PDA

View Full Version : Dietary Habits



Martial_Spirit
20th June 2003, 12:22
Hi All,

Not really sure where this topic should go, so I've posted here as this seems to be one of the more active forums.

I like to think my diet is pretty good. I eat a fair amount of fruit and salad each day, I usually have fibre for breakfast sandwiches for lunch, and a decent meal in the evenings. I try to get carbs in my diet (jacket potatoe or waffles), and protein (eggs), and will have red meat (ie; bolognase) about twice a month, and chicken 3 or 4 times a week.

I take vitamin suppliments each morning - vitamin c, cod liver oil, and multi vitamins...

YET I STILL FIND THAT I AM LOW OF ENERGY AND FEEL TIRED FAR TOO OFTEN!

Can anyone help?

I train twice a week for 2 hours, but am wanting to do more, probably focusing on more cadrio-vascular, but am concerned at my constant lethargy.

I don't smoke, I drink little-to-moderate amounts each week, have virtually no caffeine in my diet, and get between 7-9 hours sleep each night.

I am convinced that if I got my diet right, I'd have more energy, and hence more enthusiasm. Can anyone help? Recommended meals, recipes etc?

I'd like to stay awary from the whole "power shake" thing, as I'm not convinced by them.

Cheers

Rogier
20th June 2003, 12:29
maybe you should go see a doctor

Martial_Spirit
20th June 2003, 12:32
Originally posted by Rogier
maybe you should go see a doctor

Yeah, I've been and had a blood test but there was nothing anomolous. I'm not anemic, I don't carry any disease or anything...

I just get tired quite easily. I sometimes even wake up tired.

Like I said, I'm convinced that it is my diet...

PwarYuex
20th June 2003, 12:39
I know this might sound ... Um, patronising, but are you sleeping fine? I used to get crap sleep, don't know what happened, but now I have perfect sleep.

monkeyboy_ssj
20th June 2003, 12:47
Sounds like stress to me.

I eat fine but i still feel sometimes feel tired, even when you wake up like you said.

Even if your job is not that stressful it still maybe putting strain on you mentally.

When was the last time you had a relaxing holiday?

Also if you don't mind me asking, what is your love life like, in terms of are any partners giving stress or even making you think too much?

Also not being in a relationship can also contribute.

Alot of things can make you stressed, do you find yourself worrying or thinging about things that cannot be sorted?

Martial_Spirit
20th June 2003, 12:48
Originally posted by PwarYuex
...but are you sleeping fine?

As far as I know, I sleep ok. Between 7-9hrs each night. Usually a bit more at the weekends.

I'm just curious as to other members dietary habits and how they adjust it when they up their training.

Charlie Kondek
20th June 2003, 14:40
Interesting. Do you stagger your meals, or are you going a long time between meals? Maybe you have to break up your feeding times differently. Usually the only times I feel lethargic are when I haven't had enough to eat, and I eat like a vaccuum. On days when I work out after work I usually eat a very big lunch and then a small snack before bed (pretzels and milk).

I'm actually trying to cut down on some things in my diet; bread and cheese, and increase the fruits and veggies.

drDalek
20th June 2003, 14:45
I recommend you eat more protein preferrably chicken, lean pork and lean red meats. Dietary fats are a necessity so dont feel too guilty about a bit of fried bacon now and again and load up on pasta, especially the night before an exercise day, keep going with the fibre and fruit and you should be allright.

Get yourself a good multivitamin, preferably not some fancy schmancy "natural herbal" something or the other. Get something that turns your urine a nice healthy nuclear yellow and you can feel assured that you are getting more than enough b-vitamins.

Oh, and try and space your meals out over the course of the day, eat 4 to 6 small meals a day instead of 3 relatively large meals.

Bushi Jon
20th June 2003, 14:45
It could be all the vitamins that you are takeing.certain ones are counter productive. I would bet that taking the cod oil you lose alot of fluids up your intake of water to about 2 gallons a day rehydrate your self.

monkeyboy_ssj
20th June 2003, 15:07
Also drink lots of water, i mean LOTS.

about 10 large glasses a day if you can manage it, i've started drinking more water and feel alot healthier.

try it :)

Shitoryu Dude
20th June 2003, 16:21
Usually when I see someone in that condition it is because they don't get enough protein and fats in their diet. Start off your day with eggs and sausages and keep the sugars to a minimum.

