Expert Articles

SEE PART 1 FOR MYTHS 1 - 3

Myth 1: The healthiest diet is a low-fat, diet with lots of grains.

Food is one of the most powerful tools we have to help prevent disease and this begins with a healthy immune system. Over 70% of your immune system is in your gut and what you eat forms the foundation of your health. Your immune system maintains homeostasis by defending against viruses and bacteria which can cause inflammation in the body, illness and disease. Our body also produces antibodies that can help destroy the virus and assist our body to heal. Nutritional deficiencies can impair immune function, increasing both the risk and severity of infection. Vitamin C, for example, acts like your personal bodyguard, helping to protect cells and assist in healing. There are also studies of the use of vitamin C in the treatment and prevention of the common cold which revealed shorter duration of symptoms and a faster recovery. US studies indicate that vitamin D may also help immune cells identify and destroy bacteria and viruses.

There is nothing wrong with occasionally having a social drink, but if you are drinking excessively, there are many detrimental side effects for your body. Alcohol consumption in excessive amounts may actually be countering your workouts and rendering them useless. Alcohol is not only bad for brain cells and other living cells in the body as I'm sure you already know, but it can also completely mess up the many benefits you hope to gain from your training efforts.

Individuals with Celiac disease are intolerant to gluten. However, cutting out dietary gluten is also suggested to many suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is often associated with Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's disease. On top of that, many self-diagnose themselves with gluten intolerance and claim a wide range of health benefits to a gluten-free diet. A recent study has shown that for those with supposed non-Celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), the gluten itself might not be to blame for the health troubles.

If you do a simple search of the internet you will soon realise that there are a great deal of diets and dietary information out there. A lot of it can be confusing, misleading and contradictory. Detox diets are one such popular diet that seems to have captured the attention of those looking for a quick fix to solve their health problems. These diets claim to flush toxins from your body leading to more energy and weight loss. They typically promise amazing results in a limited amount of time. When it comes down to the scientific evidence however, detox diets fall short and disturbingly, have potential to cause more harm than good.

Vitamin D: The Missing Piece to the Weight Loss PuzzleVitamins form part of the essential nutrients needed by the body to function properly. Most essential vitamins and minerals are adequately collected through a well-balanced diet, though there are some that require slightly more work to achieve optimal levels each day.

"Don't listen to your body when you're tired; Listen to your mind.

Let's tackle the "fruit is just full of sugar" statement first - because it's just plain wrong. Fresh fruit offers so much more than the natural sugar it contains