Did you know that the food you eat could be prematurely ageing you?

Science has made some amazing discoveries in the last decade in nutrition. We really should be taking note of what we put in our mouth because more than ever, "we are what we eat". Do you know the impact of what you are eating?

Probably not. It's time to find out because over-indulgence in certain types of food cause the body to prematurely age.

Would you like some more free radicals with your lunch...? There is frequent mention these days about 'free radicals' and how they are constantly attacking the body, causing potentially serious damage. A free radical is the name for a molecule that has an unpaired electron.

They are a normal by-product of metabolism and without them you would die. To put the record straight, it's the over-production of free radicals that causes damage to the body. We are advised by nutritional experts to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. This is because they are rich in antioxidant phytonutrients...substances that neutralise free radicals and so help protect the body.

One of the essential tasks of free radicals is in producing energy from the food you eat. Every time you eat, free radical activity is intense. The more food you eat, the more free radicals are formed, and the more antioxidants your body needs to neutralise them. Big meals are big trouble! Effective Antioxidants include vitamins A, C, E; minerals such as selenium, zinc, and herbs such as aloe vera and grapeseed extract.

The Reality of Carbohydrates

Pasta, rice, bread, grains, fruit, pastries, cakes, biscuits, crisps, sweets etc. are full of carbohydrates. These foods are easy to prepare, filling, tasty and cheap. Most meals are dominated by carbohydrates, as most of us 'fill up' on them. When you eat carbohydrates you're eating a form of sugar. Carbohydrates are converted by the body into glucose, which is either used immediately for energy, or stored in fat cells.

Carbohydrates are the main form of energy we use every day. The body needs a certain amount of carbohydrates to function properly, and insufficient intake may cause fatigue, muscle cramps, and poor mental function.

Simply put. carbohydrates can be divided in the good carbs and the bad carbohydrates.

A simple carbohydrate is plain sugar. For instance 100grams of sugar is 100% of carbohydrates.  They are also often found in  refined foods such as white sugar, corn syrup,  fruit juice, lollies, cake, white breads and of course soft drinks.

Complex carbohydrates take longer for the body to digest, and contain both starches and fiibres. For instances, potatoes, brown rice, wholegrain breads,. pasta.  The good complex carbohydrates are found in all fresh fruits, all vegetables, legumes etc

Carbohydrates make up an excessive proportion of the diet, add together a lack of exercise and excess sugar and the inevitable result is excess weight. By reducing your overall carbohydrate intake and reducing the size of your meals, you reduce your body's exposure to free radical activity, and, the amount of excess food that meals, you reduce your body's exposure to free radical activity, and, the amount of excess food that gets stored as unwanted fat. A double bonus! 

Big meals are too much stress Food is in abundance - look around the supermarket shelves at the food mountain! Fill your trolley, take it home and fill your kitchen cupboards - fill your plate and fill your stomach till you can barely move. How many times a week do you overeat? How many free radicals are attacking your body and accelerating the aging process? You could choose to eat less.

Think about your meals over the last week. 

Better still, keep a food diary for the next week, record each meal by drawing a plate divided up showing how much protein, carbohydrate, fat, vegetables and fruit you eat at each meal/snack. After a week you'll be able to see for yourself how much sugar you are eating.

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Agnes is not a medical doctor, nor a scientist, but she has a passion for preventative health. It has been her hobby for many many years and during that time she has learned about a LOT of information that you do not hear from your health professional but could be of great value to many sufferers of all sorts of disorders and diseases.

In this article she has shared some of this information which is therefore for informative and educational purpose only and is not to be used as a diagnosis or guide for treatment of a particular disorder and/or disease in any way.