We are approximately mid-way through a series of posts on sustainable nutrition; considering ideas for improving personal happiness by creating a healthy body and mind.

    WOULD YOU LIKE to run faster, jump higher, and have more energy -- while also avoiding doctor bills, heart disease and cancer?  Here is the easiest, least expensive, and most effective way to start you on your way: 

Eat more organic fruits and vegetables!

The USDA’s MyPlate plan and the Harvard School of Public Health’s The Healthy Eating Plate each recommend that vegetables and fruits fill up one-half of your plate (I would add, importantly, that you choose organic produce).

I know....... that is a lot of fruits and vegetables!  Try it anyway.

Nuts, beans, and relatively small amounts of meat, seafood, or dairy products will provide protein sources and should make up approximately one-fourth of the meal. 

The remaining one-fourth of the plate should be filled with whole grain products such as whole wheat (as tolerated), oats, corn and rice; and foods made with them. 

Beyond that, each individual can create their own diet plan, utilizing all of the above food groups. Those who struggle with excessive weight should eat even more vegetables relative to the other foods.

It's In the Genes

It should be acknowledged that weight control is inherently more difficult for some people than others, in part due to differing genetic predispositions.  There are even some groups of people who have so called “thrifty” genes, which in earlier times increased survival, as these individuals could make very efficient use of scarcely available food. 

However, food options are now plentiful in the developed world, and this once useful trait has since become more detrimental than helpful.  This by no means implies that it is impossible to control obesity if one comes from a family of large people, just that it may definitely be more challenging for some than it is for others.  Some large people certainly do have to work much harder to stay fit than smaller people; but those with smaller statures can also have trouble with excess weight.

It can be helpful to use a strategy called crowding, where one fills up first on vegetables and is therefore not as hungry for other more calorie laden foods. 

Making a major dietary change can be quite difficult, particularly early on.  However this does get significantly easier with time.  Taste sensations quickly adapt and the new diet can often become as enjoyable as the old.

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Unless one has medical issues such as poor digestion or other maladies, the above recommended diet does not typically require additional vitamins or other supplements in pill form.  This may change someday, as depleted soils are yielding less nutritious plants than in years past. 

It is also useful to remember that although supplement pills may contain several beneficial substances, they do not often provide the thousands of phytonutrients and fiber found in eating whole foods.

A Few Quick Tips for Healthy Eating

1. Eat more slowly.  Chewing food properly aids in good digestion, working on a mechanical basis by breaking food into smaller pieces, as well as on a neurological basis, as the act of chewing sends signals to the brain to begin orchestrating complex sequences involved in gut absorption.  The act of chewing slowly also helps one to more fully enjoy her meal, as she slows down enough to mindfully appreciate the very process of eating, increasing her overall relaxation and sense of well-being.  Some Buddhist monks recommend chewing each bite 30 times before swallowing.
2. Stop eating as soon as you begin to feel satiated, even if your plate is not empty.  Drink a glass of water, chat with your dinner companions, and wait about ten minutes.  If you are still hungry, go ahead and eat a little more.
3. Show discipline while shopping, as a healthy diet begins in the supermarket.  Avoid shopping when hungry.  Shop mostly in the peripheral aisles, which offer fresh produce, avoiding as much as possible the central aisles that contain pre-packaged foods.
4. Eat a widely varied diet.
5. Choose organic produce.   And if you eat dairy products or eggs, favor organic products from pastured cows and organic eggs from cage free chickens.
6. If you eat meat, favor organic free range or pastured products when possible.
7. Have water make up over ninety percent of your fluid intake.  Use a faucet water purifier and store the water in glass jars in your refrigerator.   Filtering diminishes the amounts of chlorine, fluoride, pathogens, and other unwanted substances in your drinking water.  Avoid the use of plastic bottled water (due to energy intensive production issues, plastic disposal problems, and also to avoid potential health concerns from materials in the plastic leaching into your drink).  Coffee and juice consumption should be limited.  Sodas and sports drinks should be used only as a rare treat.    
8. Brush after meals.  This of course helps to strengthen teeth and gums – and you might even get your way when you flash that bright winning smile!  In addition, tooth brushing immediately after a meal often makes eating a dessert or snack a less frequent occurrence.

Next time:  "If Man Made It, Don't Eat It."