Complete Nutrition BenefitsFrom Healthy Lifestyle Magazine

Top 3 Health Benefits of Complete NutritionDo you have complete nutrition? The answer is probably no. Most people don’t get their dailyallowance of minerals, vitamins, and amino acids.

The truth is that it’s okay to have a bad day, a day that doesn’t fulfill all of your daily needs.Chances are, if you’re careful about your health, you’ll make up for your deficits later in theweek. The problem comes when the nutrition deficits are ongoing.

For example, if you never get enough vitamin B, you’re going to start experiencing somesignificant health problems. Yet if on a weekly basis you do get enough vitamin B, then yoursystem will balance out. It’s important to know that many nutrients, not all, are stored in yourbody for a duration. And your body does make some vitamins, like vitamin D.

So complete nutrition doesn’t have to mean that you get 100 percent of every nutrient everyday. What it does mean is that you do give your body the nutrients that it needs, and that isreadily accomplished with a healthy diet. You don’t have to spend money on supplements.

Why Is Complete Nutrition Important?

What Are the Benefits?There are a number of benefits to complete nutrition, including but not limited to:

#1. Stronger Immune System

When you have complete nutrition, your body has what it needs to function optimally. Thatmeans that it can focus energy on your immune system. When foreign invaders like bacteriaand viruses hit your body, and this happens on a daily basis, your immune system kicks intoaction and isolates and kills the invaders. If you don’t have completenutrition, your body has to compensate for that lack. When it has tocompensate, it’s weaker.

#2. More Energy

You need a number of nutrients in your body for your metabolism tofunction well. Your metabolism is a complicated system of hormones,enzymes, and chemical reactions. It needs specific minerals andvitamins to manage different levels of the process.

For example, your thyroid is a gland that releases hormones that impact your metabolism.When this hormone is low, your metabolism slows down. You feel lethargic, you get sick moreoften, and you gain weight. Vitamin D, B, and C are important for healthy thyroid function, asare many minerals including selenium.

#3. Longer Life

Because your cells and systems require essential nutrients, when you fuel your body with thesenutrients it has what it needs to thrive. It’s not compensated. It’s not weakened. It’s able tofunction optimally. When you’re compromised and your body has to work extra hard, that’swhen disease happens, which ultimately shortens your life span.

As you can see, complete nutrition is essential for optimal health. So why not take asupplement? Why rely on food when a pill can help you give your body the vitamins andminerals that it needs?

What Nutrients Do You Need?

If you’re striving for complete nutrition and you’re looking toget it from food, it can be helpful to know what vitamins andminerals most people fall short on. These are generallynutrients that can be difficult to get from a standard Americandiet.

Calcium

The daily recommendation for calcium is 1,000 milligrams a day. Calcium as you may know isgood for bone health. It’s also an important part of the digestive process and other metabolicprocesses.

Calcium is essential, in fact, for creating energy from your food. And many people just don’t getthe calcium that they need on a daily basis. It’s such a problem that many physicians consider itto be just short of an epidemic.

According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, “In the United States alone, 10million people have osteoporosis, and 18 million more are at risk of developing the disease.Another 34 million Americans are at risk of osteopenia, or low bone mass, which can lead tofractures and other complications.” (Source:http://www.aaos.org/about/papers/position/1113.asp)

You can find calcium in dairy products of course. But if you cannot have dairy products, thenconsider looking at fortified dairy alternatives, dark leafy greens, and fish with bones likesardines.

Potassium

Potassium is another mineral that is often difficult to obtain . On a daily basis you need 4,700milligrams a day. The average banana has 422 mg of potassium. Potassium helps regulateyour blood pressure. It may also decrease bone loss, reduce your risk of bone loss, and helpwith your cardiovascular health. It’s also part of the energy creation process.

Foods that are high in potassium include potatoes, tomatoes, and beans (including soybeans),Swiss chard, dates, avocado, fish, and raisins. It’s important to know that Swiss chard andavocados have almost 1000 mg of potassium per serving.

