If ever there is one universal language, it would definitely be food. As the years go by, we try to understand and reconcile ourselves with the power of food over our lives. They could make us young or old, fat or slim, health or weak. Because of this, a lot of studies and discoveries were made on the topic of food.
As well look at us in the mirror, most of us would almost immediately notice those lines in our faces. Suddenly we all wonder if we are too old or the environment around us is simply moving time so fast. We wonder what could be done.
When we got up and stepped on that scale, we are shocked to see that line hit past the average weight. We panic as we think that we are getting fat and would mean getting slow. Mentally we relate our weight to our heavy bodies and low energy. We almost immediately sign up for that gym class.
We are extremely conscious of what we look that we tend to forgot that sometimes the answer could be that simple. In our society today, we are bombarded with pollutions and fast food. These two have a tremendous effect on how we eat and look. Fast food centres offer unhealthy food that often times contribute a lot of problems.
Lots of studies and experiments are being done to answer our cry for help. We want a diet that is effective. A diet that could boost our energy levels, make us feel young, look young, affordable and sustainable.
One interesting and very realistic discovery is “food combining”. Correctly combining foods makes all the difference in the world to proper digestion, cholesterol and metabolism. Without complete digestion, the nutrients in even the most wholesome food cannot be fully extracted and assimilated by the body.
Before we could even say or open our mouth bout food combining, we must first be equipped with the basic knowledge about food, its classifications and digestion. We cannot disregard these as they are the fundamental stones of which this was based. Thus in the chapters below there are some review on the basic data to fully grasp and understand the concept of food combining.
Lets us remember this word of wisdom before we begin.
Food and drink are relied upon to nurture life. But if one does not know that the nature of substances may be opposed to each other, and one consumes them altogether indiscriminately, the vital organs will be thrown out of harmony and disastrous consequences will soon arise. Therefore, those who wish to nurture their lives must carefully avoid doing such damage to them.
[Chia Ming, Essential Knowledge for Eating and Drinking, 1368 AD].
It must not be forgotten that nutrition begins with food. The science of nutrition is related almost to everything with the body that does with food in order to function, live, heal and grow. Food is any substance, composed of carbohydrates, water, fats and/or proteins, that is either eaten or drunk by any animal, including humans, for nutrition or pleasure. Items considered food may be sourced from plants, animals or other categories such as fungus. Although many human cultures sought food items through hunting and gathering, today most cultures use farming, ranching, and fishing, with hunting, foraging and other methods of a local nature included but playing a minor role.
Now foods that are eaten on a regular basis are called diet. And every single person has its own unique diet. The geographic location and family traditions play extremely major parts in the formation of a person’s diet although as the person grows, the diet may change but to a little degree. Food choices vary from people to people just as they vary with almost every living creature.
We cannot make our own food out from the sun or from the wind of from the water. Our food comes from the plants, which make their food, and from animals that are pretty much like us dependent on plants. The plants, with the help of the sun, make their food form the chemicals found in water, air and soil. Animals eat their food, or feed, raw since they are equipped with specialized digestive organs, perfected through evolution to digest the food they eat.
On the other hand, we humans eat both plants and animals. We like to prepare our food and in most countries, food preparation is an art that takes years to perfect. Different countries have different staple foods. Mostly in Asia, rice and corn are ever present in the table. In western countries, potato and bread are their staple food. Regardless of the difference, these staple foods are the major source of carbohydrates. Protein and milk are likewise present in the table. Only people are too busy gobbling down their food that they don’t care about the food they are eating or its nutritional value. It is vital that proteins, carbohydrate and fats are present. The function of these will be discussed in the succeeding chapters.
We must never attempt to skip a meal for the sake of weight loss. The more we deprive ourselves with food, the worse our body will become. Our conditions will worsen even if physically we look great.
We cannot deny the fact that we need food in order to survive. Food and water has been the centre of our life. Humans can survive without their big houses, expensive cars and clothes but they could never survive for more than a week without any food and water.
If you could observe, large parts of the third world countries suffer from malnutrition. They have food but the foods they have do not meet the daily required calories or energy of the body. Also, they do not have enough food for the day that they could only eat once or twice a day. As they say, “you are what you eat”. If we eat all those greasy and oily foods, we tend to become overweight or unhealthy. If we eat only sweets and caffeine, then don’t expect that we could have that perfect, healthy body we always dream.
So just how important is the food?
To function properly, the human body must have nutrients that are present in the food. Our brain cannot function if the body is weak. We will suffer from fatigue and stress from the lack of food. Extreme dieting is harmful to us and our body. Our digestive system and our cardio-vascular system are the ones at greatest risk to being damaged and become not repairable.
The basic four food groups were reworked into a more balanced and healthy food pyramid guide. Now this food pyramid has its base on the grain group, the second level with fruit and vegetables group, third level with meat and diary groups and on the last level, fats, oils and sweets group.
The food pyramid is generally a guide for everyone of what to be eaten each and as to how much quantity should be eaten. There should be a variety and balance in eating so as to meet the required calories per day. Each group provides what a person needs but in small amounts. No food group in the food pyramid could provide all the nutrients that a person needs. Also, the foods in the pyramids have no substitute and must not be replaced by any commercial products stating that they are the substitute.
