Take care of your diet and acquire good eating habits

The difficult and exhausting task of educating requires us to have sufficient energy and enjoy physical and emotional well-being. We invite you to reflect on the following question: Do you lead a healthy lifestyle?

The way we live, how we eat, whether or not we exercise physically, whether we sleep or rest enough, or our state of mind are essential to enjoy health physical, cognitive and emotional. Teaching your children healthy lifestyle habits (good nutrition, physical exercise, getting enough sleep...) is the best gift you can give them. Not only mathematics is important.

By all this, we want to start give yourself a chapter of the book TÚ PUEDES APRENDER HACER FELIZ, 2018. Written by la psicología  Carmen Serrat-Valera and the journalist Alexa Diéguez has had great success. This book addresses the basic pillars of a healthy lifestyle, as well as the paths to happiness and those paths that do not lead us to it.  All this from a scientific approach, as well as useful and practical, and that you can share with the whole family. 

We share with you the chapter referring to the  We offer you concrete guidelines to acquire good eating habits.

If you are interested in reading the full book you can find it in the following link. We warn that the publication, having been made in 2018, may have some changes in the concepts since science advances very quickly.

"Let food be your medicine and your medicine be your food"
Hipócrates

Following a balanced and healthy eating pattern is one of the best things we can do for our health. It is much more than staying thin, although slimness is one of its consequences. Therefore, in this section we are not going to talk about diets or offer you miraculous tips for losing weight, but we will try to provide you with some notions that will help you eat healthier. If what you want is to lose weight, you should go to a nutrition specialist to develop a regimen exclusively designed for you. Miracle diets do not work and, what is worse, they tend to be harmful to the body and even dangerous, since they are excessively restrictive and poorly balanced, as well as clearly ineffective in the medium and long term.

However, making the decision to lose weight and take care of yourself, even if only to feel more attractive, helps improve your mood. And there is no doubt that one of the best ways to take care of yourself, while promoting your health, is to acquire good eating habits. Furthermore, if you practice self-discipline by eating correctly and incorporating physical exercise into your daily life, you will achieve enormous benefits and a very important learning: with effort, you can change things. A lesson that will help you more easily achieve the goals you set for yourself in life.

The case of Luigi Cornaro

A 15th century Venetian nobleman named Luigi Cornaro became famous because he lived to be 103 years old at a time when life expectancy was 35. Furthermore Despite having such a long life, he remained active and with a clear and awake mind, writing down his experiences until the end of his days. What was the key to his long life? After a youth full of all kinds of excesses, Luigi decided to reform himself by seeking moderation in everything and eating a frugal diet based on fruits and vegetables. His diet was equivalent to a daily consumption of 1,500 calories, and he maintained it from the time he was 37 years old until his death. His experience confirmed the belief of the Greeks and Romans that a frugal diet is the secret to longevity.

But pampering your diet still goes beyond staying slim, being well nourished, feeling healthier and preventing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, such as diabetes. . Today, we are beginning to understand the mechanisms through which diet plays a crucial role in our global health. Particularly, it is being seen that the immune system resides, to a large extent, in the digestive system and, consequently, a correct diet not only strengthens our defenses, but can prevent and/or improve certain autoimmune diseases and even improve our well-being and our state of mind.

Although this book is not the appropriate place to delve into this new and exciting field –nor are we, its authors, qualified to do so–, We cannot fail to mention it. The belief in the relationship between the immune system and food is not new. A clear example is the 'prescription' of orange juice to prevent colds, which assumes that vitamin C, abundant in citrus fruits, strengthens the body's defenses against common winter viruses. However, in recent years we are witnessing the discovery of a new organ, the human microbiome, whose proper functioning is essential to enjoy good health.

