Lewis Meltz, DC, FACO, Board Certified Chiropractor in El Dorado Hills, CA (916) 933-2707

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

O.K. So Here's #6a of 100 Ways To Better Health:

Consider eating whole foods as your first choice, and as often as you can.

You see, whole foods are packed with nutrients having all their natural compounds intact. And the best part, they're not processed or refined. They don't contain added chemicals such as flavorings, food colors, preservatives, and who knows what else in the form of "fillers."

So start eating whole foods by adding slices of fresh fruits and vegetables to each and every meal when ever you can.

Let's talk about Macronutrients. These include "Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fats."

Each are essential for health, growth, healing, and immune function. Here's the thing... too little or too much of any of these macronutrients may result in poor health and a variety of other diseases.

In the past, research on nutrition and disease often times focused only on the problems caused by diets stemming from chronic malnutrition, you know, not enough to eat, and the steps leading to starvation. But these days, eating TOO MUCH has become a far greater threat to worldwide health in both developed countries, , and in many developing nations as well.

First, there's protein...

Red meat, poultry, fish and vegetable sources support the growth and ongoing maintenance of the body. Once digested, the amino acids that make up proteins become the building blocks your body relies on to replenish DNA, it's essential to the structure and regeneration of red blood cells, for the proper functioning of antibodies resisting infection, for the regulation of enzymes and hormones, for the growth and for the repair of body tissue, cell membranes, brain chemicals, and many other molecules in the body.

Protein when needed, is an emergency reserve of energy... and is the second largest source of stored energy, second only to fat cells Because of the large amount of skeletal muscle... it's a steady and reliable source of amino acids when there's not been enough in your diet over several weeks or months.

Though there's some debate regarding protein intake requirements, the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) suggests that protein should make up between 10-35% of a person’s daily caloric intake.

For example, the BMR of a 6 foot tall 180-pound male who's sedentary, (which means little to no exercise) is 1,586 calories a day. Whereas the same size man with an Extra Active Lifestyle — very hard exercise or sports 6 - 7 days/week uses 3,500 calories a day. The first man would need at least 40 grams of protein each day just to sleep and breath. And in broader terms the second man would need as much as 300 grams of protein every day in order to remain the same weight.

And for you women don't feel left out...

The calorie needs of a sedentary woman who's 40 years old and stands 5'5" tall and weighs 150 pounds needs 1,423 calories each day just to sleep and wake-up, (that's her BMR) and to fuel her day-to-day activity she needs 43 grams of protein a day... Whereas the same woman who leads an extra active lifestyle exercising and playing sports daily burns 2,705 calories and would need 237 grams of protein a day. And if one ounce equals 28.3 grams...

Then she'd need about 8.35 ounces of protein a day.

Other sources of protein include whole grains, rice, corn, beans, oatmeal, peas, and peanut butter. For vegetarians, vegans or those who do not eat meat, fish, eggs, or dairy products, it's important to eat a variety of these other foods in order to get enough protein.

In the next video, I'll share with your the importance of good fats in your diet.

At The Joint - Renaissance Creek "Our mission is to improve quality of life through routine and affordable chiropractic care."

At The Joint - Renaissance Creek "Our mission is to improve quality of life through routine and affordable chiropractic care."