16 key facts

  1. we eat to provide our bodies with the nutrients it needs to function properly

  2. macronutrients — carbohydrates, protein and fat

    and micronutrients — vitamins and minerals

    all play a part in keeping us healthy

  3. our relationship with food is very personal

    working out what is best for us can be very difficult

  4. most people live in a world of convenience and arguably too much choice

  5. we are what we eat

  6. protein provides the raw materials for making hormones and is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, blood, hair and nails

  7. carbohydrates and fats are primarily used for energy

  8. our body takes time to digest food and

    then needs time to use and store the good bits and dispose of the bad bits

  9. our body needs time to repair itself;

    the more time we spend digesting

    the less time we spend repairing

  10. extreme diets that cut out macronutrients can cause long term health issues

  11. a balanced diet is considered to be:

    carbs 50%, protein 20%, fats 30%

  12. for weight maintenance on average women should eat circa 2000 calories a day,

    men should eat circa 2500 calories a day

  13. avoiding or reducing consumption of meat and dairy products is considered to be one of the single biggest ways to reduce our environmental impact on the planet

  14. it’s just as important to consider what we put on our body

    as well as what we put in our body

  15. our skin absorbs 60%-70% of what we put on it

  16. many mainstream body care products contain a cocktail of carcinogenic chemicals, allergens, and irritants