:beer:

wimp_lo
20th June 2003, 16:42
My eating habits are pretty much what drDalek outlined. I have 5 or 6 meals a day - usually about 3 hours apart. I try to eat equal amounts of protein & carbs and limit saturated fat. I eat lean meats of all varieties, and supplement my diet with multi-vitamins, vitamin c, and fish/flaxseed oil. My average daily calorie intake is about 2400. I carry a bottle of water everywhere I go - drinking about a gallon or more each day. On the weekends I allow myself to stray a bit and have bacon & eggs for breakfast as well as a very nice dinner (usually bbq'd chicken or ribs). I do an hour in the gym before breakfast mon-fri (weights & cardio). Using this diet & excercise program in addition to MA training 3 times per week, I have added a few pounds lean mass, reduced my body fat, and increased my stamina and energy levels.

elder999
20th June 2003, 16:51
How much sun are you getting?Do you spend your waking hours under flourescent light?

How is your breathing? Do you do breathing exercises in addition to cardio? Your diet sounds fine, except you could try and get some protein in the morning with your cereal,after some breahing/cardio and calesthenics.....

you say you wake up tired...you might not be getting quality sleep for a variety of reasons like sleep apnea or grining your teeth. DO you snore?

Margaret Lo
20th June 2003, 16:55
Originally posted by Shitoryu Dude
Usually when I see someone in that condition it is because they don't get enough protein and fats in their diet. Start off your day with eggs and sausages and keep the sugars to a minimum.

:beer:

And end the day with a big steak, a pile of veggies the size of your head and potatoes. :) Plus a 16 oz curl. Oh ok, not everyday but more red meat than 2x a month.

Devon, your diet sounds way too low in amount. And hey, how old are you? Younger you are the more you need to pack it in.

M

Shitoryu Dude
20th June 2003, 17:31
Potato = starch = sugar

Might as well just eat a bowl of sugar and skip the potato. Have some deviled eggs instead.

:beer:

monkeyboy_ssj
20th June 2003, 17:35
Also you don't have meat everyday?

I have one portion of meat with every meal, maybe your not getting enough protein as what some people hav said before, i'm going with those guys.

Ta

Steve Williams
20th June 2003, 17:37
This sort of topic (about diet :eek: ) should really be in "Budo and the body".


So I will put it there..... ;)

Shadowronin
20th June 2003, 18:27
What about rice and pastas.

I find lots of rice (in things like sushi) in little packs throughout the day helps.

Martial_Spirit
20th June 2003, 18:30
Hi all,

WOW! Thanks for the response - lots to think about.
As for the background info some of you have asked about...

Stress - not really, I have a job that I enjoy as much as one can enjoy work (and believe me I've worked for some shocking firms). I deal with legal matters in property management... the pays ok, and I've got no debts (save the mortgage)

Age - I'm the ripe old age of 25!

Relationship - yeah, I live with my girlie. We've been together about a year. She's 18months younger than I and just finishing her MSc. By an large things are ok - we have our ups and down, but on the whole we're steady.

Sunlight - heh heh... I live in the UK! Seriously, I probably don't get enough. It is probably only at the weekends that I get any decent amount of natural light.

My last holiday - was just over 12 months ago. I have another one planned at the end of september.

In terms of the meals - well, yeah, I have my 3 main ones, but I do get hungry in between, which is when I pick at the fruit. Usually bananas, tangerines, apples, and plums. Peaches and nectarines when they are in season.

My salt and sugar intake is pretty low. I don't tend to add any to any of my foods.

Ok, so the general gist of what you're all saying is:
- up the water intake considerably.
- increase the proteins; eggs and lean meat.
- Drop the spuds - what about rice and pastas?
- up the veg.

Is that about the rub of it?

