Naturopathic Nutrition 101

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