Our Body
Our body composition is about:
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64 % of water
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16 % protein
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16% fat
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4 % of minerals
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1 % carbohydrates
This varies per person and their lifestyle, but everyone needs food and nutrients for our bodies to function correctly. Food is our source of energy that fuels our bodies to use all the systems need to keep us well and alive.​ The nutrients we need can be divided into 6 major groups, each can be broken down further and we must maintain balance to stay healthy. If you eat a varied diet, you will probably get enough of most groups.
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Water- Everything in our body needs water and it needs to be replaced constantly to maintain a balance.
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Vitamins- There are about 13 different vitamins in our bodies, each with a unique focus area and our diets should be enough to get all of them in the right proportions as long as we eat from all food groups.
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3. Minerals- We need different minerals in different quantities. For
example iodine and fluoride, we need small quantities. While, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, are needed in larger amounts.
4. Carbohydrates- are the most important source of energy for the body, and are vital for a varied and balanced diet.
5. Lipids (fats)- There are different types of fats the best ones to
consume are none processed, natural ones. They help store energy and vitamins, protect organs and neurons, create testosterone and estrogen, etc.
6.Proteins-make up a big part of our muscles and connectives tissues​​​, do most of the work in cells and are required for body regulation.
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A balanced diet looks a little bit different in every country but all contain the 6 groups of nutrients. In Mexico, there haven't been any major modifications to the healthy plate since 2005. The healthy plate started in the 90's as a good way for people to measure meal-sized and eat balanced, replacing the food pyramid.
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Usually, governments and international organizations such as the World Health Organization created the diagrams. Now however there is an easier and better way of measuring food quantity and eating enough to stay healthy, which is the hand measuring system, shown in the diagram below.
If you'd like to know more about Nutrition and Metabolic systems, here are a few videos to get you started.
Dieting Culture is all around us in ways we don't even realize. The glorification of thin/skinny bodies and labels of that being the only definition for health, while fat-shaming and critiquing affects everyone in sever ways. Valuing shape and size over wellbeing won't get us anywhere. Consciously or not we all play a major role in it. Our brains and bodies have become so used to it that we stopped noticing when we become part of it, and embrace that culture even when we disagree with it, simply because we don't realize we've become a part of it.
We live in a world where we cannot control all the stimuli our brain receives, media is how we communicate. Through images, new diets, trends and slang we connect. We think being fit means being thin and that is healthy. Despite the fact that science continues to disprove it many people follow it. It can be in a comment or thought an action and our choices, changing diets to cut out completly food groups not because of diagnosis or physical reactions but because of an underlying fear of 'fat'. When in reality by doing that we are going into a cycle of drastic weight loss and replacement, which will eventually increase our weight again if the unbalance continues.
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What we eat has a big influence on what happens in our bodies and how we feel. ​Food plays a big role in culture, it doesn't only keep us alive but it unites people, communities and becomes part of our identity. Having a fear of it is something that has underlyingly been fostered in more recent years through social media, fake news, tv, and education, but it takes away a big portion of what world cultures and the wold is about. Judging someone based on a societal standard of beauty is very common and quite unnecessary. When beauty can be seen or perceived by everyone, in many different ways, why do we categorize it and label it as one main trait?
It’s characteristic that we all seek in every situation. Western culture is the leader of globalization and the dominant culture around the world. In the west beauty refers mostly to physical appearance, and this idea has now spread throughout the world. Part of what makes us humans is how we process information and care about others, we communicate and understand things from another perspective this is how beauty standards come to be.
Just like all individuals have a unique definition for it, each culture has different standards.
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As globalization increases, our interpretations tend to become more similar. The reason behind this is debatable and unknown.
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The good thing about being part of the issue is that we can also bring the solution. Here a few ideas:
- Mindful eating: Eating when hungry and avoid overeating since that can create a feeling of guilt afterward and will help you stay healthy by eating the recommended portion sizes when we are conscious of our bodies. ​
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- Become aware of this culture and pay attention to the phrases we use, our words shape our minds. By watching what we say and the way we phrase our thoughts we can start the behavioral change. We are so used to some of this thoughts and words that changing them will take time, that is ok. Just acknowledge the thought and let it go, paying more attention to avoiding it next time.
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- Challenge those around you who have those assumptions and share what you've learned about this unhealthy culture.
- Debunk the myths around nutrition. To get you started here's some interesting videos.
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