And cheers for all your responsese - it is really appreciated

elder999
20th June 2003, 19:34
I'd still take a look at factors affecting the quality of your sleep....ask the girlfriend if you snore.....

Joshua Lerner
20th June 2003, 19:45
Disclaimer - None of the following is to be considered medical advice! Just my own experience and repeating things I've read.

Ditto the sleep questions, and the snoring question.

I also agree with the low-carb advice you've gotten. But it's not just table sugar - rice, potatoes, pasta, bread all pretty much turn directly into sugar in your digestive tract. Whole grains are a bit better since the fiber slows down the sugar absorption and you therefore won't get as severe of a lethargic insulin-induced sugar coma after meals, but they are harder to digest and it's debatable whether or not the extra nutrients in things like brown rice are digestible anyway. The more sugar/carbohydrates you eat, the more you crave them. Not so for protein and fat.

I tend to think that it's not really the protein we need more of, but some good ol' fat. Since I cut back on all carbs and increased my fat intake (including good quality animal fat like range-fed beef, butter and ghee, and fatty cuts of pork like the shoulder) I don't get lethargic like I used to, I've lost 15 pounds, and I feel infinitely better (physically and emotionally) in general. A number of digestive problems disappeared also, like indigestion and acid reflux.

So I agree with Harvey and company. Basically - as much fat as your body wants, loads of a variety of leafy vegetables (especially the mustard family - broccoli, kale, cauliflower, collards, choys like bok choy, any cabbage, etc), good quality meat. Fruit is okay in general though it is high in sugar; berries are the best bet, fruit-wise - relatively low glycemic index (the rate that the sugar in foods is absorbed by your body) and very high in nutrients and antioxidants.

The interesting thing about carbohydrates and fats that I've found is that carbohydrates make you crave more carbohydrates, but fat is somewhat self-limiting. That is, if you eat as much fat as you think you need, you'll get full fairly quickly. But as soon as you combine it with sugar, you keep wanting more. The same goes for sugar/carbohydrates by itself, even as pasta.

This advice is similar to Atkins' advice, though I don't agree with the severity of the initial stages of his plan, or the quasi-religious fervor of his books. But here is an interesting website about nutrition that you might find useful -

www.westonaprice.org

Hope this helps,

Shitoryu Dude
20th June 2003, 21:43
Sugars and starches give you a roller-coaster ride through the day. You crave more of them because after you crash you need energy. Skip the carbs and snack on some ham & cheese rollups. Your hunger will vanish shortly enough and you won't feel like you need a nap in 30 minutes.

Personally, my weakness is Mt. Dew. Damned evil stuff that I just can't stop from drinking over a tall glass of ice (and maybe a few spashes of Merlot when it's extra hot out) I keep in the freezer for just that purpose.

When I reverted to my caveman eating habits a year ago I promptly dropped two pant sizes in as many months and have kept them off without any effort at all.

:beer:

elder999
20th June 2003, 22:02
Originally posted by Shitoryu Dude
Personally, my weakness is Mt. Dew. Damned evil stuff that I just can't stop from drinking over a tall glass of ice (and maybe a few spashes of Merlot when it's extra hot out) I keep in the freezer for just that purpose.


Mountain Dew and Merlot?:eek:

Shitoryu Dude
20th June 2003, 23:01
Sure - all Sangria amounts to is a nice red wine, lemon or lemon/lime soda, some fresh fruit, and lots of ice. I recommend using a nice Washington Merlot, Cabernet, or Syrrah and toss in a few orange slices and perhaps some grapes or banana.

If you don't have any fresh fruit around it doesn't really matter as that is mainly for presentation. A quick cooler is a frozen hurricane glass filled with ice, a can of soda and glass of wine all mixed together well.

:beer:

joe yang
20th June 2003, 23:29
Smoke dope? :rolleyes:

Qasim
21st June 2003, 05:02
Originally posted by joe yang
Smoke dope? :rolleyes:

I thought the title was "Dietary Habits", not "Filthy Habits".

Shitoryu Dude
21st June 2003, 05:28
Considering the number of people who consider taking a few bong hits to be nothing more than a cup of coffee, you never know what might be getting left out.

