How Young Do You Eat?

We are pleased to introduce a series of articles How Young Do You Eat? from our panel of health and wellness consultants for your reading pleasure.

Food Consumption

Eating is one of the greatest pleasures in life, at least for some of us. And it forms the cornerstone for health. When it comes to healthy eating, many people feel that “If it’s good for you, then it will taste bad!” This is simply not true. You can eat your way to youth and health and do so deliciously.

1. Eating well is important

2. Or do you have the attitude, that since we will all go one day, we should just gorge and indulge.

3. Allow me to relate to you a little tale. For the longest time, I would talk to the significant other about nutrition, blood pressure and checkups etc. However, it soon becomes obvious that my beloved probably takes better care of his car than himself. So what the wife does is to change the language. Eg Honey, you really ought to ensure that the Octane rating on that fuel is the best for your gleaming new car like eating the right type of food.

4. Or how about this one, Darling, it’s time for your 100,000 km service. The man protests - but I feel fine. I don’t need to see the doctor every year. I am not that old. Response-it’s not the years, it’s the mileage. I don’t like going. It won’t be bad, she’ll listen to your engine and check your fluids. She’ll want to check my prostate. A moment of hesitation and then the vehicular equivalent-that’s like getting your oil checked. No’ it’s not. Well, it’s like getting your radiator flushed. No, says the significant other. Well, maybe it’s not like anything else but you still have to go to the doctor. I don’t want to. Listen, sweetie, you won’t be parking your car in my garage until you go for your checkup!

Remember that even though that is true, we would want to ensure that our bodies remain young and functional for as long as possible. Even though we may age , we want to have young and healthy cells and keep all the chronic degenerative diseases at bay.

It is really simple, if you do not maintain a machine properly, and supply it with optimal fuel, it will not operate as well. I know how appalled the guys will be if I fill up their new Beemers with the lowest quality petrol.

If you take this to the cellular level, remember that the human body is no different. The human body is made up of over 60 trillion cells and the body as a whole can only perform as well as the individual cells are performing.

The cells are constantly dying and regenerating. They need apart from the basic fuels of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, they also need over 50 different vitamins and minerals in the correct ratios for optimal performance. Someone did say that the human body is a machine but it takes 50 years for the import of all the fuel we feed it to soak in. By that time, you will know whether your machinery has been maintained well or otherwise.

Before it is too late, we may want to consider some steps to steer us out of a tight spot.

Contributed by Dr Sophia Chew

Next serving: How much should I eat?

Keywords: nutrition, chronic degenerative diseases , vitamins, minerals