Bananas, while delicious, aren’t the potassium powerhouse that many believe them to be.They’re great, but if you really want a good bang for your buck, try an avocado.

Magnesium

There are a few minerals that are essential to good health and magnesium is one. It’s alsoone that is a little difficult to obtain without a conscious effort. The daily recommendation is 320milligrams a day.

What does magnesium do? It helps with muscle and nerve function, and like many minerals ithelps sustain strong bones and bone density. Magnesium is found in seeds and nuts as well as

fish. It’s also found in dark leafy greens, beans, and avocados. One serving or cup of spinachwill give you 157 milligrams of magnesium, almost half of your daily recommendation.

Vitamin E

You’re supposed to get 15 milligrams of Vitamin E each day. It doesn’t sound like much, butunless you eat nuts or fortified cereals, you may have a difficult time getting enough vitamin E .It is a vitamin that supports eye health, skin health, and is an antioxidant.

Other common nutrients that people tend to be deficient in include vitamins A and C, as well asfiber. However, the truth is that if you get your daily serving of fruits and veggies and you havea few whole grains, you’ll get your daily supply of these important nutrients.

So the trick is to make sure that you integrate these nutrient-rich foods into your diet. That’sbest accomplished with a little meal planning. Meal planning is exactly what it sounds like. Youcreate a plan for what you’re going to eat during the week, including your meals and snacks.

Let’s take a look at some tips for better meal planning.

Tips for Better Meal Planning

Meal planning becomes an important part of achieving optimalor complete nutrition. If you don't have a plan for what you'regoing to eat, you may end up grabbing whatever is fastest andmost readily available.

This often means you're consuming processed food or junkfood. It’s a missed opportunity to get at least some nutrients

into your system. Junk food often causes more harm than good.

What Is Meal Planning?

Meal planning is simply deciding in advance what you’re going to have to eat. In most casespeople plan several days’ worth of meals and snacks. It makes shopping, cooking andpreparing food, and eating, a much simpler and healthier process.

Here are nine steps to make meal planning fun and easy.

#1 Decide how often you can shop.

If you can only shop once a week then you're going to want to plan an entire week's worth ofmeals. If you can shop every three or four days then you only have to plan those meals.

#2 Plan for snacks too.

Include snacks into your meal planning. It's too easy to grab something unhealthy when youdon’t have a plan.

#3 Make it tasty.

Sure, you can plan to have carrots and celery stick for a snack. However, if you don't likecarrots and celery sticks, there's a bigger risk of you letting that snack get moldy in the fridgewhile you go out for some fries. Make sure the recipes and foods you put into your meal planare actually foods that you want to eat.

#4 Identify recipe sources.

Where are you going to find your meal ideas? Identify a handful of great sources of nutritiousrecipes. For example, you might begin to subscribe to a few nutritious eating blogs, or youmight buy a few cookbooks.

#5 Create a system.

Create systems to organize and plan. For example, maybe you hit the supermarket onWednesday and Sunday. Sit down at your table and make a full meal plan before you shop.Add ingredients from each recipe to your shopping list so you go to the store knowing exactlywhat you need to buy.

#6 Get folks involved.

If you're cooking for a family, get others involved in the meal planning - and maybe even thepreparation! When people feel that they have a say in what is served, they tend to be moreexcited about it. You might, for example, let a child choose one meal a week. They can alsohelp prepare that meal.

#7 Have contingency plans.

It always makes sense to have some backup food. You might not have leftovers that youexpected from last night’s dinner and now you have nothing for lunch. If you have somebackups then you’re ready to go.

#8 Make ahead.

If you live a super busy life (and who doesn't), then consider a few make-ahead recipes. Theseare healthy recipes that you can prepare on the weekend, freeze, and thaw and heat for dinner.Casseroles are great for this. Crockpot recipes are also wonderful. You can put everythingtogether in the morning and come home to dinner.