In December 2012, Dr. Ignacio López-Goñi, doctor in Biology and professor of Microbiology at the University of Navarra, published an entry in his blog in which he stated: “the human microbiome is the set of microorganisms (mainly bacteria, but also fungi and parasites), with their corresponding genes, that populate our body. Knowing it is an immense task comparable to the Human Genome Project. “Some already consider the human microbiome as our second genome.” Because? Because each person has a different microbiome and, therefore, their body houses a unique set of bacteria. Already in 2013, Science magazine, which shares scientific leadership worldwide with Nature magazine, considered knowledge of the human microbiome one of the ten scientific milestones of 2013.

You may be wondering what the microbiome has to do with diet. Well, the intestinal microbiota, or intestinal flora, is one of the most relevant pieces of the microbiome - the other is the oral or buccal microbiota -, it is composed of a minimum of 1,000 species of different bacteria (probably many more), it represents between 1.5 and 2 kilos of our weight and comprises around 3.3 million genes. < /span>It is a complex ecosystem that is partly inherited and is very modular, that is, it is very easy to alter it negatively, but it is also It is possible to act to regain its balance.

It is estimated that 70% of the immune system resides in the digestive system, so a correct diet not only strengthens our defenses, but can prevent and/or improve certain diseases.

Simplifying, the intestinal microbiota is made up of good, neutral and bad bacteria, or those susceptible to making us sick. Poor diet, stress, toxic habits, pollution and a sedentary lifestyle, but also the abuse (or misuse) of antimicrobial medications (antibiotics), can alter this bacterial balance, decreasing the presence of good and neutral bacteria, and increasing the presence of bad bacteria. This malfunction is known as dysbiosis and everything indicates that we will begin to hear a lot about it in the near future.

This is because the current lifestyle is producing what we could call a 'dysbiosis epidemic', since more and more people who complain of intestinal discomfort, abdominal bloating, diarrhea and/or constipation, halitosis, fatigue, etc. All of this, accompanied by intolerance, sensitivity or allergies (be careful! they are three different things) to certain foods: dairy products, cereals with gluten... The repercussions of dysbiosis are so far-reaching that, at this time, its influence on diseases is being studied. as complex and prevalent as type 2 diabetes, obesity, fibromyalgia, allergies and, in general, autoimmune diseases.

On the other hand, while researchers continue to delve deeper into the complex functioning of the immune system and that inner universe that is the intestinal microbiota, we can give you a good news:

TÚ PUEDES INFLUIR EN TU BIENESTAR Y PROTEGER EL DELICADO EQUILIBRIO DE TU FLORA INTESTINAL APRENDIENDO A ALIMENTARTE BIEN

Take care of your diet and acquire good eating habits

In this book article we offer you a few suggestions that can help you provide your body with all the nutrients it needs to function well, maintain a adequate weight and for your intestinal microbiota to maintain an optimal bacterial balance, helping your immune system to keep you strong and healthy:

1. Convince yourself: the goal of taking care of your diet should not be to lose weight, but to be healthy and stay slim. Healthy people who do not suffer significant weight variations do not diet, but rather eat everything that is healthy and in appropriate quantities. Eating well never means stopping eating and does not have to mean giving up any specific food group, but it is the only appropriate option to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

2. Eating from all food groups is not the same as eating 'everything'.There are foods to avoid. For example, frequently consuming industrial pastries and pastries, pre-cooked dishes, salty snacks (such as potato chips) or menus from large fast food chains is harmful, no matter how much we try to compensate with fruits and vegetables. By eating such processed products on a regular basis we become poisoned with 'bad' fats (saturated, trans, etc.), refined carbohydrates, sugar even in salty dishes, an amount of salt much higher than recommended and an infinite number of additives. all kinds (dyes, preservatives, flavor enhancers, thickeners, etc.).

At the Annual Meeting of the Association of Microbiology and Health, held in Madrid on November 3, 2016, Dr. Clotilde Vázquez, head of the Endocrinology and Nutrition Service at the Jiménez Díaz Foundation Hospital in Madrid, stated that “those "Foods that we call junk food or the cafeteria diet have a surprising ability to alter the metabolism and make us sick in a very short time, probably due to the rapid alteration of the intestinal microbiota that they produce." Dr. Vázquez also said that she has kept a famous industrial candy on a shelf in her office for twenty years, which remains petrified inside, but looks perfect on the outside.

