Healthy Eating for Generation Y

Driving back from the shops I noticed one sign placed under another. The top sign displayed ‘Private Hospital’ the one underneath said ‘Funeral Parlour”. Once realising it wasn’t an optical illusion I thought it’s another way of categorising life. Unhealthy lifestyle leads to disease and disease can lead to an early death?

Generation Y you face many challenges such as moving away from home, starting work or study. These changes in lifestyle can cause dietary changes that are not always conducive to healthy eating. Binge drinking, recreational drug taking and fast food all take their toll sooner than later. As does going to bed late, texting, on the computer for hours and sleep deprivation.

Generation Y limit alcohol intake and say No to recreational drugs. Binge drinking and the use of recreational drugs leads to a fatty liver and effects brain function. When you binge drink your liver function is momentarily impaired. Your liver literally detoxifies everything you eat, drink, smell and apply to your skin. If you cease binge drinking and drug taking, your liver will start to regenerate. But the longer you leave it the more damage is done to the liver and the harder it will be to repair. With loss of liver function comes abnormality in cells leading to ill health and disease. Creating a fatty liver is turning it into an old liver. Your brain isn’t as forgiving and damaging this organ can sometimes have terrible consequences. Click on the site below for more information about drugs and alcohol and your body. http://au.reachout.com/find/issues/alcohol-other-drugs?gclid=CPq7qcavmKcCFUqFpAodsmcKfQ

Make a deliberate effort to keep active and drink the right amount of water. Generation Y this will enable you to keep your metabolism at a healthy rate. You will have the energy and strength to do the things you want to do. Concentration needed for work and study won’t be as difficult. It’s far easier to keep a healthy weight than to try and loose unwanted kilos.  Weight-bearing exercising such as walking, running, dancing will aid bone density. Bone density is something to work at all your life. Not just when you get old. Daily hydration is just as important as when exercising. Click on link below to check your hydration needs. http://www.wateraid.org/uk/get_involved/drink_more_water/1415.asp

Reduce the amount of unhealthy fats and salt in the daily diet

Generation Y fast food and junk food is high fat and salt and offers no nutritional value and is not healthy eating. Apart from making you fatter and upsetting your electrolyte balance, high fats and salt diets are trouble. The unhealthy fats will help increase your cholesterol and triglycerides (unhealthy blood fats) and contribute to clogging up the arteries. High salt will unbalance the electrolytes and increase blood pressure.  Healthy fats on the other had such as Omega 3 (found in eggs, salmon and sardines) will aid brain functionality reduce inflammation and help maintain healthy sperm.  There is a link between the hippocampus (the memory centre of the brain) and high blood pressure. Lots of sodium in your diet will naturally increase blood pressure. When blood pressure increases the blood flow to the hippocampus is significantly reduced.

Eat foods high in Iron and Calcium. Generation Y aim to include foods which are high in iron and calcium. Lean red meat and green leafy vegetables are great sources of iron and are part of healthy eating. Low fat dairy and goat products or soya products are great sources of calcium and also part of healthy eating. Almonds and sesame seeds are also high in Calcium. Calcium rids the body of excess fats and contributes to healthy bones. You can try tahini (sesame paste) instead of butter and eat a few almonds a day.  Try the shake below to boost your levels of calcium in your diet.

Healthy Shake for Generation Y

2 tablespoon of equal parts of grounded pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) linseed, raw almonds and sunflower seed (Grind them fresh yourself)

1 teaspoon of tahini

1 banana or half an avocado

1 cup of Soya milk or low fat cows milk or goat’s milk

1 teaspoon of cold extracted honey (optional) or Canadian Maple Syrup

Put in a blender and blend. If too thick add more milk.

Generation Y please don’t forget fruit. Apples especially the red ones a very high in antioxidants, are a great source of fibre and are Low GI. Click onto link below to see the value of this fruit. http://www.oneadaysuperfood.com.au/apple_info/apple_videos/

Fruit will maintain your energy levels such as bananas which are high in potassium, tryptophan and fructose. Water melon is a great thirst quencher and great for the kidneys. Mangoes are high in vitamin A which is good for eye Health and aid healthy mucus membranes. Healthy eating includes at least three different types of fruit a day.