Rational Nutrition: Principles And Features

It has long been known that it is not genetics that plays a primary role in ensuring the quality of our life (although its influence, undoubtedly, cannot be denied), but our image and style of behavior, as well as food habits. Not only the functioning of our single integral system called the body, but also the health of future generations will largely depend on how we eat.

Reproductive, hormonal, digestive - there are still no such systems on which the diet would not have a significant impact: just as the hands of the dial describe the same circles, everything invariably revolves around what we put into ourselves and in what quantity. mouth.

That's just how not to drive yourself into the framework of prohibitions and conventions - in fact, do those same standards of healthy eating exist? How not to chop wood on the way to compiling a rational diet and instead of the expected super effect in the form of tightened, elastic skin, beautiful relief and the absence of spaniel fat ears hanging from the sides, not aggravate existing problems? Let's figure it out.

The concept of rational nutrition

This concept cannot be concretized - it always remains purely individual in relation to each person. After all, what is “rational” for one patient may not only not be suitable, but also be extremely dangerous for another: so, let’s say, although the 3-time diet is considered the most physiological, it is fundamentally not suitable for a patient with adrenal exhaustion, not not to mention the extreme manifestation of this condition - Addison's disease.

In addition, genetics is also important: for example, the presence of breakdowns in the genes of the folate cycle entails a violation of the utilization of the notorious and rather sensational amino acid homocysteine ​​- and such people are advised to limit animal products containing a precursor in its synthesis reactions.

On the other hand, a purely plant-based diet is also contraindicated for polymorphisms in other genes - in a similar situation, vegetarians and vegans are at risk not only for vitamin B12 deficiency, but also for many others. So, for example, if there is a violation of the transition of carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, which is concentrated in plant foods, you can eat a kilogram of carrots - but there will be little sense from this (at least in the context of the formation of retinol).

Fundamentals of rational nutrition

And yet we will have to start with the theory: after all, it is important to understand not only what we eat, but also for what purpose we do it.

In all the processes of our body there must be a balance - in the end, it is to internal homeostasis that he so tirelessly strives all his life. Let's call it a lever or a driving force that causes the synthesis of certain hormones to be activated and the formation of others to decrease at the same time (for example, with an increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood, insulin is actively produced by the beta cells of the pancreas, while the conductor coordinating this stormy metabolic orchestra sends a clear signal: stop glucagon production). Entering the body, crossing its boundaries in the form of barriers of skin and mucous membranes stimulates a response immune response - and all because our smart body, in fact, craves one main goal: peace and order in its vascular streets with parenchymal houses.

Few people thought that most processes, no matter how unprofitable for the body, proceed with a loss of energy - take even such a primitive mechanism as the transport of glucose, perhaps the most common nutrient: given the large size of its molecule, it simply will not pass through the cell gate, stuck in the doorway. Unfortunately, this carbohydrate in the blood cannot perform its functions - therefore, specific carriers come to the rescue, which bring or bring it into the cell on their shoulders, thereby providing them with the necessary raw materials.

Fat-soluble substances and gases can freely penetrate through the lipid layer of the membrane - but we cannot eat only them! So everything is based on energy.

However, what will happen if we receive more energy than we are able to spend? Given the greed of our body and its desire for accumulation (who knows when that very rainy day will come), the balance will invariably be shifted - the so-called positive energy balance develops. And then everything is according to a hackneyed scenario: the deposition of fatty tissue as an airbag in case of an apocalypse.

Equally important is the balance of nutrients: in classical dietology, the following ratio for proteins, fats and carbohydrates is given - 1:1:4. Although, we emphasize: in many respects, these figures will depend on age and on the chosen diet.

The diet should be varied: mono-diets are a thing of the past. The more sources of nutrients, vitamins and minerals, the more likely it is that the body will be in minimal deficient states. Transform your plates into colorful rainbows - as a rule, brightly colored fruits and vegetables are not only a great source of fiber, but also contain a lot of antioxidants. In addition, digestion begins even before the first bite enters the mouth and the subsequent irritation of the taste buds: this is why the appearance of the dish, its smell and table setting are so important. The complex reflex phase of secretion is the initial link that should not be excluded from the chain of digestion and absorption.