3. Recover the Mediterranean diet, a treasure within your reach. In 2013, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) included it in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, stating: “The Mediterranean diet comprises a set of knowledge, practical skills, rituals, traditions and symbols related to agricultural crops and harvests, fishing and animal husbandry, and also to the way of preserving, transforming, cooking, sharing and consuming food. The act of eating together is one of the foundations of the cultural identity and continuity of the communities of the Mediterranean basin.”

The Mediterranean diet is characterized by a high consumption of fruits and vegetables, a sufficient intake of eggs, dairy products, fish, legumes and nuts, and moderate meat consumption. All seasoned with extra virgin olive oil and making significant use of herbs and spices. In addition, the dishes are prepared using simple culinary techniques, presenting foods raw, cooked, stewed or roasted to better preserve their nutrients: vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids such as omega 3 and omega 6, etc.

It has always been intuitively known that it is one of the healthiest diets in the world, but currently this idea has been demonstrated through numerous studies, among which the Spanish Predimed Project (Prevention with Mediterranean Diet) stands out, published in  2013 in The New England Journal of Medicine, considered the medical journal with the greatest impact in the world. Predimed has been an international milestone, since it managed to demonstrate that the Mediterranean diet significantly reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death in developed countries. Its relevance has been such that the prestigious American Dietary Guidelines included it for the first time as one of the healthiest eating patterns and as an example to follow.

4. 'Abuse' seasonal fruits and vegetables and, if your pocket allows, organically grown ones. Vegetables are probably the food group with the fewest restrictions, since they are not only rich in nutrients, but It is almost impossible to consume them in excess because they are very satiating and have very few calories. The only limitation that you should take into account is the dressing, since extra virgin olive oil is very healthy, but provides many calories. As a general rule, you can add a teaspoon to your vegetable dish, completing the flavor with lemon juice, spices or good quality vinegar.

Fruits are also highly recommended and three pieces a day will provide you with many benefits, but you must keep in mind that some contain a lot of sugar, such as grapes, so their consumption should be somewhat more moderate than that of vegetables.

To make the most of the virtues of both fruits and vegetables, it is advisable to consume those of each season, since in this way they will have been cultivated in a more natural, preserving more nutrients, without forgetting that local foods generate less damage to the environment. On the other hand, consuming those that come from organic crops keeps you away from the pesticides and herbicides used in industrial agriculture, which are usually unhealthy. Since organic products are still expensive in stores and supermarkets, we advise you to go to certified farmers' markets, buy online directly from the farmer or join one of the numerous purchasing groups that will undoubtedly exist in your city. . You can easily locate them on the Internet.

In addition, it is advisable to consume fruits and vegetables of different colors. It's not a story: the nutrient properties of each species define its color. For example, green leafy vegetables are rich in folic acid, calcium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin K. Meanwhile, the red color indicates an important presence of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that protects against cellular aging, and yellow colors and orange the presence of flavonoids, which have antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antihistamine and antioxidant properties.

5. Don't hesitate: more fish and less meat. Both fish and meat are rich in proteins of high biological value, vitamins and minerals. In general terms, it is recommended to opt for a greater consumption of fish and other seafood, while at the same time it is advisable to limit the intake of red meat, which provides saturated fats, which are bad for the heart when taken in excess. On the contrary, white fish is low in fat and, therefore, provides few calories to the diet. Oily fish is higher in calories, but it compensates by providing us with omega 3, an essential fatty acid with great antioxidant and cardioprotective power.

Currently, both fish and meat present certain problems due to marine pollution and intensive livestock farming, respectively. Fish and shellfish contain an excessive amount of heavy metals (mercury, lead, etc.) inside, which is more worrying in large blue fish, such as swordfish and bluefin tuna, since the metals are They accumulate precisely in fatty tissue. However, size does matter in this case and small blue fish hardly accumulate metals, so we can safely enjoy sardines, anchovies, anchovies, horse mackerel and mackerel. It is also safe to eat hake, squid, oysters, haddock and wild sole.

