By Mark Sherman

The previous two articles looked at the philosophy of nutrition and how we eat, and began to explore what we eat and how this might affect our health and wellness. This month we will move into specific dietary recommendations to give direction to this basic foundation of health.

With the background of nutrition discussed last month, we can now move onto what kind of diet actually promotes health. Certainly this is not uniform for all people in all circumstances. Culture, climate, and the particular season all affect what our bodies need as far as nourishment. Individual factors such as your level of activity, the amount of stress in your life, and your general state of health or disease can also significantly influence your nutritional needs. As one surveys different cultures throughout the world and throughout history, we see that very different diets have helped very different people to remain healthy. Yet, what all of these diets have had in common is a focus on whole, mainly locally produced, foods.

Never before in our history have our bodies and environment been so bombarded with artificial chemicals. Many of these chemicals have found their way into our foods, and into our bodies, as we move towards a more refined and processed diet, and away from foods the way Nature intended them. Similarly, never before in History has so much of our sustenance been produced abroad, in climates and environments very different than our own, and necessitating vast inputs of chemicals to keep the food from spoiling.

We can learn a lot about our foods by looking at the labels of the foods you buy. Most of the long multi-syllabic names under the ingredients section of packaged foods are not naturally found in food, but rather consist of additives and preservatives that are there to prolong the shelf life of the food or to make the food look good, rather than increase its nutritional value. Several disease states are now being linked to one or more of an unending list of food additives. Salt (sodium chemicals) and sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose) are the most common, and possibly the most destructive of the additives in our processed foods. Yet the list of other additives is no less daunting: Monosodium and disodium glutamates, sulfites, nitrites, hydrogenated oils, artificial colors and artificial flavors, are among the thousands of unneeded chemicals added to our foods. Many of these chemicals have not been adequately studied as to their health effects, yet are continually being released into our food supply. Thus a first step in changing your diet to a more healthful one is to begin to minimize such processed foods and artificial additives, including added salt and sugar, and move towards whole and unrefined foods.

The diet now prevalent in North America is typically made up of high fat, high protein, and low fibre (an undigestible part of the carbohydrate fraction) foods, with a preponderance of processed and refined foods. This diet is consistently associated with epidemic heart disease, diabetes, obesity, several cancers (colon, breast, prostate, most notably), and several other common disease states (eg. gallstone disease, diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, and arthritis). Population studies have repeatedly shown how people from foreign cultures that naturally have low incidences of these diseases will quickly develop our high rates of disease after only a few generations integrated into our culture and diet. When other cultures have been studied as to why they seem to have such low incidences of our common diseases, several interesting dietary trends emerge.

A diet composed of low fat, high complex carbohydrate, and mainly plant-based protein sources has been the foundation of healthy civilizations for millennia. Such a diet involves fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains (brown rice, oats, whole wheat, quinoa, barley, millet...etc), nuts and seeds, legumes (beans, tofu, lentils, chickpeas...), and fish, with smaller portions of other flesh foods such as meat, pork, and chicken. Modern nutritional research confirms many of the same conclusions, and the diet continually recommended by just about every nutritional authority in North America and Europe calls for a movement away from our disease promoting diet centered around high fat and low fibre animal foods, and towards a plant based diet using animal foods in moderation in order to promote health and prevent disease.

Such a shift is already happening for many people in our society as the information on healthy eating percolates through our media and education systems. Yet for many, such a diet still seems foreign and a difficult change from what they are used to. Thus, for the sake of simplicity, I will summarize 6 simple nutritional recommendations for a healthy diet that anyone can begin to incorporate into their lives.
1. Try to drink 4-6 glasses of pure, high quality water everyday
2. Make the effort to read the labels of the foods you buy. Avoid processed foods, easily recognizable by the added salt, sugar, additives and preservatives.
3. Eat whole and unrefined foods (brown rice over white, whole wheat over white flour; and fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables over canned and frozen varieties). Make fresh fruits and vegetables a main part of your diet. These foods are generally very high in micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals, and low in fat.
4. Try to reduce the overall fats in your diet (butter, margarine, oils, shortening) as well as the hidden fats in fried foods, meats, and desserts such as cakes, pies, and pastries. Minimize red meat and take the skin off of the chicken you eat. Choose lower fat milks and cheeses. Although certain fats, such as those from olive oil, fish oil, flax seed, and canola are healthy fats, those found in the above mentioned foods are not.
5. Eat fish at least twice per week, and experiment with legumes as a plant based protein, while moderating your intake of red meat, chicken and pork. When you do eat animal foods, try to find wild meats (moose, venison,.etc) as opposed to farmed varieties (beef, chicken, pork) which are higher in disease promoting saturated fats.
6. Eat locally. Remember, we are a product of our environment, and thus so should our food be. Eating locally ensures that we eat seasonally, ie. foods that are best digested and nutrients that are most needed at different times of the year.

After moving towards such changes, you will likely notice dramatic changes in your body and mind as your vitality and energy increase. People who make such changes away from more conventional Western diets tend to experience increased energy, reduced fatigue, improved mood and sleep, and even increased clarity of mind. In addition, such changes dramatically reduce your risk factors for many of our most common and destructive diseases.

Certainly, there are many other issues to consider. Organic foods, although more expensive, are yet another means of reducing artificial chemicals in our diets, and tend to be higher in micronutrients than their non-organic counterparts. Vitamin and mineral supplementation, while not necessary if you are diligent in your nutritional choices, may be indicated, especially in times of increased requirements such as elevated physical or mental stress, or disease. Yet, overall, the above six recommendations are a good place to begin. Remember always that moderation is important. In making healthy choices in your life, whether they be dietary or otherwise, take small, realistic steps so that your choices are easily integrated and sustainable in your life. Make the effort to continually educate yourself on nutrition and other ways to promote your own health. Check out cooking classes, cookbooks, pot lucks, etc... And never hesitate to speak to your health practitioner about diet and nutrition.

Next month we will move to the next foundation of health – that of exercise and activity. Please feel free to contact me regarding any of these articles at askdrmark@gmail.com.