#9 Try something new.

It's easy to get into a meal planning rut. Meatless Monday, taco Tuesday, noodles onWednesday and so on. While that does provide a framework to make planning easier, it canalso start to feel limiting. Try to include one new recipe each week. It's good to feel excitedabout your food.

Meal planning can take some getting used to. It requires you to create a few new lifestylehabits. However, once you've integrated these habits into your routine, you'll wonder how youever managed without it. It’s a great way to make sure that each meal is nutritious anddelicious.

One of the nutrients that many people tend to be deficient in, especially those with specialtydiets like a vegetarian, are the B vitamins. Next, well take a look at foods that are high in Bvitamins so you can make sure to include some of these foods into your meal planning.

Foods High in B Vitamins

Did you know that there are eight B vitamins? They often work together but each one has a fewspecific jobs. For example, thiamin or B1 is necessary to make energy for your cells from thefood that you eat.

It’s also an important part of making DNA and RNA. You really cannot do without this vitamin.So let's take a look at each of the eight and provide a short description about what it does andwhat foods provide that specific B vitamin.

Thiamin

You can find this B vitamin in beans and lentils. You can also find it in many meat products,including read meat and pork. Vegetarians will be happy to know that it’s in many nuts andseeds as well as spinach, cauliflower and cruciferous vegetables.

Niacin

B3 is also an important part of creating energy for the cells. In addition, it synthesizes fattyacids and is important for your cardiovascular health. You can find niacin in fish, beef, andchicken as well as peanuts and beans and lentils. It's also in whole grains.

Riboflavin

Very important for children and their development, B2 is required for energy production, growth,and controlling free radicals in the body. Salmon, beef, eggs, and green leafy and cruciferousveggies contain riboflavin. Also known as vitamin B2, riboflavin is a basic building block fornormal growth and development.

Vitamin B5

B5 aka pantothenic acid, supports your body to produce energy. It’s found in lots of differentsources, including both meat and vegetables. Avocados, organ meats, nuts and seeds, are allgreat sources of B5.

Vitamin B6

This is a vitamin that your body simply cannot do without. It’s essential for just about everycellular function in your body, including your hormones, your nervous system and yourmetabolism. If you eat meat, you won’t have a problem getting this nutrient. Don’t eat meat andyou’ll have to look for fortified foods and dark leafy greens for B6.

Vitamin B7

B7 is also known as biotin. It’s found in yeast, dairy products and strawberries. It’s important forhair, skin, and nail health, as well as metabolism.

Folic Acid

Folic acid, or B9, is needed for the formation of red blood cells. It’s important in thedevelopment of fetuses, and you can find it in fortified foods and dark leafy greens.

Vitamin B12

This vitamin helps produce cellular energy and DNA synthesis as well as the formation of yourred blood cells. It’s important. You can find it in animal products almost exclusively, includingmilk and eggs. If you’re a vegetarian or a vegan, look for fortified foods to get your B12.

B vitamins are important for optimal health and there are many B vitamins that you just cannotlive without. Also, there are minerals that are essential for survival. We’ll explore those next andtalk about how you can embrace mineral-rich foods into your daily diet.

Tips to Consume More Foods That Are High in Minerals

When you think about complete health and a well-rounded diet, you probably think aboutvitamins first. After all, we often hear words like “antioxidants” and “plant sterols” and“phytochemicals” before we hear words like “electrolytes” and “minerals.” Yet minerals are justas essential to your health and vitality as vitamins.

What Do Minerals Do?

Minerals actually play a very large role in a number of metabolic processes. At the cellular levelthey are an integral part of the energy production process. Your body cannot make energy fromyour food without minerals.

Minerals are also required for carrying nutrients to your body, as well as the hydration andelimination process. You probably already know that minerals are required for bone health, butdid you know that minerals impact your hormones and your immune system too?

