Eating Is A Necessity, Eating Well Is An Art
A well-known name in mindful eating, Suzanne Powell, an Irish woman who specializes in nutrition, tells us in her book Conscious Nutrition how everyone can discover the best eating style for themselves . Suzanne argues that conscious eating means knowing what to eat, how to eat it and when to eat it.
What should we eat?
That is why it is fundamental to know how the body works, how much oxygen it needs, how to maintain a neutral pH level, etc.
The human body obtains the oxygen it needs through breathing. We can find the oxygen we need in the air we breathe, but because oxygen reserves in the body are virtually nonexistent, we need to continuously supply the body with more oxygen. Adults take between 12 and 20 breaths per minute, while newborns take between 40 and 60 breaths per minute
The relationship between acids and bases in the body is measured by pH scale, in which 0 is extremely acidic, 14 is extremely basic and 7 is neutral. Blood should always have a pH between 7.40 and 7.45, which is slightly alkaline.
Which foods are acidic and which foods are basic?
One of the main factors influencing the acidification of the body is diet. Foods that acidify the blood can cause illness and it is wise to avoid them as much as possible.
Some examples of foods that acidify the blood are refined sugar and all its derivatives, alcohol, tobacco, anything that contains dyes and preservatives, etc. Foods that help us maintain a slightly alkaline pH of the blood include fresh fruits and raw vegetables, nuts and seeds, green plants (aloe vera, seaweed) etc.
How should we eat?
It is essential that we know how we should eat our food. It is important not only to know the difference between eating raw and cooked foods, but also to know how foods should be properly combined.
Suzanne Powell argues that the way we eat is important in our daily lives as well as when we are sick and that the right combination of foods can help to digest food better.
For example, Suzanne argues that if we combine protein with starch, we will not be able to digest both foods properly, because each food group requires a specific environment to be properly digested.
Enzymes are needed to digest food. The body gets a large part of this from food. Chewing food activates the enzymes. But when we combine foods that don’t go well together, such as rice and salad with lemon or vinegar dressing, our bodies don’t get the right enzymes and digestion becomes very difficult, which can upset the stomach.
When should we eat?
Different types of food should not only be combined in the right way, but also consumed at the right time.
It is also important that you remember to eat fruits and vegetables that are in season, because although we have almost all kinds of fruits and vegetables available throughout the year, vegetables and fruits in season are less treated with artificial substances .
In the morning you should eat fruit of the season with yogurt and muesli. In the afternoon it is best to eat salads and carbohydrates along with seasonal fruits. For dinner you should eat a salad combined with meat or fish (proteins). If you tend to snack between meals, choose nuts, green tea, yogurt, etc.
Knowing what to eat, when to eat it and how to eat it will help you digest food properly. In the end, it’s all about being aware of what you eat and how to combine different foods to maintain a healthy body, always under the watchful eye of a specialist.
