Nutrition is Your Best Health Insurance

What have you eaten today? Have you increased or decreased your risk of cancer, heart disease and hypertension? Have you eaten enough protein to think clearly or enough B vitamins to stabilize your mood? Have you consumed enough fruits and vegetables to hold cancer at bay? Answers to these questions will begin to form a detailed and personal "Health and Disease Risk report" unique to you. You are free to edit, update or improve your report at any time. The report is yours, the choice is yours.

Nutrition as a practice is as old as the ages... we have always and will always eat,. Nutrition as a science has grown in leaps and bounds in the last two decades. It has provided us with clues and insight into the mysteries of health and disease. Nutrition has provided the missing piece of the puzzle about genes and our environment. Nutrients determine how our genes will be expressed. Also, on the flip side, our genes will determine how nutrients are used and how our individual needs can vary.

Nutrition Is Your Best Health Insurance because it helps you to stay well! Nutrition, or "Medical Nutrition Therapy", is also pivotal in the treatment of disease such as cancer, heart disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, kidney disease, diabetes and obesity just to name a few! Although no one diet will be the perfect fit for anyone, most of us will thrive on a diet based on WHOLE, UNPROCESSED foods. Processing food removes nutrients and adds unwanted chemicals. Look closely at a food, if you can't identify it or where it came from, best to leave it alone! Also minimize cooking and cooking time as this can destroy delicate nutrients.

Most of the foods we eat should be plant based or have "grown in the ground." Our best food choices come from these food groups: Fruits, Vegetables, Legumes, Whole Grains, Nuts, Seeds, Herbs and Spices. These plant based foods provide us with antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, minerals and "phytonutrients", as well as healthy sources of protein, carbohydrate and fat. When we add seafood and other healthy sources of protein to our plant based diet, we are creating a foundation for health, instead of for disease. Of course be well aware of any food sensitivies or allergies that you may have and adjust your diet to avoid these.

Water is a "macronutrient" that is too often overlooked and under appreciated. It is best to drink water purified by reverse osmosis in order to remove toxins such as radiation and unintentional pharmaceuticals. Some bottled waters use this system, although a home reverse osmosis system or in store reverse osmosis filtering system is fine. Look for "RO" or Reverse Osmosis on the label or machine and don't be afraid to call the company's 1-800 number to be sure!

Last but not least, remember BALANCE. Don't be afraid to add a treat or two to a balanced diet, we have to feed our desires as well as our bellies! As long as your diet is based on whole foods, you can save room for your favorite treat. Remember there are lots of treats that "grow in the ground" too. Why, chocolate or cocoa itself is a plant based food! Choose the darkest of dark chocolates, at least 60% cocoa, and you can have your treat and eat it too! Look for chocolate that has not been "dutch treated" or alkalized as this can destroy antioxidants. Choose a dessert that has some fruit in it or even a vegetables like sweet potato pie or zucchini date nut bread!

So, don't forget Nutrition is a small premium to pay for premium health insurance!
Stay tuned for more nutrition tips. Beth Ellen DiLuglio, MS, RD, CNSD, CCN