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!
Joint Range of Motion – Muscular Flexibility! Fitness series part 1
For quite some time I have been asking Dr. Tran to come see what I do first hand. She finally took me up on my offer! With Dr. Seidelman as witness and photographer, Dr. Tran underwent a Clinical Fitness Assessment. A comprehensive Clinical Fitness Assessment is designed to provide critical information for developing effective personalized…
Helping your children identify and cope with stress
From the moment we become parents, we do everything we can to protect our children both physically and emotionally. We teach them not to touch the hot stove, to look both ways before they cross the street, how to ask for help when they need it. As they get older, those physical risks may seem…
Happy Birthday, Ma!
Today is a very important day for my family. My mother would have turned 80. She would have had a big birthday party with most of her children and grandchildren getting together to celebrate it with her. Instead, we took my father and two brothers and their families to dinner tonight to think of our…
What is EXTRA in extra virgin olive oil? Olive oil and the Mediterranean diet
Last week, my son told me about an NPR program regarding the Mediterranean diet and the benefits of polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) that he listened to on his way home from work. Within an hour, Thu emailed me to say we needed to write about this NPR story she just heard. Having…
Check out our many new postings
If you depend on our emails to let you know about new postings, you might think we’ve been hanging out, enjoying the beautiful weather here in Maryland. It turns out, we’ve just been having technical difficulties! Here are links to some of the articles from the past week. I’ll send the links to others tomorrow….
Seagull Century Ride and the Art of Long Distance Biking
The above picture shows my husband David at mile 85 of the Seagull Century’s one hundred mile bike ride for charity. We dedicated our ride for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society again, as my mom was diagnosed with Lymphoma before she died last year. This last stop was the “grand finale” rest stop where the riders were…
Hormone Replacement Therapy and Heart Disease
In recent years I have seen men have their testosterone levels checked more often than their cholesterol profile. What’s more interesting is the amount pharmaceuticals have invested to create testosterone supplements for men with “low T”: there are gels and rubs and various other products. But what about women? The last anyone talked about our…
Gina’s Story and “The 3 Foot Law”
The picture above was taken shortly after my first triathlon two years ago in Washington D.C. Dr. Diane Laurin and I participated in this fun event where we were to swim a mile in the Potomac river, ride 25 miles and run 6.2 miles. The week before the triathlon took place, hurricane Irene arrived with…
What’s New with Flu (2013-2014) Vaccine?
You’re probably more aware than you care to be that influenza is a highly infectious viral illness. It causes moderate to severe illness in all age groups around the world. Common symptoms of the flu include fever, body aches, fatigue, cough, sore throat and congestion. In recent years, averages of 20,000 preventable deaths and 200,000…
“Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” by Susan Cain
I thoroughly enjoyed “Quiet:The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” by Susan Cain, about the 1/3 of our population who consider themselves introverts. It spoke to me because it described me so well. There is a ‘quiz’ on page 13, on which I scored 16 out of 20 for introvertedness. It…