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!
Fighting Social Injustice — Two Different Pathways
YES, dear readers, Dr. Nadia Hashimi, one of our LadyDocsCornerCafe bloggers, is officially a published author as her first novel (When the Pearl Broke its Shell) was released May 6 by Harper Collins. See the attached photo of Nadia holding her novel in a local B&N store! We are so happy for you and so proud…
Back Home From Myanmar
I came back to work on Monday morning 4/14, still jet-lagged from the trip. My staff was so happy to see me. Everyone was worried about me being sick or being “stuck” in Myanmar. They were fascinated by the tales I told or by the photos I took. Some of my staff have never been…
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
For those of you who read my blog on chocolate, you may be starting to wonder about my dietary habits. Coffee and chocolate are daily staples and I suspect that I am getting a hefty amount of caffeine per day. My dark chocolate habit, albeit moderate, likely results in 10 mg of caffeine being ingested….
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…
Myanmar Beauty is More than Skin Deep
Myanmar women, like wise women elsewhere in the world, make effort to protect their skin from the sun damaging effects. In Myanmar, women (and children) wear a yellow chalky “thanaka” paste made from a fragrant tree balk…spread in a circular, square or more sophisticated pattern on their cheeks, nose and forehead for sun protection. Many…
April 29th — A Remembrance of Leaving South Vietnam
Today marks the 39th year when South Vietnam fell to communism. As usual, I called my father who lives in northern Virginia to make sure he is feeling okay. He was cheerful and reminded me how it was rainy that afternoon 39 years ago, when our family was fortunate and lucky as we were allowed…
Trekking to Myanmar’s Clinics: Diary of a Medical Missionary — First Day in Naypyidaw Clinic 04/06/14
After a wonderful breakfast in the Amara hotel, where I thought I had the sweetest papaya since I had come to Myanmar, the bus took us to the Naypyidaw Hospital. We were told it was the best hospital in Myanmar. After all, Naypyidaw is Myanmar’s new capital since 2005. According to an article in the…