# 1 WATER
Our body consists of approximately 65% water. That said, water is essential for your body. It regulates your body temperature, keeps your joints supple, prevents infections, supplies the cells with nutrients and ensures that your organs (including the skin) are functioning properly. And if you drink a lot of water, you are simultaneously transporting toxins out of your body and improving your sleep quality, your perception and even your mood! Another positive side effect: if you drink enough, you are less hungry – we often mistake our feeling of hunger for thirst.
# 2 FIBER
Fibre is an indigestible part of your food that will help you satisfy hunger, stimulate digestion, increase blood flow, and lower cholesterol and blood pressure. High-fibre foods include certain vegetables (especially cabbage, carrots, and potatoes), fruits (such as apples, pears, and berries), whole grain products (such as whole-grain bread or pasta), legumes (such as beans and lentils), and nuts and seeds. And because high-fibre foods keep you full longer, they will help you stop eating unnecessarily between main meals.
# 3 SUGAR
Sugar tastes heavenly – but we all know it is not good for the body. It converts quickly into body fat, promotes inflammation, imbalances your acid-base balance, accelerates skin ageing and in the long term, can majorly damage your health. So try to keep your sugar consumption to a minimum (less than 50g of sugar a day)! However, be careful with sugar alternatives since there is no such thing as “healthy” sugar. In the beginning it is easier to switch to other options such as fruits, but you should still try to reduce your overall consumption of sugar. The good news is that your taste buds adapt to your diet, and soon you will find that traditional products taste way too sweet!
# 4 PROTEIN
Your body needs protein, especially if you are actively working out, but not only then! Protein is an important building material for your body and essential for your hormonal system, your enzymes and even your ability to detox. Consuming too little protein can reduce your metabolism and cause your body to burn muscle tissue in order to gain energy. Try to incorporate small amounts of protein into your meals – and it doesn’t always have to be the chicken breast! In addition to classic proteins like meat and eggs, fish, legumes, nuts, and whole-grain cereal products also contain a high amount of protein.
# 5 GOOD FATS
Contrary to the common belief, our metabolism needs a certain amount of fat to function properly. The right choice is important: The unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, such as those contained in olive, linseed and rapeseed oil, nuts, flaxseed and fish, are important. We usually consume too many of the omega-6 fatty acids in the Western diet – and in those quantities, they are, since not needed by the body, quickly convert into undesired belly fat. Pay attention to the quality of the oils you consume and also be aware of which oils can be heated and which cannot.
# 6 REDUCE YOUR COFFEE AND ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
Alcohol is toxic to the human body since it shuts down many of the normal physical processes such as muscle repair and metabolism. The constant consumption of caffeine has an effect, too: Symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety, irritability, headache, nervousness and a fast heartbeat can be related to too much caffeine consumption. For this reason, alcohol and coffee are not considered acceptable sources of hydration. They actually withdraw fluids from your body! By giving up alcohol now and then, you keep your metabolism active and increase your fitness level considerably! And instead of starting your day with a coffee, try green tea for a change. It also contains caffeine, but in a much smaller amount and has medicinal value, like antiviral properties and stimulation of fat burning (especially matcha tea).
# 7 PROCESSED AND FRIED FOOD
For two million years, we humans were hunters and gatherers. This doesn’t mean that you have to switch your nutrition to the so-called ‘Stone Age diet’ right away, but from an evolutionary point of view, the human body is simply not made for the continuous consumption of processed foods. They increase inflammation and are far less nutritious than fresh ingredients. The same goes for fried foods: they are quickly converted to body fat, increasing the risk of clogged arteries, strokes, diabetes, and cancer. Try to consume primarily unprocessed, fresh foods whenever possible, even if you have little time to cook. Your body will thank you – and together with your VAHA you will soon find the ideal flow to integrate these seven tips into even the most stressful of everyday lives!
