This is definitely one of those topics that only gets more confusing the more you read. So, you need to have a philosophy about it and fit each new bit of information into your overall framework. That way, you're not constantly reeling from 'no carbs' to 'low fat' to 'grapefruits only' to whatever is in. Among physicians, there isn't any consensus about what is best for you. The only thing we can probably agree on is that no one diet suits everyone. In this section, over time, we hope to provide enough helpful information so you can make healthful decisions on your own.
In a nutshell, my philosophy is that fruits, vegetables, and whole grains should make up most of your intake. Lean protein such as fish, chicken, turkey or tofu, nuts, lentils. and beans should comprise the rest. The most important to me is eating 'whole foods' as they come out of the ground and limiting processed foods as much as possible. The food industry has studied and perfected combining the most tempting, and at times addictive, combinations of fat, salt, and sugar in restaurant and supermarket offerings. They know how to keep you coming back for more.
Varying what you eat can keep your meals interesting. I aim to include 'superfoods' such as spinach, tomatoes, pumpkin, blueberries, and hemp seed, which I think are delicious. Experiment with foods that contain antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, lycopene (think tomatoes), and beta-carotene (pumpkin and carrots). These and many others are beneficial when eaten in 'whole foods' but not when taken in pill form.
Of course, not one nutrition plan suits everyone, since food preferences or intolerance and medical issues must be considered.
But for the majority of people, if you eat whole foods and nourish your body and soul with a wholesome variety of nutritious foods, your mind and body will thank you. Often, people don't realize that fatigue, insomnia, depression, and other issues are closely tied to what we eat. In our posts in this section, we'll provide some practical information and keep you posted on the latest and greatest in nutrition news. Send us your questions!
“Sayar” is Doctor and Teacher
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Andropause: Truth, Fiction, or Both? A lecture from the American College of Physicians (ACP) Annual Meeting 2014
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Happy Mother’s Day!
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Back Home From Myanmar
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A Day in Bagan and Last Day in Myanmar 4/11-12/14
Before dawn, we climbed the steep steps to the Shwesan Daw temple. It was supposed to be the spot to be in Bagan to see the sunrise. At the top of the steps, I walked around to look at the grounds surrounding the temple. Even in the dark, I could see numerous temples around Shwesan Daw. …
Coffee – More Anti-Oxidants To Go With My Chocolate
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Trekking to Myanmar’s Clinics: Diary of a Medical Missionary — Leaving for Bagan 4/10/14
Mylène and I woke up early this morning to run for the last time in Naypyidaw. We weren’t even tired from the late dinner last night hosted by the Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association. We dined on an eight course meal with some exotic dishes like Chicken and Jelly fish salad, and Braised “Pig…
Trekking to Myanmar’s Clinics: Diary of a Medical Missionary — The Last Outreach Clinic 04/08/14
Today we were so happy to go to an outreach clinic about an hour away from the Amara hotel. The roads took us to the countryside full of tiny grass huts and Myanmar’s typical red dirt. The skinny buffaloes were working hard in the field. Every living thing in Myanmar seems to be so skinny,…
Trekking to Myanmar’s Clinics: Diary of a Medical Missionary — Second Day in Naypyidaw Clinic 04/07/14
Monday morning in the clinic was not productive for me because I didn’t have too many patients to see. It turned out that many of them had heard of our arrival the day before and wanted to come to the clinic on the first day. We saw similar problems to those we had seen the…