The bottom line is that minerals are equally important to your health and this is oftenoverlooked. Let’s list the most important minerals first and then talk about adding them to yourdiet. The top three were mentioned earlier.

1 Calcium2 Magnesium2 Potassium3 Phosphorus4 Selenium5 Copper6 Iron7 Boron8 Zinc9 Iodide

Getting Minerals into Your Diet

1. Dairy or fortified dairy alternatives

We’ve already discussed how dairy provides calcium for a healthy diet. If you cannot have dairyproducts, try dairy alternatives that have been fortified with calcium. They may also have someadditional mineral fortification.

2. Dark leafy greens

Dark leafy greens are one of the most powerful superfoods that you can add to your daily diet.This includes kale, spinach, and collards. Add them to smoothies, enjoy salads, and you canalso sauté and even bake some greens. They’re packed with minerals and vitamins.

3. Bone broth

Bone broth has become all the rage and if it hasn’t hit your community yet, just wait. Bone brothis made from boiling bones for long periods of time, up to 12 hours. It releases the minerals andan abundance of flavor. You can make soup from it or drink it as is. It’s super healthy and agreat source of minerals.

Finally, don’t forget that sea salt, kelp and fortified cereals can also provide an abundance ofminerals. While you don’t need a large amount of minerals on a daily basis, it is important tomake sure that you’re eating foods that give you the mineral nutrition that your body needs.

We’ve talked about minerals and a few vitamins specifically. Now let’s take a look at a broadercategory, antioxidants, and talk about what they are, why they’re important, and how to makesure you’re getting them into your diet.

Food High in Antioxidants

You’ve probably heard the term, “antioxidants.” And you may know that they’re good for youand that you can find them in food. You can also find them in beauty products, vitamins, andnutritional products. What you may not know is exactly what they are, and what they do for youand your body.

What Are Antioxidants?

In technical terms, an antioxidant is a substance that inhibits or stops the oxidation of othermolecules. Okay, great - right? What’s oxidation and why does that matter? Well, whensomething is oxidized it loses electrons. It’s now called a free radical which means that it can,and wants to, bind with something. There’s room. And it can wreak havoc and cause damage toyour tissues.

These radicals can start chain reactions. These oxidized elements actually steal electrons fromother molecules, which damages them.

Now your body can handle some free radicals. It’s used to it and it’s generally prepared to dealwith it. However, our lifestyle has changed enough that we now tend to have many more ofthese little buggers running around in our bodies. They’re caused by environmental problemslike pollution, pesticides, and even exposure to cigarette smoke.

Antioxidants Neutralize Free Radicals

Antioxidants, as mentioned, negate the damage of free radicals. They protect your cells andhelp ensure you don’t suffer the damage from free radicals. So what damage can free radicalscause?

Some of the problems include (but aren’t limited to)

10 Arthritis11 Neural degeneration, which can lead to Alzheimer’s12 Premature aging13 Coronary heart disease14 Some cancers

Antioxidants are found in some specific foods. There are three major antioxidants that you wantto include in your diet every day. They are beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E. You canfind antioxidants in abundance in colorful veggies and fruits. Look for purple, red, blue, andorange produce.

You can also find them in interesting sources like coffee and tea, chocolate, and onions andgarlic. The good news is that essentially if you eat a diet that is generally prepared from wholefoods rather than processed foods, you’re probably getting an abundance of antioxidants withevery meal.

Focus on making sure that you’re getting enough fruits and vegetables and you’ll be well onyour way to preventing excess damage caused by free radicals.

We’ve talked a lot about the nutrients that people generally consider to be healthy - vitaminsand minerals. However, your body cannot even metabolize many vitamins and minerals withouttwo other important nutrient categories. We’re talking about protein and fat.

What about Protein and Fat?

Your body is protein. It’s in every cell and tissue.Enzymes are made from protein, as are yourhormones and components of your blood. Yourhair, nails and of course your muscles all are madefrom protein.

