StressLess Body Therapy: Healthy Diet

Of course you know that a healthy diet helps you to maintain your energy levels and control mood swings. It is the main topic of magazines, the news, lunch conversation with your co-workers, and the numerous books on the market encouraging people to try this diet or that diet. When I listen to people talk about carbs and protein and low-fat, I am surprised. Granted nutrition information is very confusing, and I am not a nutritionist or dietician so I am learning too, but there are some basics of food that are important to know, and I hope to be able to provide you with some primer level nutrition facts to help you understand all the talk better.

When I started working on my health in 2001, my doctor showed me an article on healthy eating that he thought made a lot of sense. It was about a new food pyramid, which was similar to Mediterranean eating but different. I read the article and bought the book, Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating , and I began to make changes in how I ate. To quote Dr. Willet, the author, "The healthiest nutritional strategy, summarized in the Healthy Eating Pyramid, includes

* maintaining a stable, healthy weight;
* replacing saturated and trans fats with unsaturated fats;
* substituting whole-grain carbohydrates for refined-grain carbohydrates;
* Choosing healthier sources of proteins by trading red meat for nuts, beans, chicken, and fish;
* eating plenty of vegetables and fruits;
* using alcohol in moderation; and
* taking a daily multivitamin for insurance.

.....this strategy is a science-based, multicultural approach to healthy eating."

The Healthy Eating Pyramid, described by Dr. Willet and the Harvard School of Public Health, is different from the traditional USDA Food Pyramid, but in 2005 the USDA completely overhauled their program to encourage portion control and more nutrient rich foods versus processed foods. Check out their web-sites, the USDA Food Pyramid and the Harvard School of Public Health.

Return to Fitness Articles from Healthy Diet