The Fitness Expert Based in Kent

Are you looking to work or progress in the fitness industry?

ActiFIT Education offer a range of nationally recognised fitness industry qualifications in Kent and surrounding areas.

Click here for more information

The Diet Doctor

How you can use nutrition to become your doctor.
 

Prior to working with me, many of my clients have been on various fad diets that do not work. Many are initially overweight and unhealthy. So two questions are important:

1. To what degree can our diet improve our health?

2. To what degree does it influence disease?

The Role of Food

Food does more than satisfy our hunger. The food that we place into our mouth has two main roles: (a) to provide us with energy; (b) to create new cells within our body. New cells are constantly being made (muscle cells, nerve cells, skin cells, blood cells etc), and the type of food consumed affects the quality of these cells. So the next time you are putting those greasy chips into your mouth, take a moment to consider that within the next few hours, those chips might become the cells in your eye balls! Yes …. we literally are what we eat! The quality of our cells affects the quality of our organs (the brain, heart, liver etc), and it is these which affect our health.

The Impact of Diet on Health

Unfortunately, in general, the Nation’s health is deteriorating. Could diet be a factor? Humans have existed for 4 million years, and for approximately 99% of this time, were hunters and gatherers (local supermarkets were non-existent, and purchasing from the internet was a little hard in those days)! In other words, for 99% of the time humans have existed, they have eaten a diet primarily of meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Within the last 100 years, numerous changes have occurred within general food consumption including: the processing of food, numerous chemicals added to foods, microwave usage, and a host of new products (that we know may not be good for us …. but they just taste so nice)! The problem is that it takes thousands and thousands of years for our bodies to adapt to these dietary changes. Therefore, when we consume these ‘modern’ foods, our body may not fully recognise them, so those new cells that are formed aren’t so healthy, and over time, various diseases may occur. It is also an important point to consider that the healthier you are, the healthier your children are likely to be.

Individualised Diets Vs The One-Size-Fits-All Approach

Have you ever noticed how some commercial diets seem to work for some people but not others? Take a look around you ….. everybody looks slightly different to each other ….. so why do we assume that everybody is exactly the same on the inside? The fact is that we aren’t. Therefore, we all respond to specific foods in different ways. Some people’s diets are suited to higher levels of carbohydrates, and others more to protein and fats. So, even consuming a diet of natural whole foods may not radically improve your health if you are consuming inappropriate nutrient proportions for your unique body type. I regularly use Metabolic Typing with my clients, which addresses this issue by assessing what type of diet is suitable for each individual person. However, even without metabolic typing, you should aim to observe how different types of food make you feel after eating them e.g. how do they affect your energy levels or your mood?

Guidelines and Benefits

Nutrition and diet is a complex issue in many ways, and with all the fads, myths and lies that surround the diet industry, many people are confused about what is good for them and what is not. However, if you apply the following simple guidelines, you will have made a start towards achieving good health and reducing the incidence of diseases such as obesity and diabetes. 

Steps towards health

1. Consume predominantly whole, natural foods i.e. meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds (reduce the consumption of processed foods)
2. Strive to consume organic produce whenever possible
3. Eat a diet that’s appropriate for you as an individual – observe how your body reacts to various foods, and various proportions of carbohydrates, fats and proteins
4. Get help – consult a metabolic typing instructor

Benefits of a healthy (individualised) diet include

1. Improved health and reduction of disease
2. Improved body composition (fat loss)
3. Improved mental/emotional state (e.g. reduced stress, improved concentration etc)

In conclusion, our diet is probably the most powerful doctor in the whole wide world. No pill, powder or drug can improve our health as much as our diet can. Improving my own diet has made me feel so much better. With help and perseverance, you can achieve this too.

Personal Training

Diet Prescription

Lifestyle Coaching

Services via face-to-face, telephone, email

(c) Copyright 2007-2009 Performance Elevation. All rights reserved

     The Specialist Exercise / Diet Coaching and Consultation Company in Kent