:beer:

MarieB
21st June 2003, 07:10
Originally posted by Martial_Spirit
I STILL FIND THAT I AM LOW OF ENERGY AND FEEL TIRED FAR TOO OFTEN!

I train twice a week for 2 hours, but am wanting to do more, probably focusing on more cadrio-vascular, but am concerned at my constant lethargy.

...I have virtually no caffeine in my diet, and get between 7-9 hours sleep each night.

I am convinced that if I got my diet right, I'd have more energy, and hence more enthusiasm. Can anyone help? Recommended meals, recipes etc?

if you train more days per week and add to the intensity of your workouts, you will feel more vigorous. this has been proven true in competitive athletes.

i dont want to give wrong ideas, but i drink caffeine everyday and i find it does increase my energy and sometimes lifts my mood :cool:...for sleep, find out how often you are dreaming. even if you get a lot of sleep, if you are not dreaming often, the quality of your sleep is not nearly as good as it can be. dont underestimate the power of good (or bad) sleep...it has an effect on many areas of your life...

you are on the right course in wanting to change your diet and fitness. i dont know how often you go out and do things just for fun, possibly with your girlfriend, but that would change your energy level, if you dont have too much stress in your life.

i dont have recipes. i would, though, recommend you get more fats in your diet. this has been said already, but i want to emphasize that if you change your diet and leave out essential carbs, you will get tired more easily...

try putting in a more comprehensive plan to change your energy level. there are lots of different ways you can do this. in the meantime, good luck, and let us know when you feel better :)

Martial_Spirit
22nd June 2003, 14:34
Hi all,

Nope I don't smoke anything, let alone dope.

As for snoring, well I've asked my girlie and she says that in just over a year, I've only snored once.

I'll definetly give the cheese and ham a go.

Out of interest, what is the take on cheese? I love cheese but limit myself, because of the fat content.

Same goes for nuts - I love unsalted brasil and cashnew nuts, and could eat bucket loads everyday... but again, I limit myself to about a handful.

Shitoryu Dude
22nd June 2003, 19:29
Contrary to what many dietary "experts" have been proclaiming over the last 30 years, fat is not really a dietary evil. Studies are now being performed that reinforce the ones cited by Dr. Atkins in his books promoting a high protein & fat, low carbohydrate and starch dietary regime. Your diet may include up to 30% of your calories from fat as long as you keep don't overdo it on sugars and starches. Your blood chemistry will improve along with your blood pressure and feelings of vitality.

Fats and proteins also stick with you far longer and you don't feel hungry as soon or as much. You end up eating far less as a result.

:beer:

MarkF
23rd June 2003, 07:07
What is this thing about pork, and pork fat on top of it? Any kind of cold cuts should be out. They contain high amounts of hydrogenated oil[s] which means high loads of cholestrins which are a bugger to work off. To maintain a decent level of all kinds of cholesterol, good, bad, or a bit in different, take at least 500 mgs of Niacin three times daily, unless you have preexiting digestive problems, e.g. petic ulcers. Another 500 mgs., no matter what people tell you or what you experience, can also help your sleep cycle or help to get in a nap when you can get enough otherwise. Sure, you will feel a flush with the first dose in the day, but it is certainly better than the drugs recommended today to preven heart disease by chemically lowering serum fats. BTW: If you being to itch, don't scratch with fingernails or anything similar, rubbing the area will do the same thing and isn't harmful, generally.

I know Olympic runners who eat nothing but carbs and proteins (of all kinds during the running season, that is), as they run every day (as members of the IAAF, they are spot checked by officials of the IOC including blood and urine samples. You wouldn't believe what is on that last and what is supposed to be on it but isn't. A mild day is five miles. One is a long distance runner (generally, 5000 meters, sometimes 10,000, his wife is the sprinter and has won a silver and bronze in the Atlanta Olympic Games). In 1999, she was the fastest female in the world, she holds the second highest 400 m and would be first, except the record was set in the 1970s by an East German loaded up on steroids. It is so far out of view that no one will even get close for decades. However, she still holds the record for the second fastest four-hundred. She holds the All-African records, has won the world championships multiple times, and was out-dueling Marian Jones until Jones grew into the form she has now. I pretty much take their word on liquids and carbs, they ask me for help in choosing vitamins not containing such banned substances as ephedra (ephedrine - it is known by several names and will get you tossed for the year for taking a cold remedy. All decongestants are banned as they are all related to ephedrine). Others OTC supplements are banned as well, such as "andro." While it isn't a steroid it boosts the body's immune system and creates its own steroids ordinarily NOT banned. I still am not sure what they mean, and they can't explain it).

