Improve the Quality of your Diet, Improve the Quality of Life!

March is National Nutrition Month and a time where everyone should look to their diet and evaluate the quality. Most of my clients come to me and say that they “know how to eat healthy” and think they “eat pretty healthy.” However, if you think you have a pretty poor diet, even one small change can have measurable effects and I can guarantee you will notice significant improvements. Some people come to me without consuming one vegetable or fruit on any given day. By just adding half a cup of fruit and vegetables per day you will see noticeable benefits. Add more, and you will experience even better results.

If you already think you eat healthy, it’s time to zone in on what you are missing, or maybe overdoing. When I perform a diet analysis for a client who believes they eat pretty healthy, there are always things I point out that they can improve upon. I have never seen anyone with a “perfect” diet, and I admit, not even myself. With just small tweaks in your diet, my clients generally notice an increase in energy, better sleep, improved immune function, and eventually they notice their mid-section getting smaller. Do not underestimate the power of diet. According to a research article published in 2008, it is estimated that as many as 30-35% of cancers are linked to diet. Certainly added sugars and refined grains in the diet have been linked to obesity and diabetes risk. Now, there is incredible research showing the link between diet, gut microflora, and disease risk (including Autism, obesity, Alzheimers, diabetes, and more). What you eat affects how you feel, how you look (see my blog on attractiveness), speed and endurance, mental clarity and performance, and so much more! At this time, I encourage everyone to eat more fruits and vegetables, less processed foods, more whole foods, and less meat. 

Also, look into your health insurance [Independence Blue Cross, Aetna, BCBS, Highmark, AmeriHealth, etc.] and see if nutrition counseling is a covered benefit as most plans do offer this under the new healthcare law. Even if you think you eat healthy, you can always learn more and improve something about your diet. Take this time to invest in yourself and your future!

References: 

Anand, Preetha et al. “Cancer Is a Preventable Disease That Requires Major Lifestyle Changes.” Pharmaceutical Research 25.9 (2008): 2097–2116. PMC. Web. 23 Feb. 2015.

https://www.autismspeaks.org/science/science-news/spotlight-gut-bacteria-brain-connection-autism
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2014.11.009
Consumption of whole grains and cereal fiber and total and cause-specific mortality: prospective analysis of 367,442 individuals
Tao Huang, Min Xu, Albert Lee, Susan Cho and Lu Qi BMC Medicine 2015 doi:10.1186/s12916-015-0294-7