Often the restriction in the use of water is motivated by the occurrence of edema. Here it is important to dig deeper and find the main reason for their appearance: and it is clearly not connected (directly so precisely) with water. Pay attention to possible endocrine pathologies - in particular, to the work of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands. Sometimes the cause is also a violation of the cardiovascular system.

Try to drink at least one glass immediately after waking up - and then just start brewing coffee. Moreover, its temperature should be equal to room temperature - remember that excessively cold can sufficiently spasm and generally disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

The rules of rational nutrition

1. Rational nutrition should be balanced. An important factor is the presence of all the main groups of nutrients - proteins (both vegetable and animal) origin, fats and carbohydrates.

   So, say, the World Health Organization for adults gives an average of such a safe intake of protein as 0.83 grams per kg of body weight.

   As for carbohydrates, it is recommended to give preference to complex ones - those that do not cause a sharp increase in blood glucose levels and the same avalanche-like release of insulin. Focus on vegetables and greens - the latter, by the way, in addition to its high fiber content, is also rich in folic acid.

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   Despite the general trend towards reducing the amount of carbohydrates promoted by many popular diets, we do not recommend reducing their amount to less than one hundred grams: it is much more effective, and most importantly, it would be more correct to include physical activity when losing weight. You should not exclude from attention the unshakable fact that glucose is the most common source of energy (the mechanism of its processing has been perfected to perfection). Of course, this does not rule out switching to alternative raw materials (which, say, happens with a keto diet).

2. Dietary fiber is a necessary condition not only for weight loss, but also, first of all, for ensuring normal motility of the large intestine. Their absence is often accompanied by excessive bacterial and / or fungal growth - this, after all, is facilitated by developing chronic problems with the stool. At the same time, the pressure in the intestines, which is increased, disrupts the mechanisms for the release of digestive secrets, thereby inhibiting the processes of digestion and absorption of food.

   Fiber perfectly suppresses the feeling of hunger: the basis of this property is its physical characteristics. Imagine cotton wool that has swollen - it has significantly increased in size, creating some kind of illusion of an increase in the total volume. Approximately the same thing happens inside the organs of the digestive system: the fibers swell, and impulses from irritated stretch receptors in the stomach transmit information to the main coordinating center - a feeling of fullness sets in.

   Research: What do we know about dietary fiber in intake children and health?

3. It is necessary to consider not only the amount of incoming food, but also carefully consider how it is cooked - all to preserve the greatest number of nutrients. So, for example, steamed and boiled cauliflower contained, according to the results of laboratory studies, dozens of times less antioxidants.

   One of the most capricious vitamins, perhaps, is considered to be vitamin C - it is destroyed at low temperatures (therefore, frozen berries are devoid of ascorbic acid, which, however, does not exclude their other useful properties).

   The most correct, given the complexity of cooking and observing temperature regimes, will be to focus on simple, easy recipes - besides, they will free up such resourceful time in the modern world.

4. Try adding more spices to your diet: in addition to the rich aroma that gives your dish a characteristic note of aroma, they actively counteract pathogenic microorganisms. In particular, garlic has shown its effectiveness in the fight against salmonella, the causative agents of typhoid fever, and onion and mustard suppress the harmful effects of mycotoxins - all thanks to a whole bunch of antioxidants and essential oils in the composition.

   Study: The role of antioxidants in human life, their content in food

5. The most suitable for the bulk of the population (provided there are no concomitant diseases, both of the digestive system and from other systems) is precisely three meals a day: the "hungry" intervals observed at the same time prevent the constant circulation of insulin (released in response to any food intake) in the blood and developing, as a result, the resistance of cell receptors to it. There comes the first and most significant step in the mechanism of the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus.

