Health Care Quarterly:

Don’t think of diets as a short-term fix; find a long-term solution that works for you

Food medicine is not a new term in our society, but it is one we should revisit. It was Hippocrates that said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” While it’s true that medication is needed to solve specific medical issues, the nutrition we receive from food also plays a vital role in our overall health. What we consume effects our daily lives; understanding nutrition is a key part of creating balance within the body.

For the last 15 years, I’ve worked with dieticians, nurses, and prescribers to help patients with a myriad of health issues reach their goals by adjusting the foods they eat (and don’t eat). During that time, I’ve personally given countless sessions of nutrition education and many nutrition tours. Through mentoring so many patients, I’ve learned several tips that can help anyone glean the most nutritional benefit from their food.

Stop dieting and start changing your lifestyle.

The first question I ask a patient who comes to me with a potential diet plan is: can you maintain this diet for the rest of your life? The answer is usually no, so I ask the patient to consider a lifestyle change instead. It’s true that diets will most likely give some positive effect, but once stopped, generally lead to the regaining of any weight lost. Nearly every time I see a patient able to stop one of their medications for blood pressure, diabetes, or cholesterol, it’s because that patient lost weight due to changes in their lifestyle rather than a temporary diet.

Healthy eating is healthy eating.

A healthy nutrition plan for someone with diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol is the same for those without such conditions. To put it bluntly, healthy eating is healthy eating. There are no special meal plans for people facing these medical conditions. However, when a patient is dealing with very specific medical conditions (i.e. kidney failure) that require strict control of what is eaten (i.e. potassium, sodium, etc.), there will be specific foods they need to avoid.

Quantity is almost always more important than quality.

The first area you should target is the amount of food you consume. Once you have that conquered, you can focus on quality. Calories are the equivalent of weight, and a person needs to consume roughly 3,500 calories to equal one pound. Cutting out 500 calories per day for just one week will lead to 3,500 less calories consumed and therefore one pound of weight loss if all other factors stay the same. Keep these calories in check, and you can keep your weight in check.

Balance of foods will lead to success.

The main components of food you need to look out for are carbohydrates, protein and fat. It is generally accepted practice to keep these parts of food at 50 percent, 30 percent, and 20 percent of your diet respectively. Carbohydrates are our main energy source. Protein is key for muscle maintenance, and will help us feel full when eating. Fat should be limited due to its effect of adding to our fat tissue. Because it is difficult for our bodies to break down into energy, it generally just adds to our waistline. Food labels will spell each of these out for you, and so will many smart phone apps.

It is easy to view food as something you eat just to feel full. However, by taking the time to understand exactly what you’re putting into your body, you’ll create a lifestyle of positive health and success. Proper nutrition is integral to living a balanced life, and if you follow the path of food medicine, your body will thank you in the long run.

Daniel W. Heller, Pharm D., is pharmacy practice coordinator for Smith’s Food & Drug Stores.

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