Lose the Tire
As if you don’t have enough challanges during a family law case, if you’re overweight, you have an increased risk of developing a variety of health problems too. Losing just a little weight, and keeping it off with a healthier diet and some exercise, may greatly reduce your increased health risks and vastly improve your self-image.
The food we eat has a major influence on our health, but it’s easy to eat too many high-fat foods and not enough of the more nutritious foods.
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...Why Worry About Diet?
Your body needs a constant supply of energy to fuel the continuous processes of life, such as your heartbeat, breathing and digestion. You also need energy to grow and repair your body’s tissues, and to power your muscles for movement. During a divorce, all of these systems are placed under even greater stress and you require more energy just to maintain.
Your energy is provided by the foods and drink you consume. The energy value of those foods is measured in calories (kilocalories, kcal). But calories aren’t the end of the story. You also need to make sure your diet includes essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals.
The food choices you make will affect your ability to survive your divorce and can have a long-term impact on your health. There is good evidence that eating a healthy diet can reduce your risk of illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease (including coronary heart disease) and several cancers.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Balance is Healthy Eating
Healthy eating is about the right quantity and balance of foods. A balance of foods is the foundation of day-to-day wellbeing not to mention management of your divorce case. There are five main food groups:
- Starchy Foods
- Fruit and Vegetables
- Dairy Foods
- Meat and Beans
- Fat and Sugar
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Starchy Foods
Starchy foods such as bread and potatoes are the main source of carbohydrate – the body’s preferred source of fuel. They should make up about half of your daily energy intake. Each gram of carbohydrate provides you with about four calories.
There are two main types of carbohydrate – complex and simple. Complex carbohydrates include starch and fiber. Simple carbohydrates include sugars.
Most of the carbohydrate in your diet should come from complex carbohydrates, including starchy “fillers” such as brown bread, potatoes, pasta, or rice. Choose wholegrain varieties whenever possible, as these also contain more fiber.
Base your meals on starchy carbohydrates for a diet that is lower in fat and higher in dietary fiber – especially if you choose wholegrain varieties.
Fruit and Vegetables
You should aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. This can be a real challenge when your time and energy is consumed with a family law case but there is good evidence that fruit and vegetables cut the risk of disease, including some cancers and heart disease.
Dairy foods
Milk and dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt are rich in protein. They are also a good source of vitamin D and calcium, which keep your bones strong and healthy.
One gram of protein provides you with about four calories, but this energy is less readily released than from carbohydrate. Protein should make up around 15 percent of your daily energy intake.
Most people eat a reasonable amount of protein and don’t need to alter their intake. But try to choose the lower-fat options.
Meat and Beans
Meat, beans and pulses also provide you with protein. Always try to pick the lower-fat options. For instance, instead of high-fat chicken nuggets, try lean pieces of chicken or pulses such as beans or chickpeas.
Fat
Fat is the most energy-dense nutrient in most of our diets. Each gram provides you with about nine calories. Fat also provides fatty acids, which your body needs for many vital functions, such as helping your body to absorb vitamins. In small quantities, fat is essential for good health but it should make up no more than 35 percent of your daily energy intake.
Eating a lot of fat, particularly saturated fats and trans fats, is unhealthy. These increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (including heart attack and stroke). Because it is so rich in calories, it can cause obesity.
Saturated fats are solid at room temperature, and come from meat and dairy products. Eating a lot of saturated fat increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, and most of us need to cut down. Given that divorced men are already more like to suffer from cardiovascular disease, cutting the fat off meat and eating lower-fat versions of dairy foods can help.
Trans fats are a cheap source of fat, mainly used for snack and convenience foods like biscuits, cakes and pastries. These are thought to be even unhealthier than saturated fats. Many manufacturers are now stopping using trans fats in their products.
Unsaturated fats come mainly from plant and fish sources. They tend to be liquid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats are divided into two types: monounsaturates and polyunsaturates. They are both healthier than saturated fats, and it makes sense to replace some of the saturated fats in your diet with unsaturated ones (e.g. replacing butter with olive oil).
Omega 3 is a type of fatty acid that helps to protect against heart disease. Eating two portions of oily fish (eg sardines, mackerel or salmon) every week is a good way to help meet your omega 3 requirements. One portion is about 140g.
Cholesterol is another type of fat, and is mostly made by your liver. High levels of cholesterol in your blood increase your risk of heart disease. Certain foods, such as eggs and offal, are high in cholesterol. However, eating cholesterol in food does not contribute much to the amount of cholesterol in your blood. Saturated fats contribute more to blood cholesterol, so it’s more important to reduce these.
Sugar
Foods high in refined sugar such as table sugar, sugary drinks and snacks provide “empty calories”. This means that these foods have low nutritional value. Sugar also contributes to tooth decay and gum disease. It’s always a good idea to limit your intake of refined sugar.
Micronutrients
As well as the main food groups, men need a small amount of many different vitamins and minerals for our bodies to work properly. Vitamin or mineral deficiencies can lead to illness. Vitamins and minerals also help to support the immune system to protect us from infections, and guard against illness in the long term.
Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
Most of us should be able to get all the vitamins and minerals we need from a balanced diet.
Some people choose to take supplements. If you choose to take a supplement, don’t be tempted to take very high doses as some vitamins and minerals are toxic in large quantities.
There is growing evidence that many vitamin supplements are not as effective as the real source of the vitamins. So, make sure you are eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day.
Alcohol
Clearly, alcohol abuse is common during a divorce. It endangers many aspects of Colorado family cases, such as parenting time and decision making, but it can also impair your ability to make sound decisions and assist your lawyer in doing their job.
Your body converts alcohol to carbohydrate – each gram provides you with about seven calories. Like refined sugar, alcohol provides “empty calories”. This is another reasons why you should limit your alcohol intake to stay healthy.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...
Loading ...Men’s Health
Staying healthy during divorce just for men
Show tips