Christmas: Eat light, eat right
Dec 19, 2008
The last thing any one would love to hear in the month of December is limiting the intake of meats and alcohol or engaging in exercise.
By Gloria Kirungi
The last thing any one would love to hear in the month of December is limiting the intake of meats and alcohol or engaging in exercise.
It is holiday time; a time to celebrate with food, drink and fun, regardless of over-eating and weight gain warnings.
According to the National Institutes of Health, holiday eating can result in an extra kilo or two every year, which easily add up over a lifetime.
Don’t let this holiday do that to you. Make a difference which will positively influence your general health throughout the coming year.
Most Christmas menus include energy dense foods, among which are fries and carbohydrates.
These in themselves are not bad. However, the rate of their consumption is the problem. Remember too much of anything is always bad.
These foods are dangerous because:
l They contain a high percentage of saturated fats which are not readily broken down by the body. So, the body easily opts to deposit them than break them down.
Take cholesterol, for example. The body manufactures its own cholesterol and the additional one from dietary intake, in excess, is easily deposited in the linings of the blood vessels.
This may narrow the internal diameter (passage) of the vessels.
Clots also form which, when trapped in the narrowed pathways, can cut off blood supply to certain parts of the body say the heart, causing a heart attack or brain stroke.
All this doesn’t come in a short while. It is as a result of accumulated levels of saturated fat resulting from chronic poor dietary intake or poor eating habits.
l The extra calories taken accumulate steadily. An extra 500 calories from the daily requirement means an extra 3,500 calories per week added to the body, which in most cases is stored.
We have to remember that being overweight is one of the leading causes of insulin resistance among diabetes patients.
l These foods cause satiety - a feeling of fullness leading to low dietary intake of other nutritious foods, hence many end up eating a higher percentage of energy dense foods than nutrient dense foods. In the long run, micro-nutrient deficiencies develop.
l Certain nutrients are transported using fat. With extra fat in the diet, a risk of intoxification may result as much of the consumed nutrients may be transported within a small amount of time, thus reaching threshold quickly and causing intoxification.
This is common among the fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A, D, E &K.
l Too much red meat, for example, can also result in metabolic diseases such as gout arthritis characterised by pain in the joints.
l Overloading of the system with too many fatty foods can result in indigestion or fat intolerance.
Be mindful of your diet this festive season. Focus on a healthy balance of food, activity, and fun. That will mark a mature responsible person from those who simply seek fun for the day without minding the consequences.
The writer is a Nutritionist at KIM’s medical centre kirungigloria@yahoo.com
The last thing any one would love to hear in the month of December is limiting the intake of meats and alcohol or engaging in exercise.
It is holiday time; a time to celebrate with food, drink and fun, regardless of over-eating and weight gain warnings.
According to the National Institutes of Health, holiday eating can result in an extra kilo or two every year, which easily add up over a lifetime.
Don’t let this holiday do that to you. Make a difference which will positively influence your general health throughout the coming year.
Most Christmas menus include energy dense foods, among which are fries and carbohydrates.
These in themselves are not bad. However, the rate of their consumption is the problem. Remember too much of anything is always bad.
These foods are dangerous because:
l They contain a high percentage of saturated fats which are not readily broken down by the body. So, the body easily opts to deposit them than break them down.
Take cholesterol, for example. The body manufactures its own cholesterol and the additional one from dietary intake, in excess, is easily deposited in the linings of the blood vessels.
This may narrow the internal diameter (passage) of the vessels.
Clots also form which, when trapped in the narrowed pathways, can cut off blood supply to certain parts of the body say the heart, causing a heart attack or brain stroke.
All this doesn’t come in a short while. It is as a result of accumulated levels of saturated fat resulting from chronic poor dietary intake or poor eating habits.
l The extra calories taken accumulate steadily. An extra 500 calories from the daily requirement means an extra 3,500 calories per week added to the body, which in most cases is stored.
We have to remember that being overweight is one of the leading causes of insulin resistance among diabetes patients.
l These foods cause satiety - a feeling of fullness leading to low dietary intake of other nutritious foods, hence many end up eating a higher percentage of energy dense foods than nutrient dense foods. In the long run, micro-nutrient deficiencies develop.
l Certain nutrients are transported using fat. With extra fat in the diet, a risk of intoxification may result as much of the consumed nutrients may be transported within a small amount of time, thus reaching threshold quickly and causing intoxification.
This is common among the fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A, D, E &K.
l Too much red meat, for example, can also result in metabolic diseases such as gout arthritis characterised by pain in the joints.
l Overloading of the system with too many fatty foods can result in indigestion or fat intolerance.
Be mindful of your diet this festive season. Focus on a healthy balance of food, activity, and fun. That will mark a mature responsible person from those who simply seek fun for the day without minding the consequences.
The writer is a Nutritionist at KIM’s medical centre kirungigloria@yahoo.com