World Nutrition Day is celebrated today, May 28th. It is an initiative supported by multiple institutions, in addition to the collaboration of the Spanish Federation of Societies of Nutrition, Food and Dietetics (FESNAD). The celebration of this day was born with the aim of raising awareness about the importance of good food and nutrition, as well as a healthy lifestyle. We are increasingly influenced by a fast-paced lifestyle, with little time to devote to food. The workload, family, household chores and accumulated stress often prevent us from eating healthy food. However, we are often not sufficiently aware of how harmful some foods can be for the body and its proper functioning. Dr. Ana Molina, Dr. Hernández López and Dr. Montse Folch, members of Top Doctors and specialists in the field, offer us their advice.
Why is it important to establish correct eating habits?
It is important to know that by establishing correct eating habits, certain diseases that appear in response to a deficiency or bad eating habits can be curbed or diminished. In recent years, as a result of stress and the “speed” with which we live, there has been an increase in certain pathologies which, in turn, occupy the first places in mortality in the Western world: coronary ischemia, hypertension, cancer, diabetes, cirrhosis, osteoporosis and obesity, among others. Many studies have shown that saturated fats, sugar, salt and alcohol are some of the substances that should be moderated. In this sense, a re-education of the population in their eating habits is highly recommended.
Preventive nutrition: population re-education for good eating habits
Preventive nutrition consists of a series of food plans that teach the patient to design a personalized diet, with the foods and nutrients that the body needs. Thus, it is not only necessary to calm hunger “with things to eat or drink”, but also to eat foods that provide the necessary vitamins. The most important thing is to know that, thanks to preventive nutrition, certain purposes can be achieved:
- To solve digestive discomforts: acidity, bad digestion, flatulence, constipation, food intolerances, etc.
- Prevent and correct blood problems, such as anemia.
- Delay bone pathologies, such as osteoporosis.
- Be of help in degenerative diseases.
- Regulate and improve stress and anxiety problems.
- Reduce insomnia problems.
- Avoid pathologies such as obesity and the appearance of derived diseases: diabetes, hypertension, cancers and cardiovascular pathologies (cholesterol and hypertension).
Miracle diets are harmful to health.
However, we must take into account certain unhealthy habits that we often associate with food. If we want to lose weight, miracle diets will never be the solution. Dr. Ana Molina, specialist in Aesthetic Medicine and Nutrition, and member of Top Doctors, assures that “miracle diets are very restrictive diets that promise rapid weight loss. However, significant caloric restriction leads to nutritional imbalances in the body”. Thus, these diets can favor a significant loss of muscle mass, as well as an increase in cardiovascular risk.
Although these diets are easy to achieve, there is a false belief that they can be followed without any medical control and that they are harmless, which is totally incorrect. Moreover, Dr. Molina explains that miracle diets often have some undesirable side effects: “tiredness, bad breath, constipation, loss of muscle mass and even favor the appearance of cardiovascular pathologies or diabetes. In addition, almost immediate weight regain is often the norm, with the so-called “yo-yo” effect”.
How diet influences the mood
There are many people who say they are in a bad mood when they are on a diet or change their eating habits. However, there are also others who feel like new, in a good mood and with a better character. Dr. Hernández López, specialist in Nutrition and Dietetics and member of Top Doctors, explains that “it is totally normal. Undoubtedly, dieting has a psychological component that, on the one hand, can make you grumpy if it leads to starvation, but on the other hand, it can improve your mood if it fits in well with your lifestyle and helps you feel better physically and with your self-image.
Likewise, in many cases, the lack of energy and mood that comes with a weight loss plan is related to inadequate nutrition. The key, explains Dr. Hernandez, is to eat healthy in terms of quality and quantity. The Spanish Society of Community Nutrition (SENC), in fact, says that we must be aware that each person does not shop, cook or eat the same way if they are having a good day, if they are depressed or angry, or if they have another type of feeling. Therefore, they suggest keeping in mind that eating well influences emotional balance and alterations in emotional balance should not prevent the individual from continuing to eat well.
A balanced diet therefore requires an adequate supply of nutrients according to the individual needs of each person in order to maintain good health and prevent disease. Thus, Dr. Hernández recommends “taking into account the quantity and quality of food, but also hydration, fiber intake, eating slowly and with the minimum distractions, chewing correctly to avoid bloating, heaviness, gas or poor digestion”, advice that is especially applicable to children from an early age, so that they acquire correct eating habits. To this we should add the fact of exercising, since it is a very important factor to improve health at a physical, psychological and social level.
Nutritional coaching or how to achieve motivation in dieting
Nutritional coaching is a training that allows to motivate those people who have not been able to lose weight previously. They are usually people who lack will and motivation. In addition to the aesthetic motivation, it is important that the patient feels that they are dieting for their health, which should be the main motivation. Dr. Montse Folch, specialist in Nutrition and Dietetics and member of Top Doctors, explains that “we must not forget that food is the gasoline of our body, so we can correct the different alterations that the person may have and, while losing weight, we can solve them without treatment or with treatment if necessary”.
Nutritional coaching, in addition to motivation, is a way of teaching how to maintain the weight once the desired weight has been reached. So, “during the whole slimming process we must learn how to maintain ourselves. It is said that the body cells have memory and they need 6 years keeping the same habit to change that memory, I always say 2 years, therefore, changing habits, maintaining weight is not so easy. It is not so difficult either if during the slimming process we have learned it, which is what it is all about”.
Nutrition must be healthy, balanced and harmonious. Good nutrition and eating habits will translate into good health, with enough energy for the whole day, adequate weight and intake of necessary nutrients.