A Holistic Approach To Healthy Eating

By Vanessa Allen, MD

Natural Family Wellness

More Complementary & Integrative Healthcare Articles

A Holistic Approach To Healthy Eating

What to eat? This is a common dilemma of dieters when choosing what type of food to eat. A common choice of dieters is to eat less food without changing the type of food one eats. Subsequently, your metabolism slows down and the amount of calories you burn decreases and you don't lose weight.
Thinking of your food as medicine enables you to make healthy choices and empowers you to control the type of food you're eating. A healthy diet should include approximately 50% of your calories from carbohydrates, 30% from protein, and 20% from fat.
The carbohydrates should be complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, breads, cereal, legumes, and brown rice, in addition to fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, preferably those in season. The proteins can be lean cuts of meat, fish and chicken, eggs, or meat alternatives such as tofu, beans and soy products. Choosing fish such as salmon or tuna, soy products, flax seed, and nuts such as almonds and walnuts gives the added benefit of omega-3-fatty acids which lowers cholesterol. The preferred fats are polyunsaturated like omega-3 fats mentioned above and monosaturated fats such as olive oil, canola oil and nuts.
In addition to a balanced diet, there are other foods that have nutrients that may enhance one's metabolism and/or decrease the risk of cardiovascular and chronic disease. For example, a cup of green tea has flavenoids that may decrease one's risk for heart disease and stimulate your metabolism due to the small amount of caffeine. Also, ginger and turmeric aid in stimulating your digestion, which may assist in weight loss as well.
As always, complete your total health with an exercise plan like walking and spiritual awareness through meditation and relaxation with deep breathing exercises.
Whatever choices you make, remember old habits are hard to change, but once new and healthy ones are obtained, you will keep them for the rest of your life.