Hump Day Health Hack with @amyfitnessandnutrition
Why you should eat more cheese and drink more wine… just in time for Christmas!
WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?
The French Paradox is a really interesting set of thoughts and beliefs based on lots of research over a number of years. It began when scientists were flummoxed by the fact that the French population eat 4 x as much butter, 60% more cheese and nearly 3 x as much pork, as their American counterparts… and yet they have hardly any heart disease.
THE CULTURAL THEORY
There are a number of theories that have been raised over the years, one of which is the culture and emotion with which we eat. It doesn’t sound like the craziest idea that if you eat a long, slow lunch over a glass of wine or two, with friends, in a relaxed state, the food will be processed differently by the body than if you grab a box of deep-fried mush that you shove in your mouth, in a hurry, in a stressed out state, alone, in your car.
THE HORMONAL FACTOR
Scientifically, if we eat with feelings of stress or guilt the food is more likely to be stored as fat rather than used as energy. If we eat with feelings of love and relaxed enjoyment our body is a lot more capable of turning that fuel to energy.
WANT TO GIVE FRENCH LIVING A GO?
Take time over your food - don’t grab on the go.
Choose good fats - dairy, yoghurt, meat & fish - not processed vegetable oils.
Eat fish at least 3 x per week.
Choose full fat every time - avoid ‘low fat’ alternatives packed with sugar.
Choose good snacks - traditionally the French don’t tend to eat deep fried food or packaged snacks - go natural.
Enjoy wine with your meal - cheers to that!
WILL YOU GIVE IT A GO? Send in your pictures if you give it a try.
