You are what you eat: How to improve your wellbeing through your diet

As the saying goes: “You are what you eat.”

If you want to feel fitter and healthier, it is worth examining the foods you consume and making some improvements to your diet.

Dominique Ludwig, Celebrity Nutritionist, Nutritional Therapist and founder of Renew Reset Recharge, has shared some of the best nutritional practices to help you.

Eat three meals a day

It is important that you keep your body fuelled with nutritious foods throughout the day.

“Eating at 3 regular intervals, without snacking in-between, is how a healthy adult body works best. This allows for complete digestion of each meal with adequate levels of stomach acid and digestive enzymes,” Dominique states. “Your small intestine also likes to carry out a self-clean at the end of each eating cycle, fluttering any food debris and unwanted bacteria into the large intestine. Blood sugar levels should rise and fall GENTLY throughout the day, reducing the blood sugar spikes and slumps associated with poor food choices, a high carbohydrate/ high sugar diet, or constant grazing.”

Don’t forget the protein

Protein-filled foods, such as eggs, are a great source of energy and will keep you feeling full.

“Every meal from breakfast through to supper should have a high-quality protein at its heart e.g. eggs, yoghurt, cheese, beans, lentils, nuts, meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish, tofu, seitan, tempeh, seeds or even specific dietary protein powder as a top up,” Dominique explains. “Protein stays in the stomach longer than carbohydrates as it is harder for us to break down. This slows down overall digestion and encourages a slower trickle of energy into the bloodstream and a smaller blood glucose spike.”

Enjoy more vegetables than fruit

Although fruit is an important part of everyone’s diet, vegetables are the better choice as they contain less sugar.

“While fruit contains an amazing array of vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants and phytonutrients; too much fruit can still interfere with our blood sugar balance,” Dominique warns. “Providing that sufficient vegetables are being consumed with a wide array of colours, it is not normally necessary to consume large amounts of fruit. Choosing lower glucose fruits can have a more subtle effect on our blood sugar levels.”

Don’t fear fats and oils

Healthy fats and oils are an essential part of a well-rounded diet.

“We need healthy fats and oils for our nervous system, brain, cell membranes and as the base for many of our hormones!” the nutritionist states. “Natural fats are those that have not been treated, heated, processed or refined. They should also not come from genetically modified seeds (e.g. rape or corn). It is important to choose a variety of fats daily, but as a rule of thumb, you should make extra virgin olive oil your main go-to oil.”