Regarding farmed fish, it is important to highlight that it is subjected to the rigors of industrial production, which is why it may contain antibiotics and other chemicals. At this point, fish shares the problems of industrial livestock farming: the abuse of antibiotics in the fattening of animals which, as we have seen when talking about the intestinal microbiota, can be one of the causes of dysbiosis by altering our bacterial balance.

Finally, it is worth keeping in mind that much of the processed food that we have allowed into our refrigerator comes from or contains meat: cold cuts and sausages industrial products, meat preparations, pre-cooked dishes, packaged sauces, etc. Consequently, a healthy diet should not only moderate the consumption of red meat, but should avoid unhealthy preparations and, if the pocket allows, opt for organic livestock. If the latter is not within your reach, a fillet purchased from a good butcher shop will always be better than a tray of minced meat from the supermarket full of excipients. If you think the latter is an exaggeration, read the label and you will understand what we are talking about.

Size does matter: small blue fish contain almost no heavy metals. We advise you to opt for sardine, anchovy, horse mackerel and mackerel, but make sure that they do not sell you "small fish" so as not to deplete the sea further.

6. If you are going to opt for a vegan diet, seek expert supervision. Some of the things that we have told you in the previous section, added to the suffering at animals are subjected to in intensive livestock farming, has led to more and more people deciding to adopt a vegetarian and even vegan diet. The point of view of younger people on the matter is very striking, so you should take it into account if you have teenage children. One of us, Alexa Diéguez, has a 20-year-old daughter somewhere between vegetarianism and veganism; and a 13-year-old son who has already told the family that he does not want to try red meat again... Then will come poultry, fish, etc.

The vegetarian diet requires a minor adaptation process, since it maintains the consumption of dairy and eggs, guaranteeing an adequate supply of protein and calcium. If you are a woman or over 60 years old, however, make sure you get enough iron: red meat is the food that provides the most iron and, if you don't get it right, you could suffer from anemia.

However, completely abandoning foods of animal origin is not that simple and, if not done knowingly, can cause nutritional deficiencies that, if not detected at time, could have long-term health consequences. Without going any further, vegetables do not provide vitamin B12, essential for cell division, the formation and maturation of red blood cells and the correct functioning of the central nervous system, so it is essential to obtain it through food supplements or supplemented foods. Therefore, if you are thinking about adopting a vegan diet, it is important that you first go to a nutrition expert to explain how to organize your diet safely. It is also advisable that you learn how to cook complete, nutritious and tasty 100% vegetable menus before taking the leap.

The vegetarian diet, which allows eggs and dairy products, and the vegan diet, which only allows vegetables, are gaining more and more followers among people of all ages, although they are more common among the youngest. It is a political choice, based on the rejection of suffering to which we subject the animals we eat, particularly in industrial livestock farming.

7. Put gluten in your sights if you have discomforts that you don't understand. Refined carbohydrates (sugars and flours) are the new fat, which they have taken over to position themselves as the most demonized group of macronutrients. And within them, gluten, despite being a protein, is the main protagonist of current food controversies, since more and more people choose to abandon it. Some do so on the basis that a gluten-free diet can be extremely healthy, since it is based on natural products, requires an increase in the intake of fruit and vegetables, and practically eliminates manufactured foods and junk food. However, the majority make this decision because they experience discomfort of various kinds.

Until recently there was talk of wheat allergy (which allows the consumption of other cereals with gluten: rye, barley and, to a lesser extent, oats) and celiac disease, an autoimmune pathology that is difficult to diagnose in which gluten intolerance triggers an inflammatory process that prevents the assimilation of the nutrients provided by the diet, thus affecting the proper functioning of the entire body. Between 1 and 2% of the population has celiac disease, although this figure is increasing.

