Buy more (and eat more) from this section of your grocery store
(photo: Whole Foods Market)
Writing a nutrition column can be a gnarly undertaking. There are so many levels of information, from 'eat 5 to 9 servings of fruit and vegetables every day' (clear and easy), to the genetic realities that render recommendations so individual and conditional that simple national guidelines seem quaintly outmoded. The longer I study nutrition (while simultaneously aging myself, experiencing the inevitable constant nutritional shifts that every human does), the more I realize that nutrition is an art as much as a science, and each of us can map out any of a number of ways of eating that can sustain an active long and healthy life.
In today's downright toxic food environment, the degree to which you're willing to dive in and get a little obsessive is the degree to which you're likely to discover your own nutritional way. This, however, applies less to those dedicated to physical fitness, as being active and fit renders the drawbacks of an unhealthy diet a little less so. That being said, people who are fit often dive into the nutrition self-study with both feet.
If there's one overarching nutrition philosophy I live by, it's:
It's all about plants. Eat plain unadulterated fruits and vegetables with abandon, and the rest will follow.
Now normally I love to eat, and am by nature a bit of a starch-a-holic. Popcorn and potatoes are my crack, and I have to keep pretty tight control on bread or before you know it, it's all I eat. My personal eating philosophy is super clean whole foods, mostly fruits and vegetables, beans daily, a little clean meat and dairy, all floating on lots of clean water. I try to control carbohydrates without giving them up altogether, and I opt for whole grains (brown rice or bulgher wheat) rather than Cheeto's. No sugar substitutes, no sodas, or other chemicalized foods that my body won't recognize. I take a multivitamin every other day, and a very light hand on supplements unless there's a specific reason.
I've always struggled with overeating and have found that a fiber supplement has helped tremendously with that.
And I've come to believe that how you eat; the quantity you eat and the attention paid to the experience of eating, just may have as much to do with the quality of a given diet as the actual foods selected.
Lastly, I know that what works for me won't necessarily work for anyone else. While there's plenty of guidance out there about making healthy choices and the factors that go in to a sustaining lifestyle, each of us needs to arrange our own individual nest ourselves. Coaches and dietitians can show the way and light the path. But in the end, it's up to each of us. Otherwise, it just won't work.
For more info:
Ideas for the art of healthy living
Comments
Yes, I agree with you about eating plants daily! Greens are an extremely important part of a balanced diet. However, there was no discussion about fats in your article. What kind of advice do you have to offer on this issue and do you believe is it more important to cut back on carbs or to cut back on fat?
Good question, Margo, thanks! I'm going to write a post to answer your question - I think it's all about quality, for both fats and carbohydrates.
Annie
Not only do I like your nutrition philosophy, I follow it. I also believe that plant-foods are full of the nutrients that will repair the damage that we impose on our bodies through daily living. Generally, I am a vegan, but I eat fish weekly and small amounts of cheese occasionaly. It's the vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains that will see me to a ripe old age.
I see the question about fats in the comment below -- to I believe we should limit our fats. Even the "good" fats contribute to heart disease. Best bet is to get your fat from plant-foods, such as flax seed. One tablespoon a day is all you need.
Has anyone in modern times lived on the Genesis recommendation of green herbs, seeds, fruits? It would be interesting to see the results of a year of adherence to this diet. There is much we DO NOT KNOW about nutrition.
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