General

Healthy Eating

How many of you consume a healthy diet?

Maybe I should first define what constitutes a healthy diet.

The problem is that different so called experts have different opinions on what a healthy diet actually is!

During the 1990s the Atkins Diet was very popular.  Lots of protein.  Recently quite a few people are following the Keto Diet.  Aren’t those diets similar?

There’s the no fat, no oil diet that’s supposed to be good for your heart.

How about all raw food, meat included.

Cook your meat but eat your veggies raw?

What about all Vegan?

Or maybe Vegetarian?

Don’t forget the Mediterranean Diet.

In researching the lymphatic system and how to clean or clear it, I ran across a doctor that thinks we should eat mostly fruit (80%) with green leafy vegetables (20%).

Are you confused yet?

My opinion, for what it’s worth knowing that you didn’t ask for it (!), is that eating mostly fresh, raw fruits and vegetables is sound advice.  Why?  Well, in my opinion, that’s “real food”.  Food that hasn’t been modified or processed has more nutrients (vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other necessary ingredients for good health) than cooked or processed food.

But I also think that moderation in other foods that are eliminated in some of these diets is important for variety and supplying nutrients that may be missing or lessened in only eating fruits and vegetables.

I’m not sure that a diet that never includes fats or oils is actually that healthy in the long run.  I feel the same way about diets that eliminate meat altogether. And this opinion is coming from someone who has never been a big meat eater.

I have always been interested in good nutrition thanks to my mother who was also interested in serving her family nutritious meals.  I took a nutrition class in college years ago and have researched nutrition constantly since that class.

One thing I’ve learned is to pay attention to your body.  It will usually let you know if your diet is right for you.  Feeling sluggish, bloated, having headaches or tummy aches?  Maybe it’s your diet.

Remember the saying, “You are what you eat.”? There seems to be much truth in that saying.

Another thing I’ve learned is that a diet that’s right for you may not be right for me.  Our body chemistries may not be the same and may require different nutrients or varying amounts of those nutrients.

Age, general health and seasonal changes in weather can also dictate which foods are best for each of us.

You can read and learn from nutritional experts which foods supply which nutrients and then experiment to find what works best for you.

Pay attention to what makes you feel vibrant and healthy and then consume those foods that are nourishing to YOU.

In my opinion, that’s the best we can do to eat “a healthy diet”.