by Tracy Wu

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”
1 Corinthians 6:19, 20

For those of you who have done any kind of study or research on the intricate detail and complexity of our bodies, you begin to get a glimpse at how amazingly creative and detailed our God is. Having a healthy body that can move, breathe, and function on a day to day basis is no doubt a tremendous gift from our Creator. It's so easy to take it for granted especially when we have limited understanding of how our day to day choices have great influence in the present and in the future of how well our bodies will function. Gaining and applying knowledge about nutrition and exercise can be very helpful tools in equipping you to be a faithful steward of this incredible gift.

We can become so confused in understanding proper nutrition because of the overabundance of information on the topic that is out there. It seems like almost every week there is a new diet or a new product coming out that offers all the answers to our problems with weight and health. We are bombarded with the terms sugar free, fat free, organic, omega 3, trans-fat, etc… It's so hard to sort it all out in our head. This article by no means is able to give you a thorough teaching on what I have learned on the topic, but I do desire to give you a few practical truths that I believe can make a difference in your weight and health if applied.

First of all, I want to answer the question of why we even need food. We definitely underestimate the power that food can have on our well-being. Food provides us with energy, it supplies us with building blocks that repair our organs and replace the cells that are continually dying, and it acts as a catalyst to supply vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that facilitate chemical reactions that convert food into energy. Food is responsible for the health of your hair, your nails, your skin, your energy levels, and even your mental well being. The consequences of being deficient in particular nutrients that come from food can be short term or long term. Some things are noticeable right away, but then some may not be revealed until many years later. You can be deficient in a particular nutrient for years and may never experience the consequences of that until many years down the road.

When choosing foods, it's important to make sure you are getting enough carbohydrates, proteins, and fats on a daily basis. All three of these macronutrients play a vital role on your health. The foods that supply us with carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables, breads, pastas, rice, cookies, candies, cakes, crackers, etc… The number one choice for getting your carbohydrates is fruits and vegetables because of the many different vitamins and minerals they also supply. Breads, rice, and pasta would be second, and then the others would be your last choice. Carbohydrates are your #1 source of preferred fuel for the body. 50-60% of your daily calories should come from fresh, whole, and natural forms of carbohydrates.

Protein is another macronutrient that the body needs and is mainly found in meat, eggs, milk, cheese, beans, and nuts. Protein is the primary building block for the body and without enough of it in your diet your body can begin to have all sorts of difficulties. Tissues become worn out and cannot repair themselves efficiently, osteoporosis, which is a term for brittle bones, can develop at a young age, your immune system becomes very low and you can get sick very easily, and protein insufficiency can result in imbalances in your brain and nervous system causing psychological instability. So, how much does your body need? The average adult should be eating about 10-15% of their daily caloric needs in the form of protein.

The final macronutrient our bodies need is fat. We live in a society that believes if you eat fat you will be fat- that statement is completely inaccurate. Eating fat does not make you fat or overweight. Eating too many processed foods is much more responsible for weight problems than fat. Essential fatty acids that can only be obtained from the diet are responsible for so many vital functions. They are needed to convert the energy in food to ATP; to transfer oxygen from the air to red blood cells and from the red blood cells to tissues; to facilitate communication from one cell to the next, to produce and release enzymes and hormones; to make substances that regulate blood pressure, inflammation, immune response and blood clotting, all of which are important in healing injured and damaged tissues. I hope this convinces you of your need for fat in your diet even if you are not a science person and that all just sounded like a foreign language. A diet that is chronically below this will eventually suffer harmful effects. 20-30% of your total caloric intake should come from healthy fats. When making food choices in regards to fat, the best sources are olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, and a moderate amount of the fat found in meat, eggs, and milk products.

So, how many calories do the average adult male and female need? Most women need between 1400-2000 calories a day and men between 2000-2500 a day. This is a very rough estimate because so many things affect your personal caloric needs (age, weight, and activity level). Some good websites to go to for a more personal accurate recommendation are: www.freedieting.com; www.runningforfitness.org.

The final topic to briefly touch on is the importance of exercise for the healthy functioning and maintenance of our bodies. The American College of Sports Medicine quotes that “based upon countless studies done on the relationship between physical activity and chronic disease and early mortality, there is a consistently lower risk of all-cause mortality in people who maintain high levels of physical activity or physical fitness over a period of years compared with those who decreased or maintained low levels of physical activity or physical fitness over the same time period.” (Williams & Wilkins, Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription). This alone may not motivate one to get up and get moving, but the countless rewards that one begins to experience once a consistent program is started and maintained is enough to keep you moving. Exercise provides increased energy, motivation, clear thinking, feelings of well being through the release of endorphins, greater ability to tackle daily tasks without stress and strain, and an overall greater quality and enjoyment of life, especially when done with family and/or friends. The ACSM recommends at least 20-30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise on most days of the week and 2-3 days of strength training. The best way to begin an exercise program is to look into the many different opportunities in your community and/or church. Try to engage in exercise with other people. It will keep you accountable and will increase your chances of sticking with it. Start off slowly and increase your commitment over time. This is a discipline and time commitment that will never be regretted. It's an investment that will not only impact you physically, but also emotionally and spiritually.