Protein isn’t stored in your body. You have toconsume it and this is where many people get intotrouble. Vegetarians often don’t get enoughprotein, though many other people don’t either.There’s a misperception that Americans often get

too much protein. The IOS has the following recommendation:

Adults need to get a minimum of 8 grams of protein for every 20 pounds of body weight. So ifyou weigh 150 pounds, you’d want to get at least 60 grams each day. Athletes and activeindividuals may need more protein.

The challenge when you’re talking about complete health is to find sources of protein that comefrom foods that also provide other nutrients. For example, salmon is a protein that comes withomega-3 fatty acids, lentils are packed with protein and an abundance of vitamins and minerals,and eggs come with minerals too.

When it comes to fat, it is true that your body need fat. However, what it needs are fats fromplants rather than fats from fatty cuts of meat. Sure, you can have the occasional hamburgerbut you may not want that to be the norm. Studies have shown that food that’s high in saturatedfat does cause heart disease and cardiovascular problems.

Strive to get your fats from plants. For example, avocados, nuts and seeds are all high in fat,but it's fat that is good for you. When you’re looking at your plate of food, the majority of itshould be vegetables and plants. However, you do want to have some room devoted to bothfats (a small amount) and protein. A balanced diet is the best way to get complete nutrition.

Simple Signs That Your Diet IsMissing Something

It can be difficult to know if you’re getting the nutrients that youneed. This is one of the biggest reasons why people say thatthey take a multivitamin. However, we know that supplementsdon’t really work and they rarely offer a benefit. A betterapproach is to pay attention to your body. Here are some signsthat your diet is missing something.

1. Low Energy

One of the surest signs that your diet is deficient in something is that you’re low in energy. Ifyou feel fatigued, it can be something as simple as not enough minerals or vitamin B in yourdiet.

2. Losing Your Hair/Cracking Nails

Dry and brittle nails and hair are often a sign of a nutrient deficiency. It could be that you’re lowin protein or you could be low in biotin.

3. Muscle Cramps

Muscle cramps are often a sign of mineral deficiencies. You may also be dehydrated.

4. Skin Changes

If you notice rashes, acne, or small red bumps on your arms and legs, then it can be a sign ofnutrient deficiency.

5. Chronic Illness

If you find that you’re getting sick more often or generally feeling unwell, look to your diet. Takesome time to evaluate if you’re getting complete nutrition or if you might be lacking.

Finally, your digestion can be a big clue about your nutritional wellbeing. Talk to your doctor ifyou have digestive and/or elimination issues. It’s a direct reflection of your health and wellbeingand can be a significant clue about what is missing in your diet.

Next Steps: Getting Complete Nutrition through Your Diet

Awareness is the first step to improving your nutrition and leveraging food instead of pills.Become aware of what you’re putting into your body and how it makes you feel. What foodsmake you feel healthy and strong? What foods improve your digestion? What improves yoursleep and what foods make you feel lethargic or cause cravings?

You can begin by keeping a food journal. Start learning about the nutrients in your foodchoices. What types of fat are you getting and are you eating enough protein? You mightconsider making a list of the daily recommended values for the major nutrients. From there youcould start placing checkmarks next to the nutrients you are getting from each meal.

Whether you measure and calculate and total your daily nutrients, or you simply keep an eye onwhether you’re getting what you need, is up to you. What’s most important is that you’re awareof what you should be getting and that if necessary, you’re taking steps to improve yournutrition by making smart food choices.

This brings us to the final step and that is to set nutrition goals and to change your eatinghabits. For example, do you normally skip breakfast altogether, or just have a piece of toast?You’re missing an opportunity for nutrients. Change this habit and drink a smoothie or eat apiece of whole grain toast with an avocado on it. Take advantage of every snack and mealbecause they can be both delicious and nutritious.

To Better health,Joe GolsonHealthy Lifestyle Magazine

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