However, commonly consumed cereals are being questioned fundamentally because a new concept has entered the scene: non-celiac gluten sensitivity, which It produces more or less significant digestive discomfort, in addition to discomfort, and which would already affect between 6 and 10% of the population. This sensitivity could be considered an 'evil of the times', an emerging disorder that, in all likelihood, is closely related to dysbiosis. So much so that nutrition experts are eliminating gluten from the diet of people who come to their consultations with abdominal bloating, digestive discomfort, diarrhea, constipation, gas, fatigue, skin problems, etc. Unlike what happens with celiac disease, people with this sensitivity or with dysbiosis (it is difficult to say which comes first, one or the other) can resume eating small amounts of gluten-containing foods once their digestive system has returned. to normality, although they will have to say goodbye to a diet based on the intensive consumption of cereals, which is still the majority in our society.

If you feel that your digestive system is not working as it should and you feel upset and tired, perhaps you should consider eliminating gluten and processed foods from your diet and see what happens. If after several weeks the improvement is evident, you will have found the solution. If not, you should go to the doctor to rule out other pathologies. You can also consider the same regimen if you are diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, allergies and even neurodegenerative pathologies such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's, since more and more research suggests that gluten and processed foods influence your prognosis. With all this we do not want to imply that you should abandon your medication or make any drastic decision regarding your health without first consulting your specialist doctor.

In the event that you feel well and do not need to review your relationship with gluten for the moment, we can only suggest that you opt for whole grains, since the whole grain contains more fiber, which makes it more satiating and combats constipation. , and it is also metabolized more slowly, forcing the pancreas to work less, which is why they help prevent diabetes.

Whole grains are not less fattening than refined ones, but they are less processed, have more nutrients, are more satiating, combat constipation and prevent type 2 diabetes. However, they are being questioned, so it is interesting to choose rice, quinoa and potatoes (roasted or steamed) as sources of carbohydrates.

8. Change the way you relate to fat. Although carbohydrates have ceded their throne as the main promoter of obesity, the decades we have spent counting calories and measuring LDL or 'bad' cholesterol has left an indelible mark on many of us, since if we talk about caloric foods, fats take the cake. However, now we know that calories are not everything and that not even all the fats that we considered harmful are so harmful. In fact, the famous American Dietary Guidelines have begun to question the influence of dietary fats on cholesterol levels.

Fats are a group of foods that are essential for the development of the central nervous system and, therefore, the brain. They help us maintain healthy skin and hair and allow us to absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. In addition, they provide us with energy and are essential for maintaining body heat. Consequently, eliminating them from the diet is flatly negative. The Predimed Project, in fact, demonstrated that the Mediterranean diet owes much of its cardioprotective effect to extra virgin olive oil, a fat with excellent and multiple healthy properties due to its enormous antioxidant power. Predimed also highlighted the importance of nuts, which provide omega 6 essential fatty acids, and fish, which provides omega 3.

Therefore, in addition to eating enough of the healthy fats typical of the Mediterranean diet, we advise you to include foods such as flax and sesame seeds, without forgetting avocado, which not only provides fats that are 'friendly' to the heart and arteries, but also contains large amounts of vitamins and minerals. However, if you are concerned about environmental issues, we advise you, as with other vegetables, to make sure you buy local avocados, grown in Spain (the main European producer), and only during the harvest months, from November to May.

In addition to incorporating the healthiest fats into your diet, we also suggest that you review your vision of others that until now were considered inadvisable. Such is the case of natural butter (no 'light' or easy-to-spread versions, since they are processed), reviled for many years, which has countless benefits: it is an important source of calcium, selenium, iodine and vitamins A. , E, K and D; promotes the absorption of omega 3 acids; It contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been shown to reduce fat in the abdominal area, and butyric acid, which helps maintain body weight and stimulates the production of T cells, responsible for fighting viruses.

