Our Body – The Nutrients and Foods It Needs to Thrive

Our body is an amazing structure that works in harmony to give us the best quality of life possible. And though we often think of it in parts, everything in our body is interconnected. So, rather than focusing on specific concerns, we should always aim at improving our overall well-being.

One key thing we can do is to provide it with top nutrition through whole, plant-based foods. These foods are naturally rich in most of the nutrients we need to thrive, from essential vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, to all the essential amino acids, high amounts of fiber, other healthy carbs, and some healthy fats as well.

At the same time, we should avoid or dramatically reduce any harmful foods that are either highly processed or naturally packed with substances that hurt our body, such as saturated fats, heme iron, and excessive amounts of essential amino acid, methionine, which our body accumulates as homocysteine. 

Oftentimes, when we think about nutrition we do so in the context of weight loss. So, we may be vulnerable to fad diets that focus more on avoiding certain foods than on eating healthy foods. 

Other times, though, we’ve just been given the wrong information most of our lives. Maybe we are iron deficient, so we increase our red meat intake. Or we are worried about not getting enough calcium, so we eat more dairy. Or maybe we want to develop more muscle mass, so we enhance our protein intake by eating animal muscles. Though all these may seem like good, quick solutions, in the long run they lead to heart disease, neurodegeneration, bone and muscle loss, and other issues. 

When we know how our body works and how different foods affect it, we’re better equipped to make the right choices. It also helps us commit to other good habits, including exercise, rest, and stress management. And all of them work synergistically to give us the best possible outcomes.