Carbs are important if you are working out a lot, meaning three times weekly or more. Pasta is a "good" carbohydrate, and probably should be eaten at night if not a bit every meal. A lot of the stuff mentioned here does have a lot of protein, but I'm afraid the bad outweighs the good in most cases. Have you had your B-12 checked? You don't have to be anaemic to be low in that vitamin, so either a shot of about 1 mg. (1000 mcg.) twice a week may give you the lift you need, and you will feel it as well. If shots don't sound appetizing (and unless your doctor is willing to show you how to take them by injection, it usually isn't something one can do easily) you can buy sublingual forms of B-12 which contain other vitamins, especially in the B-complex group needed to made it bio-available. It comes in a liquid which isn't really bad tasting, so a dropperful (1 ml usually) everyday under the tongue for sixty seconds, every other day, or just when you are feeling tired may do the trick. Cod Liver oil I'm assuming you are taking for the vitamin A and D, which is a good idea, especially necessary if you don't spend enough time outside during the day (cloudy days make no diffence whatsoever, you will get the same amount of vitamin D provided by the sun), but if you are not getting a minimum of 5000 IU of vitamin A, and a minimum of D3 (cholecalciferol) of 400 IU (600 is better), that could contribute to how you feel. Cod liver oil is a decent way of getting these minimums, but it isn't exactly pleasing to the palate. You should probably take carotenoids (most colorful legumes and vegetables will supply it, such as yellow, red, green bell peppers, and squash but this too can be taken in capsule form) and if you take beta-carotene-supplied Vitamin A activity (about 25,000 IU daily equivalent to about 15 mg.) there is no limit of "overdose" as in the fish-derived forms (cod liver or other deepwater fish liver including shark liver. Cod is a relatively deepwater fish so it is fine). A little of each is probably ultimate. As far as vitamin supplements, you have to experiment a bit to find the correct combination for you (stay away from drugstore or chemist-sold types such as Centrum, One-a-Day, as they contain sugars (empty carbs), and are mostly not bio-available in the form they are in (you can, however, buy pharmaceutical forums in a power of some vitamins, and with a decent gram (milligram) scale, you can pack your own. It looks expensive but you'd be surprised how many doses you can get from that).

Marie has a point in the kind of sleep you are getting. She is refering to REM (rapid eye movement) sleep which is exactly that and is the level of sleep at which you will dream. However, because a person doesn't remember dreaming doesn't mean s/he isn't. If you've been caught once snoring, you are doing fine.

In regard to sugars, you do need them, but there are so many types of refined sugars that you need to get them from the source: fruit. Added fruit sugar is not what it seems. First, it doesn't mix with warm drinks, and even those foods containing high-fructose corn syrup means nothing, actually. Before adding "high-fructose" it was simply called corn syrup and is one of the sweeter of sugars in processed foods. It does have small amounts of nutritives, but is still an empty carb. All sorts of dairly products can be sources of natural sugars or carbs. including milk. You can also buy tablets or powder of milk sugar to replace table sugar or refined anything. Any sugar which is white and refined is generally a third or fourth generation cane sugar. Milk sugar is an exception. In fact, you are better off sucking on a sugar cane than puting half-teaspoon of white sugar in coffee, tea, and other ways of using it, on grapefruit, it is defeating the purpose, same with using in on cereals or fruit such as strawberries.

Honey, at the very least, has _some_ nutritive value, but not enough to warrant overusing it. On the other hand, it is much sweeter than refind sugar so overusing honey is difficult.