On the contrary, we do advise you to avoid the fats found in margarine, processed foods and junk food, both sweet like salty They are the so-called trans fats, which do not provide nutrients, increase 'bad' cholesterol and decrease 'good' cholesterol. You should also be careful when buying preserves, since under the heading 'vegetable oil' hides palm oil, which the industry is using to replace trans fats, even though it is not heart-healthy either, because its production is cheap... at the expense of the exploitation of human beings who work in conditions of semi-slavery in poor countries and causing serious environmental damage.

9. Leave the sugar for homemade treats.... If you can't avoid the temptation of eating sweets, save them for special occasions and opt for homemade pastries or, at least, from quality bakeries. Avoid industrial baking, which is a bomb for the body, since it has everything: it contains trans fats, refined sugar in huge quantities, highly processed flours and various additives.

On a daily basis, you can replace refined white sugar with natural sweeteners such as honey, stevia or panela cane sugar, but in small quantities . And if you are 'addicted' to chocolate, buy bars of the highest purity possible (at least 70% cocoa) and settle for taking one or two  ounces a day. Chocolate is a very antioxidant food, it protects your central nervous system and your mood, but when you take it with milk it loses its properties and loads you with extra doses of sugar. Don't forget: The blacker the better!

The problem with sugar is not so much that it makes you fat, but that it is metabolized very quickly, making the pancreas work too much because it produces immediate energy, so immediate It lasts a breath and you are hungry again, you eat again and the cycle starts again.

Pancreas overload is the main cause of type 2 diabetes, so consuming sugar in moderation is one of the best things you can do for your health.

Good news for chocolate 'addicts': if it has at least 70% cocoa and you consume it in moderation, it is a very healthy food.

9. Don't forget hydration. Keep in mind that insufficient hydration can cause fatigue, headache and general discomfort, since each cell in our body needs water to fulfill its purpose. In addition, water helps eliminate toxins from the body and, therefore, keeps it cleaner and healthier.

Although a diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides you with a lot of water, as do soups and other spoon dishes, it is advisable that you get into the habit of drinking eight glasses of water a day. You can replace water with infusions or natural fruit juices, but not with carbonated soft drinks or industrial juices.

Until now we have not specifically referred to processed drinks, but it is essential to be very clear that they contain decidedly unhealthy amounts of sugar. To give you an idea, a single soda provides you with sugar not for an entire day, but for several.

Spain is one of the European countries with the highest rate of overweight and obesity, reaching worrying figures even in childhood, which has serious consequences for the future health of our little ones. Teach your children the importance of good nutrition, get them used to eating all types of foods (except those that should not be eaten) and make sure that the family eats a balanced diet at home. It is your responsibility and your health and well-being are at stake.

11. Be careful with stimulants. Although coffee has regained its lost prestige, since it has been shown to have a strong antioxidant power and could even contribute to slowing cognitive decline, protecting against Alzheimer's and other dementias, caffeine does not feel equally good to everyone. . For example, many people cannot drink coffee after lunchtime, as it prevents them from sleeping at night.

In addition to preventing you from getting a restful sleep, stimulants can help exacerbate your mood swings, so you should be particularly careful Be careful with them if you feel a little low on morale or are under more stress than usual.

Good news for chocolate 'addicts': if it has at least 70% cocoa and you consume it in moderation, it is a very healthy food. Caffeine can have a quite harmful effect on some people, causing nervousness and hyperactivity. , tachycardia, restlessness, irritability, insomnia, anxiety, headaches, muscle pain and hypervigilance. If you belong to this group, perhaps you should consider eliminating it from your diet. Listen to your body, see how it reacts to this stimulating substance and ask yourself if it is worth it. If you can, replace it with tea, which is milder and has cleansing and antioxidant properties.

12. Fight constipation by taking fiber: fruits, vegetables, kefir, seeds, whole grains , bran, etc. An infallible remedy, for example, is to drink two glasses of water on an empty stomach and then two kiwis. Avoid laxatives. If you need help to regulate your intestinal transit, turn to natural remedies without side effects. Your herbalist will know how to advise you.

