STARTING BLOCK
A simple guide to the foundations for natural, healthy eating.
Each body has unique nutritional demands for optimal function. It’s important to listen to your body when striving for the ideal nutritional balance. Keep in mind, these needs may change throughout life, such as in the face of disease or drastic lifestyle changes. Though there is no uniform diet for all people, certain principles serve as the foundations for optimal healthy intake.
There is no nutritional benefit in refined sugar, processed foods and artificial sweeteners. Ideally, food should be consumed in its most natural state, with each meal incorporating a combination of the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, fats and proteins. These guidelines should be the starting point for optimal body nourishment.
1. Carbohydrates (50-55% of total calorie intake)
Carbohydrates are the foods that provide the energy unit glucose to the body. This category includes fruits, vegetables, grains, breads, sugars and sweets. Of particular importance regarding this category is an understanding of the glycemic index.
The digestion of carbohydrates varies depending on the type consumed. For example, broccoli will be slowly digested down to glucose, requiring some exertion for digestion and allowing glucose to be absorbed slowly by the digestive system. In contrast, a cookie is a processed food, with ingredients already in a digested state. When consumed, a large amount of glucose is instantly released into the bloodstream without any effort on the part of the digestive tract. Therefore, broccoli has a low glycemic index, and the cookie, a high index.
Choosing carbohydrates with a low glycemic index ensures that glucose levels remain fairly stable, avoiding an abundance of the hormone insulin. Too much insulin can affect mental clarity and metabolism, eventually leading to diabetes.
Recommended carbohydrates, with a low glycemic index, include whole wheat pasta, sprouted grain breads, beans, sweet potatoes, apples, grapefruit and most vegetables, with the exception of the white potato. Those to avoid include processed and pulverized grains, like whole wheat bread and breakfast bars, watermelon, pretzels and candy. Refer to the glycemic index database at: www.glycemicindex.com.
The more processed and packaged a carbohydrate is, the more the chemical preservatives have already done the digestive work. Choose fresh, natural sources of carbohydrates and try to consume them in the raw state as often as possible. Avoid high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners, as the insulin response is just as bad, if not worse, with these manufactured sweeteners.
Doctor’s Orders:
- Cook whole wheat pasta al dente (2-3 minutes less than usual). It should be chewy, lowering its glycemic index.
- Load up on healthy vegetables, leaving no room for a baked potato, fries or mashed potatoes.
- Enjoy veggie chili, lentil or vegetable soups.
- Use hummus as a vegetable dip or condiment for wraps.
- Choose cereals with at least 5 grams of dietary fiber per serving.
- Soft and fluffy bread means more sugars and processed ingredients.
- Learn to love chewier breads. Sprouted grain varieties can be found frozen in health food stores.
2. Fats (20% of total calorie intake)
Fat is the most calorie-dense macronutrient and should be consumed in small amounts. Healthy fat intake is simply the balance of two essential fatty acids: omega-6 and omega-3. Omega-6 fatty acid is found in vegetable oils, fried foods, butterfat (dairy products) and partially hydrogenated oils. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in extra-virgin olive oil, flax, walnuts and fatty coldwater fish like salmon and tuna.
The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fat is 3-to-1. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is estimated at around 20-to-1. An imbalance can contribute to inflammation, the cornerstone of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.
Doctor’s Orders:
- Consume lowfat or nonfat sources of dairy in moderate amounts.
- Avoid all foods with partially hydrogenated oils. This is the most pro-inflammatory, and often the most consumed, source of dietary fat.
- Sprinkle ground flaxseed on whole grain cereals and salads.
- Choose a vinaigrette salad dressing, one made with flaxseed oil (dressings made by SpectrumR) or use extra-virgin olive oil.
- Use avocado regularly in salads or wraps.
- Consume moderate amounts of raw nuts (almonds, walnuts or cashews).
- Replace peanut butter with organic almond butter.
- Supplement with fish oil.
3. Proteins (25-30% of total calorie intake)
Proteins provide the nutrients needed for tissue repair and growth. Although we most often think of animal sources, legumes, lentils, and beans are plant sources that contain less saturated fat. Also, due to mass production, meat can be a harmful source of hormones and antibiotics.
Doctor’s Orders:
- Choose red meat that is packed with omega-3 fatty acids such as grass-fed beef, bison or ostrich.
- Buy free-range, antibiotic free poultry.
- Learn to enjoy soy protein. Steer clear of processed soy and focus on more natural sources like edamame (soybeans), tofu and tempeh.
- Consume fish high in omega-3 and low in toxins, like wild salmon, tuna, mackerel and halibut.
- Find a local source for farm-fresh eggs and buy organic animal proteins.
- Choose lowfat or nonfat yogurt made with live cultures. Go for plain yogurt. Flavored yogurts are full of sweeteners and are more of a dessert. If the taste of plain yogurt doesn‘t grab you, add a dash of 100% fruit juice or natural sugar.
