Diet

There are an abundance of diets touted as ideal for weight loss and optimal health, but many contradict each other. The amount of information available can be confusing to sort through, especially when doctors and nutritionists cannot agree on findings and trends. Sadly, “thirty years of nutritional advice has left us fatter, sicker, and more poorly nourished.” (REF 2) So we find ourselves in a predicament about what to eat and in need of a new way of thinking about food. (REF 2)

Some eating plans are clearly better than others, but there is no one right diet for everyone.  However, there are some healthy eating principles that apply to all of us . . . so let’s start by addressing what NOT to eat.

The standard American diet (SAD) is what a typical American eats. This diet is low in fruits, vegetables and fiber, and high in red or processed meat, pre-packaged foods, fried foods, refined grains, and sugary drinks and foods (often sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup).

No wonder heart disease is the number one killer in this nation. “There’s a good reason we abbreviate standard American diet to S.A.D. The standard American diet leads to standard American diseases that lead to standard American deaths.” (REF 1)

As the award-winning author Michael Pollan explains, “Since 1980, American farmers have produced an average of 600 more calories per person per day, the price of food has fallen, portion sizes have ballooned, and… we’re eating…at least 300 more calories a day than we consumed in 1985…. Nearly a quarter of these additional calories come from added sugars (and most of that in the form of high-fructose corn syrup); roughly another quarter from added fat (most of it in the form of soybean oil); 46 percent from grains (mostly refined)…. The overwhelming majority of [these added calories] supply lots of energy but very little of anything else.”  So we are left with an overfed and undernourished nation of people. (REF 2)

In his book, In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan proposes a new (and very old) answer to the question of what we should eat. "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." In seven words he makes a complicated topic quite simple.

Eat REAL food - anything that comes from the earth naturally. A good test is whether it will rot – if not, think twice about buying it. You will do best to shop mainly the perimeter of the supermarket and avoid the middle aisles, or better yet, buy your groceries from the local farmers market.

Get rid of processed foods (food-like substances engineered at a factory). These come in the form of pre-packaged foods and they are often laden with chemicals, hydrogenated oils, genetically modified ingredients, and high-fructose corn syrup . . . ALL things you want to avoid.

Start reading food labels and check the ingredients. Avoid buying anything that has ingredients you cannot recognize or pronounce. If you must buy packaged foods, try to select products with five ingredients or less. And buy organic as much as you can, at least the dirty dozen (those foods with the highest pesticide contamination).

In a food culture that “super sizes” everything, it can be easy to lose track of healthy portions at mealtime.

Diets like Weight Watchers focus on minimizing calories so they can help put portions back into perspective . . . but the act of constantly restricting food can contribute to hunger, cravings, and sometimes food binges (which only leads to yo-yo dieting).

As Michael Pollan points out, we need to be careful not to eat “too much.” According to Pollan, this equates to diminishing our caloric intake (as a nation) to about 66% - 80% of our current norm . . . but the TYPE of calories also matter. Refined grains and sugars will lead to insulin spikes and trigger hunger, while a diet high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats will help people feel more satiated.  So when cutting calories, cutting out simple carbohydrates (starchy sugary foods) can benefit us most. As a general rule, if we focus on the quality of our calories instead of just the quantity, our metabolism, our hunger, and our weight will improve.

There is a healthy and an unhealthy way to eat low carb.

Instead of just eating foods like bacon and pork rinds dipped in pimento cheese, a healthy low-carb diet prioritizes an abundance of vegetables and includes a moderate amount of meat and healthy fats (instead of that being the main focus).

In general, fats found naturally in foods tend to be healthier - things like: olive oil, avocados, almonds, wild salmon, organic grass-fed meats, pasture-raised eggs, coconut, etc.

Fats that are chemically altered through engineering or used to cook at high temperatures tend to not be as healthy - things like: fried pork rinds, pimento cheese dip, processed bacon, cream cheese, peanut butter, corn or soybean oil, etc.

You can read more about the difference between good and bad fats HERE

A low-fat diet has not made us any healthier as a nation; it has actually made us sicker. In her book, “The Big Fat Surprise,” journalist Nina Teicholz explains the truth behind the low-fat trend, and how instead of lowering heart disease, it has led to an epidemic of obesity and diabetes.

he type and quantity of fat we consume matters. A diet high in saturated fat can increase cholesterol levels for some (thus increasing one’s risk of heart disease), so this is important to consider. About 25% of the population has an APO E 4 genotype, and due to the way their body metabolizes fat, these individuals will not respond as favorably to a high-fat diet. So there is not a black-and-white answer to the question “how much fat should we be eating?” The answer for the general population has to do more with what types of fat we should be eating; any advice beyond that needs to be personalized to each individual.

Plants are good for ALL of us - this is a truth that both the medical and health industry unanimously agree upon. There are some starchy vegetables we may do better eating in smaller portions (like corn and potatoes), but the real controversy lies over meat.

Eating meat can benefit muscle and bone health, appetite, metabolism, and iron and b12 absorption. (REF 4) However, some people are concerned that meat can increase other health risks like cancer . . . but the data is not that clear. There are many other factors (what type of meat, how was it cooked, did it have chemicals added, was it balanced with a healthy diet, etc.) that can affect the outcomes of such studies. You can read more HERE.

Amid all the many diet crazes out there, the Mediterranean diet consistently comes out on top.

A Mediterranean diet consists of foods like: olive oil, nuts, fruits, and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and seafood. It focuses on fresh colorful foods and shuns heavily processed ingredients. Other foods like dairy, chicken, and eggs are eaten . . . but only occasionally and in small portions.

Studies have shown that a Mediterranean diet (which is high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties) can decrease the risk of a heart attack and stroke, lessen cognitive decline, and help people maintain a healthier weight. (REF 6) This is the diet the celebrity trainer Bob Harper (from the show “The Biggest Loser”) is now following after his heart attack.

*You can read more about the Mediterranean diet Here

Be wary of any diet that touts itself as “the answer” for everyone. Each person’s ideal diet will vary based on several factors. For example . . .