What does a healthy diet mean?

Take care of your body, it is the only place you have to live in!

Jim Rohn

We live in an era in which life expectancy is increasing. Although at present, according to the World Health Organisation, 605 million people (20% of the world's population) are over the age of 60, it is estimated that by 2025 this number will rise to 1.2 billion (29%). In order to live these years independently, without severe illness or disability, it is important to promote a healthy lifestyle from childhood, maintained throughout life.

Healthy ageing involves the interaction between our genetic make-up, the environment we live in and our lifestyle.

Recent research shows that the genetic influence on longevity is not as great as previously thought. The choices we make about proper nutrition, the environment we live in and the quality of our relationships with people are more important than we might imagine.

It is therefore essential to understand what a healthy diet means, because this influences both quality of life and longevity.

• Factors that influence longevity
• What healthy food means
• The macronutrients you need to include in your diet

Factors that influence longevity

Around 75% of the factors that influence longevity have nothing to do with genetic inheritance. This means that life expectancy depends to a large extent on the choices we make every day. Scientific research shows that there are several factors that influence health and longevity. These include:

• Diet and lifestyle
• Genetic make-up
• Sport and maintaining an optimal body weight
• Avoiding harmful habits (smoking, alcohol, drugs, etc.)
• Access to medical care and disease prevention

Besides these factors, there are other elements that can increase life expectancy and longevity, from the quality of social relationships, creativity and spirituality through to economic factors.

What does healthy food mean?

One of the strongest current trends in gastronomy is the move towards healthy eating. This can be seen in most European countries, including Romania, as well as across the Atlantic. It is natural to ask ourselves what a healthy diet means, and it is highly advisable to follow the experts' advice regarding our daily food. This is because food keeps us alive, but ideally we should also turn it into an ally of our health. So, healthy food must:

• Cover the body's nutrient requirements without containing a large quantity of risk factors (excess salt or sugar, saturated fats, harmful flavour enhancers)
• Be varied
• Be consumed in moderation, just enough to meet the body's energy needs
• Be spread over a number of meals and snacks according to each person's needs

Diet provides the fuel for the physical activity we want to carry out. As we become more active and better trained, our calorie requirements, as well as the macronutrient and micronutrient content, may vary.

To obtain the energy we need, we must consume the right amount of:

• Carbohydrates, the main source of energy
• Fats, also an important source of energy and a substrate for hormone production
• Proteins for tissue maintenance and repair, one example being muscle tissue
• Water and micronutrients to replace what is lost through exercise

The macronutrients you need to include in your diet

Every day we consume different foods and drinks that meet our nutrient needs. Each food contains macronutrients and micronutrients that are essential for the proper functioning of the body. These help us to grow, to recover after exertion or illness, and give us the energy we need to carry out our daily activities.

Macronutrients refer to three basic categories of nutrients in the diet: fats, carbohydrates and proteins, to which water is added. The predominant macronutrient in a food determines which of the above categories it falls into. For example, a medium-sized potato contains: 163 calories, 0.2 g of fat, 37 g of carbohydrates, 4.7 g of dietary fibre and 4.3 g of protein. Thus, the potato is considered a carbohydrate, because this macronutrient is predominant in its composition.

A healthy, balanced diet involves the proper intake of macronutrients from each category into the body. This must take into account the daily energy requirement, that is, everything the body needs to stay fit and healthy.

Fats

Nowadays there is a reluctance towards fats, which are perceived as responsible for weight gain. In reality, however, fats – the healthy ones – are a macronutrient the body needs in order to keep functioning properly. They help with:

• The proper functioning of the brain and nerves
• The production of vital hormones
• The absorption of vitamins
• The health of the skin and tissues
• Providing energy reserves

Sources of healthy fats are: oily fish, seeds, avocado, eggs, beans, olive oil, peanuts, walnuts, almonds, etc., in other words foods that contain monounsaturated fats. These lower "bad" cholesterol and help keep the heart healthy.

Carbohydrates

Just as vilified as fats, carbohydrates are seen as responsible for weight gain. In reality, however, this is not due to carbohydrates themselves, but to an unbalanced diet or poor choices. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the body and the brain, and play an important role in metabolism.

Depending on their composition and their influence on blood sugar, carbohydrates are classified as simple and complex.

Simple carbohydrates (refined sugar, white flour, processed foods, pastries, confectionery, fizzy drinks, etc.) are absorbed rapidly by the body, are stored as fat and have a negative influence on blood sugar.

Complex carbohydrates, which are good for health, are absorbed slowly by the body and provide energy throughout the day. They prevent sudden rises and falls in blood sugar and provide a feeling of fullness.

Protein

Proteins are absolutely necessary in a healthy, balanced diet. They build cells, tissues and organs and transport minerals, vitamins and hormones. They play an important role in the immune system, speed up the metabolism and are essential for maintaining, repairing and increasing muscle mass.

Moreover, they are the main building blocks from which muscles, skin, hair, nails and internal organs are made. Healthy sources of protein are chicken, turkey, beef, fish, soya, eggs, cottage cheese and nuts. Proteins are of two kinds: complete (in products of animal origin) and partially complete (from plant foods: beans, lentils, chickpeas, nuts and seeds).

Water intake

Water is responsible for every reaction and metabolic process in our body, so it is an important part of a healthy diet. Adequate water intake supports the proper functioning of all the body's organs and systems and is involved in everything from digestion and the transport of nutrients to joint health, the elimination of toxic substances from the body, breathing and temperature regulation.

Proper hydration depends on the physical effort made, the ambient temperature and the foods consumed. It is preferable to hydrate steadily throughout the day with water rather than with other drinks, which can be dehydrating. Also, as part of a healthy diet, it is recommended to hydrate before the feeling of thirst appears. Eating fruit and vegetables is another effective way to hydrate, because some of these foods can contain up to 90% water.

Personalised diet based on metabolic testing

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