Lesson 4. Healthy Living Habits

LESSON 4.

HEALTHY LIVING HABITS

“You are what you eat”. This is a common saying that highlights the great importance of your daily eating habits and how that affects your mental and physical balance. A proper diet helps our organism to perform better at mental and physical tasks.

How about an example:

Friday is the exam day for George, so he is in a hurry to get to school to do a little extra studying. He had a dinner last night and then a sweet to stay up late studying. In the morning, he is in a hurry drinking a glass of milk and not taking the sandwich that his mum had prepared him for school. After the first two hours of lesson he buys a coke. By 12:00 he is tired and has a little headache. He takes a donuts from the school canteen as he feels hungry and a little nervous about the test that is at 13:00. He also tries a bar of chocolate from his classmate and starts feeling a little better. While sitting for the test his headache comes back with a bit of stomachache. After the test he goes back home, cancels the afternoon karate lessons and stays exhausted in bed, falling asleep until dinner time. A horse wouldn’t be enough to satisfy his late hungriness after waking up.

Self Reflection Question:
Reminds you something?

 In plain English George’s inadequate sleeping patterns, poor quality breakfast, sugar from the donuts and chocolate, and caffeine from the coke led him to run out of good energy starting feeling bad in the crucial moment of testing.

Self Reflection Question:
Does your diet support a maximum performance? 
The following are some things that you should consider to get more enrergy:

1)     Increase the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables

       that are high in vitamins and minerals.

2)     Have small and frequent meals throughout the day starting with a good breakfast just as your mother shouts at you.

3)     Whole grain products such as cereals are more slowly digested and you feel full.

4)     Avoid sugar, beverages, caffeine and its substitutes.

5)     Increase levels of protein (eggs, milk products, fish, beans, nuts etc.)

6)     Drink a lot of water.
 

It's a Leave-your-Comment Question 6:
Think about the last week and leave a comment on how many times did you eat a full breakfast? Did you consume a large amount of sugar-rich foods? What would you like to change to your diet?
In general, will you let your diet support or detract you from your performance?