People's veiws on what is 'healthy'

[Evei 10]

It is interesting seeing all peoples veiws on the healthy living group forum and it has suprised me how many different veiws there is on what is healthy and what is not.

 

Strictly speaking 'healthy' means disease free, so I guess everyone aims for that . However I think I am very interested in fitness and for me being healthy means being disease free, mentally healthy and physically fit too!

 

I am very against tablets or quick fixes as I just don't see them as healthy, though can accept that they must work for some people. I am very wary about any supplements as I think you should be able to get what you need if you are eating properly. I do take cod liver oil tablets as I don't eat fish and I do lack this in my diet, I just can't bare the taste!

 

I am quite scathing about alternative medicines/ treatments, I believe in them working through having a placebo effect thefore having a well being affect on a person, no good for someone like me who does not believe though

 

I have really tried to look at the food I eat, eating more vegetables and swopping crisps for things like nuts, I love walnuts (both high in calories but nuts have fibre and protein too) and eating more wholemeal foods, beans and pulses. I still have a weakness for chocolate and biscuits though and am just trying to moderate how many of these I eat!

 

A big thing for me has been watching what other people eat. The people that are eating homemade good foods are slim and the ones eating from the canteen and ready meals are the ones that are getting larger or are completely the opposite and stick thin. It made me really look at what I was eating! I have started to avoid low fat options and just go for the full fat options as I'm sure sure they are actually much better for you once you take into account the stuff they use instead. I've always had this approach with butter and spread so why I have not done this with everything else I do not know!

 

With so many veiws and propaganda on what is healthy I am intrigued to know what are your views on 'healthy' what does it mean for you?

[CHANutrition 10]

I agree Evei.... healthy is not just being "diease free" its a happy balance of mind body and soul. Theres no such thing as a quick fix, but I cant understand peoples urge that encourages them to try them.

 

Supplements are an interesting topic, I have read much research on them, and some are inconsistent, some however are outstanding. Cod liver oil is a good example... the best brand on market is Eye Q - the research is fantastic. Look at the Durham trial to see the results, if you can afford to switch please do, they have higher concentrations of the strains you need for the benefical effect.... Ive seen it on myself and others Ive reccomended it to, and its not a placebo. But if a placebo makes someone feel better, isnt that worth it?

[Evei 10]

But if a placebo makes someone feel better, isnt that worth it?

 

I agree placebos are bennifical for people that believe they actually work. I think the effect will be lost on me though! There was one study that showed people responded better to 2 placebos than just one placebo The mind is an amazing tool for health.

 

I have read quite a few positive studies on cod liver oil and that is the only reason I take it. I already take high does ones (200mg of omega-3, 180mg of that EPA DHA). I will look into the Eye-Q ones

[chem1st 10]

Putting a filter in my cigarette and leaving a window open to ensure a constant supply of fresh air.

[Evei 10]

Putting a filter in my cigarette and leaving a window open to ensure a constant supply of fresh air.

 

The one thing I miss is having a fag on a nice hot beach whilst being got by UV rays! That is my idea of bliss!

[Jess22 10]

The one thing I miss is having a fag on a nice hot beach whilst being got by UV rays! That is my idea of bliss!

 

Yep, being an ex-smoker, a fag on the beach is a big miss.

 

Being healthy to me is feeling healthy, getting plenty of fresh air, exercise and eating a balanced diet. I am quite lucky in that I was bought up on a very good diet full of fresh fruit and veg and home cooked meals. I don't know if that is why but I love and enjoy healthy food. I would much prefer to eat a satsuma than a bag of crisps or piece of cake any day, tastes so much fresher and enjoyable. Obviously I have some bad food habits- everybody has- but they are part of a balanced diet so don't cause any problems.

 

A big thing for me is being as natural as possible, I HATE all the man made chemical stuff that is added to everything nowadays. I try and avoid it wherever possible. I don't eat/drink anything diet as it almost always has harmful sweetners in. Infact I don't drink anything like pop very often anyway. I don't like the idea of what has gone into it. My downside is alcohol, but again I wouldn't choose to drink many artificial drinks, and stick to real ale or wine most of the time. Most of the food we eat is home cooked from ingredients, and carefully sourced. If it is from a jar, we usually check what is in it before purchasing.

 

Exercise to me is a big part of being healthy. I don't do a set amount of exercise but my lifestyle is very active and so it all rolls into one really. I have 2 (soon to be 3 ) horses which take up a lot of energy exercising, brushing, cleaning out, moving water around etc. I have sometimes complained about my hulk arm muscles from doing this. I have a dog too, and we live in the peaks so at least one walk a week includes climbing a mountain. I'm also slightly hyper, I can't sit still for long so if I am working at home, I probably run (not walk, it takes too long) up and down the stairs about 20 times a day.

 

I'd see my life now as being fairly healthy. I know I get drunk at least once a week and have the odd takeaway but I am also happy, which to me is a big part of being healthy too- being mentally healthy.

[Jess22 10]

Oh- with regard to the supplements I am a bit on the fence. I take some which are lacking in my lifestyle and diet. e.g Vit D in the winter, we have a cupboard full of supplements (mainly that OH got) things like super berry tablets full of Vit C for illness and things like that. I think anything condensed into a small tablet can't be a bad thing, but I am not buying some of these "claim all" supplements are all that great, if it works for you great, but I imagine some of them are man made substitutes for things you can get naturally occuring.

 

Talking about placebos, I had an experience with my horse (who obviously has no idea she is taking it so a fair experiment really) I gave her a super duper joint supplement, her arthritis improved, I swapped it for another and it got worse again, I researched the ingredients and found out what levels were needed and found a cheap supplement that has kept her pain free and it hasn't got the expensive chondrotin in that I was told I needed, obviously not!