When you hear the term “diet,” you probably automatically think of temporary changes in what you eat in order to help you lose a few pounds and feel better. And while that is certainly the definition most people are accustomed to, when we talk about diet as a stressor, we are simply referring to foods and substances you consume.
Nutrition goes hand-in-hand with diet. While diet is merely what you eat, nutrition has to do with how your body is reacting to those substances in your diet, and how they are affecting your overall health and wellness. So taken together, diet & nutrition consists of what you are consuming and how your body is assimilating those nutrients.
The hidden dangers in your food
Your diet may consist of vegetables, fruits, meats, dairy, grains, and other foods. But even if you only eat organic food, you may be still consuming substances that are detrimental to your health. Although organically grown crops don’t contain manmade pesticides, for example, the natural pesticides they are sprayed with may still be harmful.1 Additionally, there are other things to consider like the freshness of the food and how it was harvested and processed.
There are also many so-called “healthy” foods that aren’t exactly healthy for you. For example, a fiber-fortified granola bar may seem like a healthy option, but many of them also contain added preservatives, refined oils, and artificial colors and flavors. Another thing to consider is that there is an entire list of non-organic ingredients that are allowed in organic foods.2
Nutrients and assimilation
You could say that the food you eat has a structure, and what it does in your body is its function. And because we are unique individuals, we don’t assimilate nutrients in the same way. In other words, the substances in foods will function differently depending on who we are. Someone may have a high tolerance to caffeine, for instance, while another person may experience things like irritability, an upset stomach, and insomnia with just minimal caffeine consumption.
Still, there are some foods that are better for you than others in general. While an unhealthy diet with minimal nutritional value is linked to all sorts of health problems, a diet that consists of the right nutrients keeps the body functioning properly. Key nutrients the body needs from food include:
- Carbohydrates
- Fat
- Protein
- Fiber
- Water
- Essential Fatty Acids
- Vitamins
- Minerals3
Guidelines for a healthy diet
There is much debate about what type of diet is best for you. However, a number of nutritionists recently came to a consensus that the best diets are centered on vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.4 Along with consuming healthy raw foods and foods high in healthy fats such as avocados, eggs, and nuts, experts like Dr. Mercola also recommend completely eliminating wheat and gluten from your diet.5 Of course, we would advise taking these recommendations as a starting point, and not as the be-all and end-all for everyone.
Regardless of what diet you follow, maintaining good blood sugar, or glucose, control should be the primary goal according to CoreOneHealth.6 This means that you have balanced insulin and glucagon levels. These two hormones are produced by the pancreas, but are greatly influenced by the foods you eat. Maintaining your blood sugar balance is all about getting the right combination of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates at the right times.
To maintain a healthy balance in the body, it is recommended that adults consume a ratio of 45-65% carbohydrates, 10-35% protein, and 20-35% fat.7 The exact ratio that is best for you depends on a number of factors and what you are trying to accomplish with your diet, so it’s a good idea to work with your practitioner or dietician to find out which ratio works best for you.
Maximizing nutrient absorption
What you eat is one part of the equation when it comes to your health, but another key component is your body’s ability to absorb those nutrients. To that end, DailyHealthPost recommends:
- Pairing certain foods together
- Adding some fat to your veggies
- Avoiding alcohol when you eat
- Chewing your food well
- Taking a probiotic8
Additionally, exercising regularly can also improve your nutrient absorption and help you avoid digestion issues such as heartburn.9
Diet & nutrition stressor Virtual Item
In the ZYTO software, diet & nutrition is a category that’s available to scan in the Balance, Select, and Elite software. One of the 10 pillars of wellness, this category includes a number of digital signatures representing food-related items that can be considered stressors to the body. Items in this category include:
- Food additives
- Herbicides
- Pesticides
- Endocrine Disruptors
- Digestive Enzymes
- Probiotic Bacteria
- Amino Acids
- Vitamins
- Minerals
In the ZYTO Balance scan, diet & nutrition is automatically scanned as a whole category, and then individual items are also scanned. With the Select & Elite, you can choose to scan the entire category or as many of the individual items you would like. Scanning this category and the items within it can give you a better idea whether diet changes are something you should consider, and which areas of diet & nutrition you should take a closer look at.
Diet & nutrition balancer Virtual Items
After scanning for diet & nutrition and other stressor Virtual Items that have been selected, a ZYTO biosurvey scans for any balancers selected to bring those stressors into range. These balancing Virtual Items may include nutritional products and wellness services.
In addition to your overall top balancers, the Wellness Report in the Balance 5.0 biosurvey also displays your top diet & nutrition stressors, as well as your top balancer Virtual Items in that category. Available as an add-on in the Select and Elite, the Lifestyle Biosurvey goes more in-depth in this category, listing your top diet and food balancers along with top food additives.
In addition to a ZYTO scan that includes diet & nutrition stressors, you may also want to try the ZYTO Foods for Wellness biosurvey. This is another useful scan that can help you make the best decisions regarding your diet. EVOX sessions can also assist you in reaching your diet & nutrition goals. This perception reframing technology is an effective method for overcoming roadblocks that are preventing you from eating healthy and keeping your food consumption under control.
About Dr. Vaughn Cook
Dr. Vaughn R Cook is the Founder & CEO of ZYTO. An Oriental Medical Doctor (OMD) and licensed acupuncturist, he has worked in the complementary and alternative medical field for more than 30 years, specializing in applications that integrate Western and Eastern medicine.
Sources:
1. Nayyar, Namita. “Hidden Dangers of Organic Foods.” Women Fitness. Womenfitness.com.
2. “Non-Organic Ingredients Provide Pathway for GMOs in Organic Foods.” The Organic and Non-GMO Report. Nongmoreport.com.
3. “Nutrition” Wikipedia. En.wikipedia.org.
4. Brodwin, Erin. “The single best type of diet for overall health, according to nutritionists.” Business Insider. Businessinsider.com.
5. “Dr. Mercola’s Nutrition Plan: Level 1.” Dr. Mercola. Mercola.com.
6. “Diet and Nutrition.” CoreOneHealth. Coreonehealth.com.
7. “Dietary Guidelines for Americans: 2010.” US Department of Agriculture & US Department of Health and Human Services. Health.gov.
8. “5 Ways to Improve Nutrient Absorption.” DailyHealthPost. Dailyhealthpost.com.
9. Schiller, Nathan. “The Food, Exercise, and Diet Connection.” QualityHealth. Qualityhealth.com.
