Nutrition

Reading time: 4 mins

Most people are aware of the phrase ‘you are what you eat’, but fewer take disciplined steps which consider the implications. Nutrition has changed immeasurably throughout human history, at different stages affecting our physiology and development profoundly.

Hunter-gatherers, for example, are known to have had stronger, more uniform teeth due to the consumption of tougher foods which required more chewing. Meanwhile, for centuries most Japanese were purely vegetarian with fish being a delicacy. Without knowledge of alternative protein sources, this led to a smaller stature than Western counterparts, something Emperor Meiji sought to reverse by promoting the eating of beef after the Meiji Restoration.

For us today, our lifestyles can vary significantly, and your nutritional habits should serve your everyday needs. Food pyramids are helpful in demonstrating the spread of different food sources that should be eaten, but what each person needs is subject to their dietary requirements. The question is, will we recognise and help build this, or form unhealthy patterns?

Below are some general tips on nutrition, to help you get started as you build a bespoke plan:

Know your routine: What do you do from day-today? How many calories do you burn, and what nutrients do you need replenishing?

Everything in moderation: We all eat for pleasure from time to time and there is little sense in restricting this completely. Instead, practice self-discipline in line with some of the other how2behuman avatar tips.

In general, the less ingredients the better: The negative effects of processed foods are well known. In general, the less ingredients something has, the better it is. In a sense, we should all learn where possible to 'live off the land'!