The Nutrition Rant #1 - The Basics

Hey Folks!
This right here is gonna be a series about nutrition.
I'm trying to cover various aspects of this very controversy topic If you have any questions to discuss feel free to leave them in the comment section.

First, I'd like to make it clear that when it comes to nutrition every single person's needs are different so with that said I wanna discuss the basic principles that suit everybody and every single person who is willing to be healthy and fit should keep in mind.
Second, is that along the way when we get over basic health principles, nutrition for an average person, and for and athlete(average person with increased physical activity of any kinds) gonna be two different things. This may piss off a couple people but it's all good...
I'm gonna give a list of sources where I got my knowledge from and from where you can find interesting thoughts about nutrition and you can broaden your knowledge if you'd are interested.

This is the food pyramid that I've found very legit and I think a person who wants to take the first steps towards a healthy lifestyle can only look at it and know where to start.

Perhaps the most underrated and left-out component of nutrition in water.
Our body is anywhere from 55% to 78% water depending on age, gender and amount of body fat so it's essential to have the right amount of water intake that can satisfy the needs of our body.
So how much should we drink?
How much water should we drink?  Dr. F. Batmanghelidj (Your Body’s Many Cries for Water) recommends the following: Bodyweight(lbs)/2 = how many ounces a day.  So if I weigh 180lbs, that’s 90 ounces a day, or about 11 glasses of water, or 2 ½ Nalgene Bottles.
Tips on drinking water:

• Prior to training – drink at least 16 ounces a couple hours before exercise.
• During training – keep water handy and drink 6-8 ounces every 15 minutes.
• If you are a CrossFitter I don't recommend you drinking water during a WOD if it's 20 mins or less.
• After training – try to replace the fluids you lost within an hour of finishing.

When it's about the type of water that you should be drinking(tap, mineral...) it's really hard to tell because in different parts of the world the quality of the water can be really diverse. My recommendation is to drink mineral water. Brand and source does not matter the only think you should really pay attention to is TDS or Total Dissolved Solids. In my recommendation is you should only drink water of any kinds that has 300+mg/l Total Dissolved Solids. This way it won't wash out the minerals in your body but it will replace them. (you can find out more about TDS here)

The second level on our pyramid is vegetables and fruits. The ratio is a great topic topic to argue about but now I'm not gonna go there, we rather agree that you need somewhat more vegetables than fruits.  Vegetables are nutrition powehouses packed with a variety of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals(cancer fighting compounds), fiber(helps digestion, satisfies your hunger) and food pyramidlow glycemic carbs(won't rise your blood sugar level). You should consume fresh veggies with every meal.(meal frequency, timing and macro nutrient ratios gonna be in another article of mine)

The third category is protein sources. The basics you should need to know about protein is that proteins have a variety of very important functions within the body. First and foremost, proteins are responsible for growth and maintenance of all body cells and structures(bone, muscle, blood cells, skin and hair). They are also the primary component of enzymes, proteins which help facilitate many of the chemical reactions within the body, including digestion. Proteins are also integral in the production of hormones like insulin, thyroid hormones, estrogen and testosterone.
My honest recommendation is to eat all kinds of protein as long as it's from natural source except soy!(I'm gonna talk about this in another article) And the most important note when it comes down to protein is don't get caught up in the hypes. If you don't believe me trust your God or whatever you believe in. Nature didn't fuck up! If you really think you gonna be fat, unhealthy and you gonna die by eating meat you're stupid.(vegans gonna be discussed in another article)

Our next stage on the pyramid is fats. First, let’s dig into the word “fat.” Depending on the context, “fat” can sometimes mean “adipose tissue,” the soft stuff that hangs onto your love handles and makes a ribeye tasty. It can also mean “fatty acids,” a group of chemicals that have the same basic structure. When you see the word “fat” in this article, it refers to fatty acids.
Fat is an absolutely essential part of a healthy diet and I think it's very important for people to understand, I'm going to dig a bit deeper into this topic.
I’m gonna break down the three different types of fat.
Saturated Fat
You know saturated fat from animal flesh, dairy products, and coconut. They’re usually solid at room temperature (think butter, coconut oil, and the gristle on the edge of your steak). How much saturated fat should you eat? Thirty years ago, anybody would answer that question: “As little as possible!” But now we know that’s not the full story. Contrary to what we’ve all been told, there is no widely-accepted scientific link between saturated fat and heart disease. Studies so far have never adequately controlled for other dietary and lifestyle factors. Current thinking on saturated fat by itself ranges from neutral to wildly beneficial. Saturated fat from animal products is packed full of nutrients like Vitamin A, D, K, and E. You shouldn’t get 100% of your fat intake from saturated fat, but you don’t need to be scared of saturated fat either—if, and that’s a big “if,” the rest of your diet is in check. That essentially means your carbs all come from fruits, vegetables, and sweet potatoes. One thing we do know for sure is that a diet high in saturated fat and simultaneously high in poor carbs like grains and sugars…well, that’s a recipe for an early grave.
Conclusion:
If you eat a low-moderate carbohydrate diet and get most of your carbs from quality sources, then saturated fat can be an important part of your diet.

Monounsaturated Fat
This is the realm of olives, avocados, and nuts. About half the fat in animal flesh and egg yolk is monounsaturated as well. Monounsaturated fat is great because consuming monounsaturated fat raises your good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers your bad cholesterol (LDL). While science is still unsure about a lot of things related to cholesterol, this one is a slam dunk: Increasing your good cholesterol protects you from heart disease. See the connection? Eat monounsaturated fat– raise good cholesterol–protect yourself from heart disease. Dr. Loren Cordain, the driving intellectual force behind the Paleo Diet, has also stated that monounsaturated fat probably comprised the majority of our Paleolithic ancestors’ fat intake.
Conclusion:
Monounsaturated fat is clearly a friend. Strive to make it the primary fat in your diet.
Polyunsaturated Fat
Polyunsaturated fat is hard to discuss.Many polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential to your health, including those in fish oil! But the majority of places you’re likely to encounter large quantities of polyunsaturated fat in the grocery store are bad news. These  exceedingly poor sources are  vegetable oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, margarine, soybean oil, Italian dressing, and others.
Conclusion:
If you’re eating quality fat sources like nuts and fatty fish, and supplementing with fish oil, then you’re going to get all the polyunsaturated fat your body needs. No need to seek out more. Avoid most sources of polyunsaturated fat.

The top of the pyramid is the bread, cereal, pasta, bakery product group.
I really don't wanna get deep into this category now. It's enough to know that you should be avoiding foods in this category. It is the hardest to do for someone who just got into the healthy lifestyle but it's definitely one of the most important things to get off these products in order to reach maximum heath.

Helpful Sources:
Books
How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy By Paul Check
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston A. Price
The Metabolic Typing Diet by Trish Fahey
The Warrior Diet by Ori Homfekler
The Renegade Diet by Jason Ferruggia
The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf
Zone Diet by Barry Sears
YouTube
Nutrition: The Dirty Facts by Paul Check (MUST WATCH THIS!! BASICS OF EVERYTHING REALTED TO HEALTH)
Part1 Part2 Part3 Part4 Part5 Part6 Part7 Part8 Part9 Part10 Part11 Part12
Part13 Part14 Part15 Part16

Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes
Part1 Part2 Part3

Please feel free to comment and ask questions but keep in mind that nutrition is not an exact science. It's okay if someone has a different opinion but don't be religious and overly aggressive about it.
Thanks For Reading! I hope that was helpful. Have a nice day!
everyone please
follow me on Twitter @theRobKiss
Peace Out