Among others, April is Stress Awareness Month! You can read about building stress resilience here. Nevertheless, I’m sticking with March’s National Nutrition Month for one more newsletter. You know well that I advocate for food freedom and authentic health. Choosing foods that will nourish us the way our own body-mind wants to be nourished becomes easier when we know the full landscape of food choices. We can shape our meals when we understand what components to aim to include in a meal. Knowledge is power. Here is some straight talk about the most physiologically/biochemically health-promoting (and yummy!) foods to help you expand your choices. Just Say No to Diets Let’s all agree that the word “diet” has become fraught. I prefer calling it a “food plan” instead, which is just so much less limiting. We’re not in the business of restriction or deprivation. Instead, let’s add foods in. With that in mind, what’s the best food plan for you? The one you find most accessible, tastiest, and provides the benefits you seek! Stop for a moment, maybe even take some notes: what benefits do you hope to receive from what you eat? What follows is a guide, not a set of rules. Seek out variety to meet the pleasures and needs of your different daily activities and what your body requests. Variety is not just the spice of life, it promotes health. Use this information to nourish yourself. It bears repeating that you get to choose what works best for your own body and preferences. What is Nutrient Dense Food? Broadly speaking, the most nutrient-dense foods can be found either 1) in their most whole form, or 2) are processed using traditional methods. Think of it this way: whole foods don’t have a chance for the nutrients to escape, like an unopened box. Traditional processing leaves the nutrients intact and can even make some nutrients more available for our bodies to use. Olives are an example. You can eat the whole olive, or the olive can be mashed and puréed in order to squeeze out the oil to use in meals and cooking. Both forms are nutrient dense. Raw or Cooked? I thought I’d toss this in (like a salad?) because I hear comments that raw veggies and fruit are better for you. However, it really depends on the dish and the goal whether to have them raw or cooked. There are health benefits to both, so mix it up. Cooking makes most foods more digestible by breaking down the fiber, protein, or carbohydrates (fats stay about the same). In some cases, it also enhances the nutrient value and/or the flavor. Let’s use apples as an example. You can eat an intact apple right off the tree. Or you can slice it, cook it with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a little water, then mash it to make applesauce. They both offer strong nutritional benefits. Raw apples contain vitamin C, potassium, fiber, a smidge of protein, antioxidants such as quercetin, catechin, and chlorogenic acid, plus myriad phytonutrients. Upon cooking an apple, the vitamin C is destroyed (heat degrades vitamin C), but gut-healing pectin is released and the broken down fiber is easier on the stomach and intestinal tract. This is why apple sauce is recommended when someone has a stomach bug. Tomatoes are another example. When cooked, tomatoes concentrate cancer fighting nutrients like lycopene. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients both raw and cooked, so eat them both ways (any Brooklyn 911 fans out there?). Mediterranean Food Plan Who hasn’t heard of the Mediterranean Food Plan? It’s everywhere, and for good reason. It’s delicious and the best researched combination of foods in relation to both physical and mental health. A point I make to all of my clients is that you don’t have to eat like folks in the Mediterranean to choose this food plan. Any flavor profile from around the world can be used with the elements below. And because of the variety in the plan, it’s easy to mix up tasty meals. What does it include? Vegetables & Fruit This rainbow of colorful foods provide fiber, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory molecules, detoxification support, vitamins and minerals, and colorful disease-fighting phytonutrients. Big focus on leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, sweet potatoes, beets, and berries. Fiber Feeds our beneficial gut bacteria, keeps our bowels moving (out with the old, in with the new), and binds cholesterol, old hormones, and toxins for removal. Found in vegetables, fruit, and whole grains Protein Sources support balanced blood sugar, mood and neurochemicals, tissue building and repair, and the synthesis of every single enzyme. Read details on protein here. Healthy Fats Healthy fats contribute to healthy brains, cellular structure, are anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory, and carry nutrients from the foods where they were sourced. Fat/oil must be present for our bodies to absorb fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Big focus on extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil/avocados, nuts/seeds & their butters, wild caught fatty fish, small amounts of butter and coconut oil. Fermented and Probiotic-Rich Foods: See the list below. Herbs, Spices, Teas, and Traditionally Harvested Salt (Celtic Sea or Himalayan Pink) All assure delicious flavor while carrying a variety of micronutrients and trace minerals, and they provide digestive support, healing qualities, and more. These are little powerhouses of nutrition. Adequate Fluid Intake Washes out toxins and metabolic waste in urine, softens our stool for easy passage, pads our joints, moistens our eyes, and more. Big focus on water, herbal teas (and some caffeinated), soups, a little coffee. Probiotic-Rich Foods “Probiotic” is as it sounds: Pro = for us; biotic = bacteria. These health-promoting foods have been part of every culture around the world. This is partly because traditional preparation methods that ferment foods extend the life of the food. It also often makes it safer to eat, boosts nutritional value, and adds flavor. The benefits of probiotic-rich foods include digestive, metabolic, and mental health. Since this is a “what to eat” article, let your curiosity lead you to this article, which offers a deeper dive into the different probiotic foods. If you consume them daily in food, you can pretty much skip the probiotic pill. Recommendation: consume at least one serving daily. Start with a small amount and increase it as your body adjusts. These are some options:
What’s So Special About All These Foods? This food plan shifts our plates to being more inclusive of plants with smaller amounts of animal proteins than many Americans eat. Certain carbohydrates (veggies, fruit, and traditionally prepared foods made with grains) and healthy oils and fats hold respected positions. All of these foods are in balance with each other. Find these categories with examples laid out by the Institute for Functional Medicine: here for omnivores and here for vegetarians. How Do I Combine All of These Things to Get the Benefits? Click here for my edited version of the Harvard Healthy Eating Plate. This gives a visual for the general composition of a meal that research shows supports good health from a classical medical viewpoint. Your labs typically will begin to reflect the benefits if you mostly follow this guide. Please remember the critical difference between serving size and portion size (scroll to the bottom of this article on protein to read about it)! Honor Your Hunger Each time you eat, choose a combination of foods that includes a protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Not only will the meal or snack be more satisfying, but you will receive the time-release energy of this fuel entering your bloodstream gradually and steadily. Whether you are working and need a clear brain or working out and want your muscles to respond, you’ll feel the benefits. Typically eat three meals a day about 3-4 hours apart, and include a snack whenever it feels right for you. Be responsive to your hunger cues. A gentle, non-intrusive hunger may feel comfortable, even pleasant, and it’s a reminder that your body is notifying you that nourishment will be necessary soon. Hunger that results in fatigue, brain fog, mood swings, headaches, and other symptoms is your body asking desperately for food. My recommendation is simple: If you are hungry, eat. When you are responsive to your hunger cues, you will get into a rhythm of eating neither too much nor too little for your needs. Three Thoughts to Hold Onto
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AuthorI am Mary Virginia Coffman (I go by “Mary Virginia”), a clinical nutritionist who focuses on mental health, digestive health, metabolic health, and nervous system regulation. My unique combination of clinical interventions, education, and coaching will help you feel well in body, mind, and spirit. Archives
October 2024
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