Nutritional challenges and Habits

Nutrition fundamentally determines our health, energy levels, and mental well-being—whether we are talking about adults or children. However, establishing healthy eating habits in today’s fast-paced world presents a significant challenge. Both adults and children often exhibit unhealthy patterns that can lead to long-term issues such as obesity, digestive disorders, nutrient deficiencies, or even chronic diseases.

Common unhealthy eating habits

• Irregular eating patterns
  In the daily or weekly rush, we often eat hastily and irregularly, skipping breakfast or compensating for missed meals by overeating in the evening. This forces our bodies into survival mode, negatively impacting our energy balance and overall metabolism. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that we eat at roughly the same 1-1.5-hour intervals for each meal. This is especially crucial for children.
• Excessive sugar consumption
  Many processed foods contain hidden sugars (sweets, sodas, breakfast cereals, granola bars, chips, etc.), which are particularly problematic for children and the elderly as they affect blood sugar levels and, consequently, the body’s energy supply.
  For adults, sugary coffees, pastries, and quick energy-boosting but calorie-empty foods dominate. Long-term consumption of these can lead to insulin resistance and other systemic conditions (cardiovascular diseases, digestive disorders, diabetes, etc.).
• Prioritizing processed foods
  Fast food, semi-prepared meals, and ready-to-eat dishes are common choices in everyday life. These are often high in salt, sugar, trans fats, and artificial additives, which contribute to the development of various health issues and inflammatory processes over time.
• Low consumption of fruits and vegetables
  Both age groups often neglect fresh fruits and vegetables, even though they are not only natural sources of enzymes and vitamins but also excellent sources of fiber necessary for healthy gut flora and digestion.
• Emotional eating and snacking
  Stress eating is common among adults, while children often consume sweets as rewards. These habits can become ingrained, leading to obesity, eating disorders, insulin resistance, and later in life, diabetes and other lifestyle-related diseases.

1. Establishing a meal routine
   Regular, predictable meals reduce the likelihood of binge eating or skipped meals, as the body learns when to expect the next nutrient intake, helping to balance blood sugar levels and energy.
   For children and young adults, 4-5 smaller meals a day are recommended, including breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack, and dinner. For those over 40, 2-3 meals may suffice, depending on body type, lifestyle, and health challenges.
2. Prioritizing water consumption
   Often, hunger is confused with thirst. It’s crucial for both children and adults to drink adequate amounts of water, while consciously reducing the intake of coffee, sodas, energy drinks, and concentrated fruit juices.
3. Encouraging home cooking
   Cooking together can be fun and helps children make conscious food choices. For adults, it encourages attention to the ingredients used, and leftovers can make for fresh, delicious meals at work. Aim to use fresh, minimally packaged, or unpackaged ingredients to avoid the chemicals used in food processing.
4. Providing healthy snacks
   While everyone enjoys a snack now and then, opt for fresh fruits, vegetables (perhaps with dips), nuts, homemade energy balls, or plant-based “chips” instead of sugary treats.
5. Mindful shopping
   Before shopping, make a list and follow a few basic rules:
   • Read labels, paying attention to additives (preservatives, flavor enhancers, sugar substitutes, colorings, and flavorings) and hidden sugars.
   • Shop at local farmers’ markets or directly from producers, favoring fresh ingredients over processed, packaged ones. You might even save money!
   • If you have a garden or terrace, grow a few simple herbs and vegetables to ensure fresh, organic food on your table.
6. Leading by example
   Children’s eating habits are largely shaped by their parents’ example. If adults eat healthily, children are more likely to follow suit. While individual preferences may still exist, fostering healthy eating habits starts from birth, so it’s important to consciously shape family routines from the very beginning. Of course, it’s never too late to make changes and set a positive example for the entire family.
7. Using dietary supplements
   Unfortunately, global overproduction negatively impacts the nutrient content of raw materials and foods. Therefore, it’s advisable to use dietary supplements periodically or continuously, depending on age and health status.
   The most important ones include:
   • Omega-3 oils: For reducing inflammation and general regeneration.
   • Multivitamins: To supplement micronutrients and support a balanced diet.
   • Probiotics: To restore gut flora after illnesses.
   • Magnesium and B vitamins: To support the nervous system, hormonal balance, and enzyme production.
   • Vitamin D: For immune support.

For more information and research on optimal omega-3 intake and the stress-reducing and depression-alleviating effects of saffron, you can find it here:
1. Clayton PR, Ladi S. From alga to omega; have we reached peak (fish) oil? Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. 2015;108(9):351-357. doi:10.1177/0141076815599673
2. Lopresti, A. L., Drummond, P. D., Inarejos-García, A. M., & Prodanov, M. (2018). affron®, a standardised extract from saffron (Crocus sativus L.) for the treatment of youth anxiety and depressive symptoms: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 232 , 349-357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.02.070

Unhealthy eating habits affect not only health but also daily performance and mood. With small, conscious steps—such as regularity, proper hydration, cooking together, or introducing healthy snacks—we can easily head in the right direction. It’s important to understand that healthy eating is not about deprivation but about improving quality of life, which is worth pursuing for both our own and our children’s futures.

References:

1. World Health Organization. (2020). Healthy Diet . Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet
2. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (n.d.). The Nutrition Source: Healthy Eating Plate . Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Nutrition Basics . Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/index.html
4. American Heart Association. (2023). Healthy Eating . Retrieved from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating
5. National Institutes of Health. (2023). Office of Dietary Supplements . Retrieved from https://ods.od.nih.gov/