Health Myths

When we are working hard to stay healthy and enjoy our lives, the last thing we need is to be basing our decisions on is misinformation, falsities and confusion. There is a lot of this about, unfortunately, so in this section we do our best to clarify the truth on these topics for our readers.

Not eating carbohydrates will allow me to lose weight and be healthy!

The Atkins Diet has done a good job in having people believe that bread, rice, pasta and potatoes are the devil's foods to be avoided at all costs if they want to lose weight. Maintaining a diet devoid of any carbohydrates is dangerous for your long term health. We need carbohydrates as it is the main source of energy responsible for powering our bodies. Instead of cutting out all foods with carbohydrates, people should be reducing their intake of saturated fats, sugars and protein and exercising more if they are aiming to lose weight.

We must drink at least eight glasses of straight water a day.

There is no scientific basis for this claim, as explained in this study. While staying hydrated is definitely important for your health, most people receive water through the food they eat and other beverages, such as coffee and tea. Furthermore, each person requires different levels of hydration depending on their circumstances.

I must not eat after 6:00pm if I want to lose weight.

Some people like to believe that if they stop eating by 7:00pm, their bodies will have time to burn off all of the calories they have eaten. The focus though should be on the amount of calories you have consumed during the day versus how many calories you need to consume based on your height, gender, age, physical condition, physical activity and other needs. If you consume more calories than you need for the day, you will have an excess that causes the build up of fat. Planning all of your meals correctly will allow you to maintain or lose weight. If you have consumed too many calories in each of your meals and snacks, stopping eating at 7:00pm is not going to save you! You may have time to hit the gym to try to burn off some of those extra calories, but most people would be settling down to watch TV or read a book at that time. Proper planning of your daily calorie intake is a far more effective way of controlling body weight than starving yourself at night.

Diets are a waste of time.

There is no question that some diets are poorly designed and ask too much of you. Any diet that is too restrictive with what you can eat should be avoided. You should also be suspicious of any diets advertising overly quick results and asking for too much of your hard earned money. However, with a little dedication and focus on your part, you can make a diet work for you. By eating a variety of foods across and within the food groups, and by using more calories than you consume during the day, you will lose weight and fell healthier.

I am going to die one day anyway, so why bother worrying about my health?

The end does come for everyone, and it is very difficult to think in abstract terms about the next 30, 40 or 50 years. But there are really clear reasons as to why we should. Avoiding painful and debilitating illnesses and diseases should be an obvious one. Not wanting to have close family and friends see you suffering through such an experience is another. The cost on the general community in terms of treating and caring for people with avoidable medical conditions is a final reason to look after your health as much as possible.

Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables are not as nutritious as fresh ones.

Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables are often as equally or more nutritious as fresh ones, depending on the product. Since they are often frozen or canned soon after being picked, all of the nutrients are safely locked in. Fresh fruit, on the other hand, may have travelled vast distances and been sitting outside or on the shelf for a long period of time. They may also have been exposed to more chemicals to keep them looking fresh.

Salads are the healthiest choice.

This is not always true. You need to have a close look at the ingredients before deciding to go with the salad. Salads with fatty meat, croutons, mayonnaise and oily dressings can push up the calories and lack useful nutrients. On the other hand, salads with grilled chicken, tuna or beans are nutritious with a low number of calories. Just remember to ask for the dressing on the side so you can add just a small amount, or you may still end up with an unhealthy salad. You can also dip your fork into the dressing before taking some of the salad to add some flavour with just a small amount of the dressing adding to your calorie intake.

Fat free products must be good for me.

Again, not always. While fat free milk, for example, is a good choice compared to normal milk, many products advertised as fat free disguise other problems. The amount of calories, salt and sugar the product contains still need to be considered before you decide to tuck into it. Grabbing an apple will always be a healthier choice than trying to decipher the back of a wrapper.

Nuts are too fattening for my diet.

While nuts contain hight levels of fat and calories, they actually contain the kind of fat that is friendly to our hearts. They also contain a good amount of fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals that can all assist you in achieving a healthy and well rounded diet.

Are you confused by a claim that you have seen or heard recently?

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Health Myths

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