6. Moderation is perhaps another of the main slogans of proper nutrition. As mentioned earlier, the goal of any meal is to cover the energy costs of the body, to provide its tank with the necessary amount of fuel for further work. This is where keeping a food diary can help, at least initially.

   Also, try tracking your calorie intake for a few days: despite the subjectivity of the calculations, this will give you a general idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhether you fit into the given (specific goal: lose weight, gain weight or maintain current muscle mass) limits.

    

   You can make calculations on your own, using numerous online calculators, or you can download various and more convenient applications. Although, we repeat, you should not turn it into a panacea.

   An important factor in determining your daily caloric intake will be the assessment of your physical activity.

   The table below shows the average values ​​for each of the groups depending on their physical activity.

   Physical activity group

   Age

   men, calories

   women, calories

   First (predominantly knowledge workers)

   18-29

   30-39

   40-59

   2450

   2300

   2100

   2000

   1900

   1800

   Second (workers engaged in light work)

   18-29

   30-39

   40-59

   2800

   2650

   2500

   2200

   2150

   2100

   Third (workers of average labor intensity)

   18-29

   30-39

   40-59

   3300

   3150

   2950

   2600

   2550

   2500

   Fourth (workers of heavy physical labor)

   18-29

   30-39

   40-59

   3900

   3700

   3500

   3050

   2950

   2850

   It is important to note that moderate physical activity is necessary for representatives of any age group - especially if its main activity is associated with a predominantly sedentary lifestyle.

   So, even the World Health Organization emphasizes:

   "Insufficient physical activity is one of the major risk factors for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes."

   In addition, on the Internet, you can get acquainted with other calculation mechanisms - in addition, we present the most accurate, according to a number of medical journals, Mifflin-San Geor formula:

7. “Everything is poison, everything is medicine” - the list of prohibitions will loom like a red rag in front of already irritated eyes. You should not drive yourself into a clear, iron framework: rational nutrition should become for you not a diet for several months or, even worse, weeks. This is a way of life where there are no such concepts as "breakdown" and the "gluttony" that invariably accompanies it.

Think about why and for whom, first of all, you are changing your eating habits - after all, it is in your first and foremost interests: to have a beautiful, toned and healthy body.

Rational diet mode

1. Breakfast is everything. Your first meal should be balanced, rich in fat and protein - this combination will give you satiety, and you won't even think about eating until lunch.

   At the same time, the usual cereals, fruit juices, croissants and other confectionery, except for another nuclear attack on the cells of the pancreas, will not bring any benefit or saturation. In short, a solid sugar bomb.

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   We recommend that you consider options for keto breakfasts: they perfectly satisfy the feeling of hunger and do not just marinate the worm, but specifically put it into a state of suspended animation. Use avocados, bacon, olives, cod liver, and eggs, salmon, or poultry are great sources of protein. Add unsweetened coffee or cocoa and a small cup of your favorite berries - and a stable emotional background, the key to which is the absence of hypoglycemia swings, is provided to you.

2. Forget about the existence of the food pyramid - at least until it is revised. Better yet, create a new one!

   What do you think is dominant in the old? Surprisingly, these are cereals.

   Undoubtedly, the same cereals have many useful properties, but let's be honest: in the realities of the modern world, a person is surrounded (literally) by their abundance. Take the same wheat (or rather, its proteins - gliadins, which, together with other proteins similar in structure and function, are united under the general name "gluten") - wherever its components are added - the spectrum has long ceased to be limited to bakery products. The widespread use of gluten has also led to a predictable result: more and more people are diagnosed with hypersensitivity to gluten - both in adults and in children.

    

    

   Food hygiene, that branch of science that a priori should step forward along with various advanced technologies, is stuck in a deep and very ancient hole of the past. That's just the responsibility for your health still lies not so much on the shoulders of science, but on your own.

