By: Jean Johnson for Reflux1It can be pretty tough. We’ve all been there – or at least most of us. In the confines of the physician’s office listening to how we should eat better. Staring at the sheets on diet and nutrition and listening to the admonishment to avoid this and eat more of that. Then walking out to our cars wondering where we’ll find the motivation to even get on, not to mention stay on, the straight and narrow.
| Take Action |
Start eating well today:
Embrace leafy greens
Say yes to beans and whole grains
Limit your intake of red meat
Say no to processed foods and soda
Take it one day at a time – a completely healthy diet does not happen overnight.
Your doctor can be a good source for nutrition information or eating tips – don’t be afraid to ask.
|
The science of nutrition is a relatively new one. So as study after study on eating well and health emerge, much remains fuzzy on how exactly cleaning up one’s act actually pays off. More, given not only American’s disdain for fresh fruits and vegetables but also the culture’s predisposition for processed packaged food, plain Jane fare that doesn’t come in a crinkly, brightly colored wrapper or from a plastic tub can seem like a poor second cousin. Maybe it’s that we’ve convinced ourselves that we don’t have time to cook or perhaps we have residual memories from the canned-vegetable era that keep us trapped in antiquated notions. Whatever the situation, understanding the science behind the scene can make the whole wheat spinach crepes or the warm salad of dark leafy greens and baked spaghetti squash go down a little easier. Who knows, more of us might actually surprise French society and begin cultivating true tastes from the bounty of the earth.
Fish, grains and vitamins oh my
It might be easiest to start with two to four servings a week of wild Pacific salmon. According to a British study, two components in oily fish, DHE and EPA, are especially helpful in increasing brain function by strengthening cell membranes vital to the nervous system.
With the salmon in place – not to mention the high-blood-pressure/ulcerative-colitis-causing-red meat far in the distance – checking out beans and whole grains is a smart move. For one thing, these foods might help atherosclerosis by lowering blood levels of homocysteine a compound that can cause clogged arteries. Also, according to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition fiber from whole grains and beans, not to mention fresh fruits and vegetables protects the heart.
“Whole grains or cereal fiber can lower your risk of heart disease by 30 percent,” said professor of medicine and clinical nutrition at the University of Kentucky, James W. Anderson M.D. “Basically fiber accounts for 80 percent of the benefit. The fellow travelers, all the other phytonutrients account for the other 20 percent.”
Phytonutrients or phytochemicals (fight-o-chemicals) as they are sometimes called come from fruits and vegetables across the color spectrum. These compounds work synergistically with vitamins, minerals and fiber to promote good health. That’s why many contend that getting our nutrition from eight to 10 daily servings of these foods instead of popping supplements is the way to go. Among the beneficial things to expect from eating one’s veggies and fruits, count on stimulation of the immune system, protection against cancer and heart disease, and all manner of antioxidant spin offs.
According to the American Dietetic Association, “just like rust on a car, oxidation can cause damage to cells and may contribute to aging.” More specifically, a study published in a 2000 issue of the Journal of National Cancer Institute concluded that while people would be wise to make close friends with all vegetables, cabbage family cruciferous critters like broccoli and cauliflower go exceptional distances in warding off prostate cancer.
Nutrients in the cabbage family credited for the good deeds are the carotenoids, lutein (LUT) and zeaxanthin (ZEA). Also the phytochemicals in cruciferous foods, indoles and isothiocyanates work to raise Phase II enzymes that attack cancer causing compounds in the body. If that’s not enough, new Johns Hopkins research links four servings of cruciferous veggies a week to reducing the risk of dying from any cause by 26 percent, and Ohio State University scientists concluded that LUT and ZEA block 50 to 60 percent of the damage from sunlight on the eyes, thus preventing cataracts.
Vitamins A, C, and E also come from eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. According to a 2005 Prevention magazine article, sufficient vitamin A “protects and maintains our eyes and the linings of our respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts, as well as the integrity of the skin,” while vitamin C “literally holds us together and is necessary for the synthesis of collagen, the ‘glue’ that binds our ligaments, bones, blood vessels, and skin.” The third member of the trio, vitamin E is all over the map as well. “Vitamin E, like C, is an antioxidant, disarming free radicals and thereby protecting cells from damage.”
A word on carbs
Given that white flour products and refined grains with the nutrition scoured off knit American culture together as surely as television, a final word on these foods is probably in order. And anyone that’s taken a stroll around the trendy low-carb diets knows that all carbohydrates are not created equal, and moreover, that something called a glycemic index is critical. White product starches like flour, rice, and potatoes have high glycemic index values, and the body metabolizes them quickly, often leaving hunger in its wake.
While the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association, not to mention the experts who determine federal government dietary guidelines, do not focus on this aspect of carbohydrate consumption, according to a 2004 New York Times article, “Don’t Play a Numbers Game, Experts Say, Just Eat Your Vegetables,” there is “gathering evidence in support of low-glycemic index eating.” Two physicians interviewed for the NYT article, Toronto University’s David J. Jenkins M.D. and the Boston Children’s Hospital’s David S. Ludwig M.D., argue for skipping all the counting and simply going for the bottom line of eating less refined starches. “Just eat abundant quantities of fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts,” said Ludwig. “And reduce your consumption of white bread, prepared breakfast cereals, white rice and potato products.”
How to get started
Overwhelmed? Certain it all sounds like too much, too fast? Try a salmon dinner for starters. Hors d’oeuvres might be cukes spread with humus (mushed up garbanzos stirred up with sesame tahini). Then flash steam some spinach, toss in some slivered green apples with lemon juice squeezed over, quartered dried apricot halves soaked in a white wine and olive oil, fresh cracked pepper and some toasted nuts. Along side a polite serving of quinoa or chunk of 100 percent whole wheat bread, it’s a quick fix meal that satisfies.
If the salad seems like too much effort, not to worry. Just make a nice, thick bed for the salmon and grain out of dark green lettuce. The trick is, of course, before moving on to the fruit and cheese dessert plate and the decaf or herb tea, be sure to polish off the lush, leafy greens.
