting with more energy in no time at all.
The human body is a complex organism that has evolved over millions of years and is made up entirely from molecules derived from food. It is the greatest machine on earth, but needs fuel to operate, and the fuel we give it comes directly from the things we eat and drink. The foods we eat, that come from plants, and second hand from animals that eat the plants, contain nutrients. These nutrients are absorbed into our bloodstream basically through digestion, and together with the air we breathe, are involved in all body processes.
Essential to this process are energised protein molecules called enzymes. These chemical compounds digest and break down large food particles into smaller units. Enzymes play a vital role in virtually all of the biochemical activities and functions, and for the body to make them it needs nutrients.
Around fifty nutrients have been identified as essential for health. The six most important nutrient groups are carbohydrates, proteins, lipids (fats), vitamins, minerals and the one everyone forgets – water.
These individual nutrients differ in form and function, and in the amount needed by the body, but they are all vital for energy, organ function, cell growth, combating infection, repairing tissue, digestion of food, weight management and general wellbeing. They allow us to sustain life by providing us with the basic materials our bodies need to carry out their daily functions.
We are all biologically different, and although everyone is unique we all need the six main nutrients because they are the basic building blocks of a good diet. By choosing the healthiest forms of each and eating them in the proper balance at the right time, we can help towards our body being as healthy as possible, and functioning at its optimal level for many years.
If we do not give ourselves the proper nutrients or eat the wrong food types we can impair the body’s normal functions, cause ourselves great harm, and dramatically affect our ability to stay healthy. It is possible to eat all day long and still starve yourself, as poor food choices will mean that you will not receive the nutrients your body needs to function properly, let alone heal disease.
Even if we show no signs or symptoms of illness does not mean our body is healthy. It simply may be that we are not yet exhibiting any overt symptoms of ailments or illness.