3. Fractional nutrition is the same outdated regimen, applicable only to professional athletes and in a number of diseases. A healthy, and even more so, a person who is striving to lose weight with all his might should completely forget about snacks - as an adaptation during a smooth transition, you can leave one, but with the condition that it will be fat.

4. Avoid eating fruits as a separate meal - the fructose contained in them bypasses all saturation pathways (this is achieved, in particular, due to the lack of a response signal to its intake in the form of insulin secretion from the pancreas). That is why it will not only not dull the feeling of hunger, but like a match that has fallen on a pile of dry firewood, it will make it flare up with even greater force.

5. Try to eat at certain hours - again, the digestion process does not rest on purely mechanical rubbing and absorption of food in the gastrointestinal tract.

Children's nutrition

Rational nutrition is no less important for children - especially in the context of the treatment and prevention of diseases, maintaining optimal conditions for the growth and development of the child, in the maturation and final differentiation of tissues and systems of his body.

An adequate intake of minerals is necessary - their deficiency has a huge range of multidirectional adverse factors on cognitive functions, growth and the processes of becoming a child as a person. So, for example, iron deficiency, leading to hypoxia or oxygen starvation, reduces the activity of liver enzyme systems (and this is subject to their already inadequate activity), and also slows down the processes of cell division. In addition, the metabolism of serotonin, dopamine, and other neurotransmitters is also inhibited.

Iodine deficiency, which is ubiquitous, causes damage to the cartilage tissue, slows down the growth of the skeleton and disrupts its maturation. A decrease in the activity of the thyroid gland is also accompanied - for example, insufficient formation of its hormone, such as triiodothyronine (T3), inhibits the division of nerve cells (or rather, their predecessors), and the process of myelination of nerve fibers is disrupted.

In general, it is recommended to stick to 3 meals a day and two additional snacks. At the same time, the latter also need to be made as useful as possible - replace sweets and chocolate with low-carb homemade sweets, berries and nuts.

Norms of rational nutrition

In general, any balanced diet should contain:

1. Sources of protein: meat, eggs, fish, seafood, legumes (remember to pre-soak them).

   Perfect fit:

   • Salmon (32 g/100 g product)

   • Beef (28 g/100 g product)

   • Chicken (25 g/100 g product)

   • Rabbit meat (23 g/100 g product)

   • Shrimp (20 g/100 g product)

   • Calamari (17 g/100 g product))

   • Eggs (12g/100g product)

2. Sources of fiber: vegetables, fruits, berries, greens, cereals, nuts.

3. Sources of healthy fats and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Fatty fish varieties (herring, trout, mackerel) will also help with this.

4. It is recommended to add food rich in probiotics - sauerkraut and other fermented products. After all, it is not in vain that the answer to the main (after Shakespeare's “to be or not to be”) question has not been received: do we control the microbiome or is it us?

Energy value of food

The energy value for different classes of biological compounds is different:

• Fats - 9.29 kcal / g.

• Proteins - 4.1 kcal / g.

• Carbohydrates - 4.1 kcal / g.

Even without going into biochemical reactions, it is already clear from these data that the most profitable source of energy - that is, the fuel on which cell engines operate - is precisely the oxidation of fats. So, burning, they contribute to the release of twice as much energy as other classes of organic compounds.

However, in fairness, it is worth noting that not all cells are capable of utilizing them. So, let's say, erythrocytes, which simply lack those very production furnaces called "mitochondria" simply cannot oxidize fatty acids.

Recommendations for rational nutrition

1. Do not rely entirely on apps that calculate the calorie content of the foods you eat: remember that they work quite subjectively, using average values. Much more important is to provide adequate physical activity, which would reinforce and complement the results of proper nutrition.

2. Do not create red lists and taboos: there is a high probability of a breakdown. Rational nutrition should become a way of life for you, and not just another hard labor in the form of a short-term diet.

3. Try to individualize your diet - especially in the presence of pathologies from various organs and systems. Turn to specialists in the field of nutrition: they will help you not only compensate for the deficits (if any), but also choose the right course and stick to it in the future.

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