The Truth About ‘5 a Day’

The UK government recommends eating five pieces of vegetable and fruits every day. They allow fruit juices and smoothies as a part of „healthy“ diet which I think is bad! Why? Most juices are essentially liquid sugar, sugar increases our insulin levels and one’s main roles is to direct fat storage. It tells our bodies to hold on to fat by storing it, so more insulin means we’re heavier. Chronically raised insulin levels have been associated with obesity, cancer, inflammation…etc

Sugar is lurking in many different forms such as glucose, dextrose, glucose syrup, cane sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, molasses, rice syrup, honey, brown sugar

What I would recommend as 5 a day?

I would recommend 5 different types of vegetables, ideally different colours. Why? Variety is good for the bugs that live in our gut, and their associated genes collectively known as our microbiome.

New researches shows that our gut health plays a vital role in our overall health, affecting everything from our cravings to our moods to, of course our energy levels. The more vegetables we eat, the more variety we will be getting of these compounds that are known as phytonutrients.

Phytonutrients

Phytonutrients such as the polyphenols found in olives as well as glucosinolates found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, turnips, brussels sprouts and cabbage. Polynutrients help heart disease health, fight cancer cells, reduce inflammation and reverse brain ageing.

Energy Trifecta = Hormones, Immune System And Gut

Our gut bugs and our immune system are not separate things operating in their own sectioned-off zones.

Our hormones, immune system, and gut are closely linked, and it’s very common for them to tip out of balance. The key to boosting your energy (and solving other health issues) is to bringing these three systems back into balance.

QUIZ

You might be wondering how strong is your energy trifecta is. Here is a quick and easy (but by no means exhaustive) self-check.

Just answer the following five questions on a scale of 1 to 5:

• How good is your energy? 5 = awesome, I can do whatever I want when I want; 1 = I am so exhausted DAY AND NIGHT.

• How often do you have trouble with constipation, gas, reflux, diarrhea? 5 = I am as regular as they come; 1 = I feel like I am constantly having issues.

• If you are still of childbearing age, how regular is your period? 5 = I could set my watch to the day; 1 = my period is so erratic I never know when to expect it.

• How often do you come down with a cold and other viruses? 5 = I have yet to miss a day of work; 1 = I feel like I am always battling something!

• How is your mood? 5 = life is good; 1 = I tear up at every commercial.

Done? If your number is 20 or below as a premenopausal woman or below 15 as a man or postmenopausal woman, you need to work on this trifecta.

How to improve your diet, make your gut happy and have more energy?

Up your fiber-rich, prebiotic vegetables. Focus on prebiotic vegetables, such as artichokes, leeks, garlic, and asparagus, and cruciferous vegetables, such as bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage.

1. Start your meal with vegetable salad
2. Get on habit of snacking on veg
3. Add 2 vegetables to every meal

Want to level up and focus on more than just vegetable?

1. Ease Your Stress: Do simple exercises, get outside, turn off tech, and drink teas that ease anxiety.
2. Sleep. Sleep is key to improving any type of previous hormonal blockage or imbalance.
3. Focus On When You Eat: By doing intermittent fasting in conjunction with our natural internal clocks , you’ll revamp your energy.

What you saying? That you can’t live without fruits?

Try some strawberries or blueberries. Firstly they’re low in sugar and secondly, blueberry are pack with polyphenols

I hope that you found this article helpful 🙂 Let me know if you have any questions!

Reference:

I AM SO EFFING TIRED – AMY SHAH

THE 4 PILLAR PLAN – RANGAN CHATTERJEE