By: Ana Margarita Olar| Executivechronicles.com
Despite the advances of technology and the vast studies about health and wellness, there are still misconceptions about being well and being healthy. Check these out to find if you still believe in one of them:
- Consuming fat will make you fat.
The truth is: to achieve health and wellness, we all need some fat but in moderation. There are healthy sources of fats like olives, nuts, avocados, and olive oil. Also, a moderate amount of fat is needed to bring out the flavor of the food that you are eating. This way, you will feel fuller and it will curb your cravings. Being fat is not about fat consumption but more of taking in more calorie than you needed for the day.
- The RDA on food labels is what matters.
Computing the RDA for your daily consumption does not equal to health and wellness. According to Michael Pollan in his Defense of Food: “focus on consuming food that is close to nature as much as possible which will help you to avoid problematic ingredients that you could be unknowingly sensitive to.”
We should choose natural foods such as unprocessed meat, fresh fruits, and vegetables so that we don’t need to read the label or scan the ingredients because we are choosing the ingredients for ourselves.
- If you want to lose weight, cut your consumption of food.
According to a review of studies from UCLA 2007,” diets do not lead to sustained weight loss or health and wellness benefits for the majority of the people”. Moderate diet, regular exercise, and healthy living is still the key to keeping the body trimmed and physically fit.
- Eat when you are hungry
Feeling hungry means two things: one you’re stressed or didn’t have enough rest and sleep and number two your body is giving you a signal that it is being depleted with the needed nutrients and minerals that it needs to function normally.
Data shows that people who eat when they are hungry have increased diabetes and other medical conditions. Regularity is the key. You should eat the same time every day because this will make a big difference regarding health and wellness.
- Carbs are to be blamed if you are fat.
Well, just like fats, carbohydrates are also vital for your health and wellness. It is not the carbohydrate per se but the source of carbohydrates that matter.
Opt for carbs that are minimally processed so that it retains its fiber content, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
Finally, there are still numerous health and wellness myths out there but according to Dr. David Agus on Quora: “there are many health and wellness misconceptions but I think the biggest is that there is one way to be healthy.
The truth is that there are many ways to arrive at health and making the right decisions based on your value system is the key. “