13. Get used to eating foods in the most natural way possible. Adin addition to avoiding the recommended dishes, moderate the consumption of preserves, which contain a lot of salt and more fat than they should, and use cooking systems that respect the characteristics of food: steamed, grilled or baked, preferably. Eat raw vegetables whenever you can and avoid fried and grilled ones, since food, when burned, generates acrylamide, a potentially carcinogenic substance.

14. Assume that your weight fluctuates and don't get overwhelmed. Maintaining your weight allows you oscillate two kilos above or below. People are not machines and it is logical that we oscillate, depending on multiple circumstances. Without going any further, some women gain up to two kilos of weight in the days before their period and then lose it without making the slightest effort. It is also not unusual for you to gain weight if you change your diet due to traveling or because you eat out more frequently than usual, for example at Christmas time, on vacation, or during busy times. By returning to your usual food, by recovering your daily rhythm, everything will return to its normal course. Avoid weighing yourself frequently: visiting the scale too much will only lead you to become obsessed. 

15. Accept the challenge: eating well requires effort and learning to do it takes time . You will have to get used to cooking more, eating at home, shopping more frequently to be able to consume fresh products, etc. To make it easier for you, you can purchase a book of healthy recipes and dare to experiment with new dishes to make your diet more fun and appetizing. It also recovers traditional recipes: Spanish gastronomy, based on the Mediterranean diet and varied and quality raw materials, is among the best in the world.

In any case, don't expect to achieve it in a couple of weeks, especially if you had gotten a little careless and weren't used to cooking.

Think that eating healthy is an investment for life: the important thing is that you achieve it and then know how to maintain it, so It is better that you get used to it little by little so that your new habits become consolidated and allow you to enjoy good food.

Taking care of yourself does not mean giving up the pleasure of tasting delicious food prepared with love. What's more, although at first it may seem impossible, healthy cooking will become as tasty and appetizing as the most delicious delicacy you can now imagine.

15. Convince yourself: eating healthy is not a fad. While it is true that some of the statements we have made in the previous points may seem novel, Even contradictory to what you have heard until now, it is also true that they are firmly based on a very elementary principle, which has remained unchanged throughout time: the benefits of natural, traditional and home-made foods, which are based on about the correct combination of unprocessed raw materials in order to provide us with the necessary nutrients to live in the best conditions and protect us in the best possible way from disease.

Eating healthy is not a fad, it is a basic condition to be and stay healthy. Don't lose sight of his "golden rule": go for natural.

Although the predominant messages are still very lukewarm and are often subject to the interests of the industry, all scientific research – rigorous and numerous – agrees in stating that foods Processed foods, which in their day may have seemed like an advance for the mere fact of being more convenient and saving time in the kitchen, not only do they not have even remotely the same nutritional value as natural foods, but they are harmful and make us sick. To support this statement, we could use palm oil, sugar and other refined carbohydrates, trans fats and a long etcetera as examples.

In this sense, we can only insist on the capital importance of food in our health and invite you to be open to following the work of so many researchers around human nutrition. Don't use the fact that science says one thing today and another tomorrow as a shield against acquiring good eating habits. Beyond the details, science is crying out one thing: we must eat in the most natural way possible, placing emphasis on those foods that provide our body with the greatest amount of vitamins, minerals and trace elements, as well as the least. amount of additives and other artificial substances.

And remember...

Pay attention to your lifestyle:
- Rest properly and take care of your sleep.
- Do physical exercise and lead an active life.
- Teach your children the importance of physical activity. Get them away from a sedentary lifestyle.
- Take care of your health, one of your greatest treasures.
- Don't forget to eat a proper diet: you are what you eat.
- Avoid processed foods: you don't have to eat everything.
- Pamper your children's diet and teach them to take care of their diet: their health is at stake.
- Don't forget that your leisure time is sacred: let nothing and no one steal it from you.
- Escape from your small everyday world: do new things, share time with your loved ones, practice rewarding activities, travel, enjoy...
- Don't stop living satisfactory experiences: it is never too late and it is always a good time.