We hear about the importance of having a healthy diet all the time. Better sleep, physical and mental health, improved memory, more energy - we are all aware of these and of the many other benefits of having a healthy diet. Learning about this was most likely required of you already in primary school. Despite this, we are evidently not that healthy. Currently more than 60% of the Polish population is obese, but there is some good news - around 25% of Poles report to be on a diet... oh, never mind, as it turns out, only around 2⁄3 of them actually stick to it. Since we all have a problem, how do we deal with it?
1. Drink more water
Drinking water has surprisingly many health benefits. First of all, it keeps your body fluid balance in check. Water makes up around 60% of your body and is an integral part of most of the processes taking place in it. Water also helps hydrate your skin and since it has 0 calories, replacing other drinks with water will help you slim down. Additionally, if you drink a glass of water before a meal it will help you reduce appetite and therefore lose weight.
2. Try to limit your sugar intake
Despite popular belief, sugar is in fact much more detrimental to your health than fat. Firstly, fats are the most calorie dense macronutrient. While this doesn’t sound good, it means that your body burns fat before sugar. Secondly, fats are not only an energy source, but also have other important roles in your body, from being used in building cells to creating DNA chains. Sugar is very dangerous, as it is highly addictive and is located in pretty much every food we eat nowadays. From bread to cheese, from yoghurt to orange juice. However, eating more fatty foods will help us limit the sugar intake. Try to avoid fat free products, as they contain extra sugar.
3. Supplement your diet with vitamins
Our fast and stressful lives make it difficult to consume all the necessary vitamins and minerals. Supplements are an easy way to fix that. Vitamin D is the most important one, as the lack of sun, especially during winter, makes it impossible for our bodies to make it. Omega 3 acids are often lacking from our diet. They are necessary to conserve our joints and are found mainly in fish, which are hard to come by in Poland.
4. Final tip: Don’t focus on what to eliminate from your diet, but rather what to add to it.
We all have a limit of food we can eat in a day. By focusing on what you need to eat, you will automatically cut down on what you shouldn’t be eating.
Dieting isn’t as complicated as they make it out to be. Eating healthy isn’t about cutting out food, but about adding necessary nutrients to your diet. Follow these tips to easily improve your diet
Julusz Głodek
Works Cited
Accessed 11 Feb. 2021.
Fig. 1 Right to water, www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.righttowater.info%2Fmake-water-drinkable%2F&psig=AOvVaw0CwQHTkJba2v1K8lHSDiTT&ust=1613123332616000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCNjOmuvG4e4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD.
Accessed 11 Feb. 2021.
Fig. 2 Sonas Home Care Center, www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sonashomehealth.com%2Fthe-importance-of-reducing-sugar-intake-for-seniors%2F&psig=AOvVaw3WmpjWrQ8R30f5y-LoMj5N&ust=1613123418094000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCMD09J3H4e4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAP.
Accessed 11 Feb. 2021.