Healthy people, healthy workplace

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DIET PROFILE

We're living in age of metabolically induced body system dysfunctions.

What that means is that as a society generally we're not eating enough of the right food at the right time.

In earlier times the sage might have said that it was the love of junk food that was the root of all kinds of evil. Certainly it is now the root of all kinds of body system dysfunction.

However, the good news is that if the body has become compromised by poor food choices (keeping in mind that that the food industry is struggling to deliver food in all its nutritional glory), then there is a good chance that the body's recuperative power can be stimulated by a diet of good food.

Give yourself a score out of 10 for each of the questions below. A good score is a high score.

1.    Body composition

Are you carrying extra fat around your body? Scores based on how many kilos you believe you are over weight.

2.    Do you eat a decent breakfast?

Score 5 or less if it's just flour and sugar. Score zero if you don' have any at all.

3.    High fat diet

Is your fat intake consistent with your weight?

If you eat too much fat score low; fat on its own or in combination with starch ( chips, dry biscuits, pizza ...) or sugar (chocolate, ice-cream, fudge), or starch and sugar (sweet biscuits, cake ...).

4.    High starch diet

Is your starch intake consistent with your weight?

If you eat too much starch score low; (bread, pasta, rice ...)

5.    Do you eat predominantly from the top of the Hourglass:

- plenty of vegetables and fruit mixed with adequate protein and fat?

           No                                                                                                      Yes

6.    How many glasses of plain, unadulterated water do you have

       a day?

7.   Essential nutrients

When you look at your health do you think that you get enough of the essential vitamins, minerals, fats and glycoproteins?

            No                                                                                                      Yes

8.    Do you eat too much?

           Yes                                                                                                     No

9.    Addictions and cravings

Are you ruled by your addictions and cravings to foods that aren’t good for you – like chocolate, biscuits, cake and ice cream?

           Yes                                                                                                      No

10.  Back end function

Does the back end of your system work like a charm? Score low if you have an irritable bowel or diarrhoea, are constipated and/or have piles. Give yourself a ‘6’ if you only go once a day! You need more fibre

            No                                                                                                     Yes

Attained more than 7/10 on all items   Yes  o    No   o

Attained more than 70/100                   Yes  o    No o

If you did you're probably close to your ideal weight and in good health.

Here's the Hourglass Diet. Eat from the top of it. If you've got a junk food habit, don't buy the stuff; don't stock it in your house.