Bottom line: sugar is sugar with a couple of exceptions. Why Centrum and other "drugstore" vitamins use sugar in any form is beyond me (it is used to hold everything together but so are many other products which may actually be good for you), and another reason why they should be avoided. That doesn't mean you can't find proper vitamins in a pharmacy, you just have to read labels and particularly labels. Make sure you know what you are reading, too. Some things which read as if artificial ingredients, aren't, and others which are useless, are.

If you don't like protein shakes (I don't see why not, they do give that lift you need if properly shopped for), a lot of red meat in the diet can harm your cardiovascular system. Red meat shouldn't be eaten more than once or twice weekly, the rest of the time, fish or poultry are more than adequate. Anyone remember exercise and diet guru Jim Fixx? He died in his forties of a massive coronary. Anyway, he had the heart and connected vessels of a person in his seventies who had eaten nothing but red meat for forty years at autopsy. While there is a significant amount of protein in meat, it also contains signicicant amounts of fats and serum fats, i.e., cholesterol. His heart was flabbier than my belly and I'm no Buddha.

Eat lightly four or five times daily, try not to eat anything for the last hour before bedtime (though you seem to be getting more than your share of sleep), make sure you are eating well (no cold cuts or ham/pork of any kind), no American cheese or preferably replace it with rennet-less cheese instead, and small portions of red meat while eating larger portions of poultry, and even larger portions of fish (Dover Sole is the least fatty fish I know of) both have the same amounts of proteins as red meat, but less fat.


Sorry for the rant. As always, this message will be destroyed in five seconds.:eek: If not, then remember where you got it (the Internet --my profession is real, but it is still the Internet). Do the research on your own. I won't be held for any opinions given here, as it is just that, my opinion. Even an educated opinion is still opinion, just like that guess, it may be educated but is still a guess.


Mark

Dale
29th June 2003, 13:14
G'day Mate,
I recently figured out I was wheat gluten intolerant and was experiencing similar symptoms to you. After cutting out wheat from my diet I feel fantastic. Not saying that you have any intolerances but you might benifit from finding out.

From an eastern traditional medical perspective it sounds as though you are experiencing a deficiency of Spleen (SP)Qi (chi), but obviously I can't offer any kind of proper diagnosis from all the way over here in Oz.

A Spleen Qi deficienc could be caused by a number of factors one of which is the over consumption of uncooked foods or Damp foods.

Without harping on too much I will offer some general dietary advice from a Eastern perspective.

Naturally sweet foods such as pumpkin and sweet potato will help nourish your SP. Avoid atrificially sweet or excessively sweet foods.

Limit your intake of Damp foods such as Sour cream, oils, fats, generally greasy foods.

Avoid Cold, raw or uncooked foods, even salads and things should be lightly cooked otherwise your SP has to work hard to warm the food before it can transform and transport its benificial qualities. Remember your body is about 37 degrees celcius, so anything that goes into it should be warm so as to avoid shocking, and thereby depleting the Qi of, the organs particularly the Stomach and Spleen.

Try to avoid consuming fluids with food. Allow time for food to digest before you "wash it down" with something. Remember to have all your fluids warm as well (I've heard some strange rumours about you Brits and warm beer so this shouldn't be too hard).

There is a Chinese saying to the effect of: In the morning eat like an emperor, at lunch eat like a merchant, in the evening eat like a peasant. Meaning you should make breakfast your largest, most nourishing meal, lunch should be a moderate size and dinner should be like a snack. You don't need much fuel to sleep. Remember all meals should be warm and don't eat close to sleeping.

Green tea is an extremelly healthy option to drink and is said to benifit the Spleen also.


Anyway I hope this helps you, it is by no means an exhaustive list of good dietary habits but it should help you.
Respectfully
Dale Elsdon

wendy ongaro
3rd July 2003, 00:23
To maintain a decent level of all kinds of cholesterol, good, bad, or a bit in different, take at least 500 mgs of Niacin three times daily, unless you have preexiting digestive problems, e.g. petic ulcers. Another 500 mgs., no matter what people tell you or what you experience, can also help your sleep cycle or help to get in a nap when you can get enough otherwise. Sure, you will feel a flush with the first dose in the day, but it is certainly better than the drugs recommended today to preven heart disease by chemically lowering serum fats. BTW: If you being to itch, don't scratch with fingernails or anything similar, rubbing the area will do the same thing and isn't harmful, generally.

