As a Naturopathic Doctor I really promote diet and nutrition as one of the main pillars of health. Without a proper diet you cannot absorb the nutrients necessary for your body to function properly. Much like a car, we need fuel to run. Bad fuel, or food in this case, really can disturb your body's car filter and engine!
So, first, what is bad
food? Sorry to say, but the first one that comes to mind is sugar. Yes, the
white stuff. Any white carbohydrate acts essentially the same as refined sugar
in your body. This means white breads, pastas, cakes, cookies, crackers, and
pastries are all simple carbohydrates, or sugar. Sugar is the reason why the
North American population is riddled with obesity, high cholesterol, and
diabetes. Did you know that one teaspoon of sugar will cut your immune system
to half for approximately 4 hours? It really is that bad. Should I mention that
most pop has 8-10 teaspoons of sugar? That amount of sugar will most definitely
work against healthy functioning in your body. In terms of my car analogy,
it will corrode everything it can until you're left with a rusty and damaged
interior and exterior.
There are some other
types of foods that just simply aren't healthy or nutritious in any way. They
are:
- Smoked and cured meats, including
bacon, hot dogs, smoked luncheon meats, sausages, ham, and Spam
- Meats cooked at extremely
high temperatures or cooked to well done
- Heavily sweetened or
artificially sweetened soft drinks, flavoured drinks, and teas
- Fried foods, including French
fries, potato chips, corn chips, and doughnuts.
Ok enough bad news! What should you eat? The
food pyramid below depicts what a Naturopathic Diet really should look like.
It's just slightly different than the Canadian Food Guide in that grains are
not the base of the pyramid. Vegetables and healthy fats are the should make up
the majority of your diet instead. Here is a short summary of what to eat:
- Vegetables: These provide complex
carbohydrates, fiber, and is really where you get the most vitamins and
minerals. You should eat a rainbow of colour of both fruits and vegetables
but especially think about dark leafy greens like broccoli, bok choy,
kale, and spinach. These support your liver; they clean out your car
filter.
- Healthy fats:
North American diets tend to have an excess of omega-6 fatty
acids. These are your vegetable oils like canola and anything deep fried.
Instead, focus on omega-3 fats in fish, nuts, and seeds as well as omega-9
fats found in olive oil and avocado. Omega-3 and omega-9 fats are
naturally anti-inflammatory so they will decrease inflammation in every
cell of your body. They are great for heart health, joints, hair, skin
& nails, and so much more.
- Protein: Protein is really what
helps control your appetite and keep your blood sugar steady throughout
the day. Focus on lean sources, such as fish, chicken, turkey, beans, and
lentils.
Finally, portions are
important! Having a vision of what your plate should look like is always
a good
idea when you're cooking a meal. If you make sure your vegetables are half of
your plate you know you have a nutritious meal (for breakfast this can be high
antioxidant fruit like berries). Your lean protein should be 1/4 of your plate
and then your starch should fill up the remainder 1/4. Starch includes whole grains
like quinoa, brown rice, or a starchy vegetable like sweet potato.
I hope that helps you picture what a healthy meal looks like to
me.
Yours truly,
Sarah Oulahen, HBHSc , ND
Naturopathic Doctor at SOW Health
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