By Mian A Majeed
Our bodies rely on nutrition to function properly. This nutrition comes from the food we choose to eat, which is then broken down and absorbed into our bloodstream through the intestines.
You have the power to make the right choices for your body’s nutrition.
Food is divided into:
- Carbohydrates, proteins, fats.
- Vitamins, minerals, amino acids.
Calories or Energy Value. Think of energy value as the “fuel efficiency” of food. It’s a measure of how much energy food provides to our bodies. This energy is crucial for maintaining essential body functions like breathing, circulation, regulating temperature, and even physical activity. The Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) represents the energy (calories) needed to sustain these essential functions. Different foods have different caloric values, with fats being the most calorie-dense. And remember, calories can also come from non-food items like alcohol.
The caloric requirement is a combination of BMR and physical activity. If your job, hobbies, and/or lifestyle require increased physical activity, you would need additional calories.
The calories needed for an average adult male are typically around 2,000 calories per 24 hours (1,800-3,000 range), and for an adult average female, around 1,800 calories per 24 hours (1,600-2,400 range). Remember, these are just averages, and your individual needs may vary. Excess calories not used by the body are stored as fat (3,500 calories are equal to one pound of weight). Read labels carefully. Pay attention to portion size, calories, added sugar, fat, and carbohydrate content.
Ideally, calories should come from carbohydrates (50%), proteins (40%), and fats (10%). To keep it simple, take a plastic plate with three sections. The larger section should have carbohydrates; the other two should be proteins and fat. This will be approximately the correct distribution. Keep your plate colorful.
The glycemic index is a measure of how quickly food is absorbed from the intestines. High glycemic-index foods, like a small bowl of ice cream, can cause a surge in insulin, making you feel hungry and potentially leading to increased fat accumulation. In contrast, despite having similar calories, a large bowl of lentils would have a different effect on your body.
Processed Foods. The USDA defines foods that have undergone any changes to their natural state as processed foods (NOVA scale). Processed foods can be divided into unprocessed or minimally processed, processed, and ultra-process or highly-process foods (UPF).
It is best to eat unprocessed or minimally processed foods. But in today’s life, especially for NYC TLC drivers, we know it isn’t easy to eat healthy. For now, we will discuss ultra-processed foods (UPF) to keep it simple and easy to understand.
UPF has a few basic food ingredients with the addition of salt and sugar, fats, emulsifiers, artificial colors and flavors, artificial sweeteners, and chemicals that increase shelf life and enhance texture and taste. Several processing steps are used to make these foods. The final shape of the food is much different from the basic ingredients.
These foods are made from inexpensive ingredients, mass-produced, and have an addictive tendency. They are highly profitable for their manufacturers. UPF is aggressively advertised on popular social media platforms, using ambiguous claims like “Calcium builds bones.”
Advertisements are colorful and upbeat, with slogans and songs. It is all about selling the product and profits, not your health. UPF advertisements account for 47% of all food advertisements on the average platform.
Many studies have shown significant harmful effects of UPF on general health, affecting kidneys, heart, liver, and brain, and accelerated atherosclerosis, leading to stroke, heart attack, and dementia. Advertising has made UPF deceptive (e.g. claims such as “I cannot believe it.”)
Some of the examples are:
- Soft, sugary drinks.
- Potato chips, pretzels, or similar products.
- Bakery goods like donuts, muffins, cakes
- Ice cream and frozen meals.
- Most breakfast cereals.
- Processed meats.
Most foods that are bagged and have labels are UPF.
Our Recommendations.
- Eating balanced food is the best way to maintain proper health. Packaging your lunch is the best option.
- Avoid ultra-processed foods as much as possible. Keep your salt (sodium) intake less than 2,000 mg per 24 hours.
- Limit your calories, preferably to less than 2,000 per day. TLC driving may be stressful with long hours, but mostly sedentary.
- Try to eat 2-3 healthy large meals daily and 2-3 snacks between meals. Avoid driving 15-20 minutes after a heavy meal.
- Consume foods with high fiber content and drink plenty of water (1-2 gallons per day based on your health). This will keep your kidneys and other organs healthy.
- If you eat a healthy and well-balanced diet, you do not need additional vitamins, etc. In TLC world, it isn’t easy to do so. Other recommendations are taking one multivitamin (with minerals) tablet daily – low cost and many benefits.
- If you have any illnesses like hypertension, diabetes, heart or liver disease, or arthritis – take your medications regularly as prescribed. Follow food recommendations and avoidances as told by her doctor. Pay close attention to your doctor’s recommendations.
Looking after your health is not only important… it’s extremely important! It is a one-way street with no going back. You need to take care.
Next month’s column will be about exercise and activity, so please check back for more health advice.