I generally agree with this statement EXCEPT that niacin, like all other cholesterol modifying medications, is processed through the liver, and therefore can elevate liver enzymes, sometimes dangerously. I would recommend talking with your health care provider (and consider starting at a lower dosage unless you do have high cholesterol) and check your liver enzymes regularly if you choose to pursue taking niacin in these amounts. Of all the lipid lowering agents I work with regularly, niacin is the one I see the most liver enzyme elevation with, so this is a concern.

However, the ANECDOTAL evidence is there that niacin, even as little as 100 mg at bedtime, can help improve the quality of a patient's sleep. Sometimes I prescribe it in small amounts at bedtime to my PTSD patients with chronic sleep problems as it can be helpful and complement the psychiatric interventions performed by the shrinks I work with.

Don't forget your monounsaturated fats as a very important source of fats- serve that pasta with lots of olive oil!

Finally, a good long aerobic routine once a week (hiking, walking, cross country skiing, biking) can be really helpful in increasing energy levels as long as you rest well the following day.

Gakkousei
3rd July 2003, 09:50
It may help to do heavy weight training.And eating many small meals a day instead of just your normal 3. Try to drink or eat something approximately every 3 hours, to keep yourself topped off with nutrients. Also, clinical depression can have physical effects such as fatigue and stomach ailments. I suffer from chronic clinical depression and take "Celexa" to treat it. if the first few things do not work, try seeing your Dr. about possible depression.

Margaret Lo
3rd July 2003, 18:39
Originally posted by Martial_Spirit
Hi all,

Same goes for nuts - I love unsalted brasil and cashnew nuts, and could eat bucket loads everyday... but again, I limit myself to about a handful.

Devon,
Load up on nuts which have been shown to be good for you. At 25 you need the fat energy plus nuts have vitamins galore. Ultimately your goal is to obtain a balanced diet, not one that completely avoids this or that.

For ex: don't avoid potatoes as if they're poison, just get them fresh and tasty, add butter or cream to make it go down right, and eat it with meat and plenty of green veggies. The fat butter/cream slows down the absorbtion of the sugars in spuds and the rest gives you protein, vitamins and so forth.

Sounds familiar? Sounds like something your mother or better yet, your grandma might feed you. Maybe the only thing really missing from an English diet is enough good greens every day. That and eating balanced meals every day as opposed to once in a while.

So don't fall for sound bite diet advice: avoid fat...no... avoid carbs...no avoid this or that. Really it's eating meals with a correct ratio of carbs/fats/greens that holds the key to good health.

Even the good advice given on this thread gets too technical to live by. I say, its all so very complicated that its actually very simple: don't follow diet analysis, just follow a traditional diet from an antique nation. Consider the Italians, life expectancy is the highest in Europe. Don't like all that pasta? Well you're English, eat an Indian diet. ;) Or ask your grandma how to eat.

Question is, can anyone give up deep fried mars bars?

M

wendy ongaro
4th July 2003, 01:14
I think our understanding of fat as a medical and scientific community is infantile at best. If I have a newly diagnosed diabetic patient - I PROMISE YOU... THEIR CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDES ARE A MESS. How we process sugars and fats are intimately connected. Also, how we burn sugars and fats are intimately connected (Kreb, TCA, oxidative phosphorylation).

I agree with Margaret- nuts, along with eggs, are some of the best foods available in nature. They are high in monounsaturated fats, (most) have no cholesterol, and have vit E and other micronutrients that are beneficial and difficult to get in sufficient amounts in the Standard American Diet. You get alot of bang for your buck. They do, however, mold very easily, so make sure that you eat fresh nuts, keep them stored in airtight containers, and buy small amounts and eat them quickly. The molds that grow on nuts can be pretty carcinogenic and allergenic.