FOOD: Are your daily meals providing adequate nutrition?

AMNEET AULAKH
VANCOUVER DESI

In my last article, “Have Fruits and Vegetables Become Less Nutritious?” I talked about how our fruits and vegetables look big and perfect, and are lacking in nutrition. I discussed some of the concerns that are real today such as the crop being picked way before it is ripe, excessive use of fertilizers or pesticides that is depleting the nutrients in the soil, and genetically modified organisms.  These concerns beg the question of what can we do about our food reality? How can we get the essential nutrients our body needs daily to function at an optimal level?

Some food habits that I have implemented are:

• buy organic or local “Product of Canada” produce when possible;
• buy fruits and vegetables that are in season;
• spend more on food and less on “things”;
• eat clean foods, meaning if you can recognize what you are eating on your plate, it’s a good thing.  E.g., you cannot recognize the kind of meat that is in a hotdog;
• food labels don’t tell the whole truth;
• drink plenty of water – 60 per cent of our body is made up of water!

Many people have realized that our foods are lacking in all the nutrition that our body needs and are supplementing their diet with vitamin/mineral supplementation.  A Canadian study found that majority of Canadians take some form of nutritional supplementation.  Scientific studies have also shown that regular supplement use can increase daily intake of vitamins and minerals (also known as micronutrients) beyond what is obtained from food alone, and add to health benefits, including chronic disease prevention.

The health of our body is a sum of our circumstances, environment, emotional well-being and most importantly, the food we eat. What is today’s health reality? Do you know of at least one person in your family who has heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol or cancer? How is our lifestyle affecting our long-term health? Why do so many children have allergies to foods?

I will share my insights on these important questions in my next article.

Amneet Aulakh works as a Clinical Pharmacist Specialist. She has an interest in health maintenance and nutrition. Her passion is to educate and inspire people, empowering them to enjoy optimum health. Follow her on twitter @mirrordoor. She can be reached by email at amneet.aulakh@yahoo.com

Tags: Nutrition