Small Steps for Better Nutrition & Health

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Sometimes I feel that people need to have a degree in nutrition in order to be able to eat in a healthy way in modern society. There is a miasma of misinformation, conflicting beliefs and a contradictory trend every 5 minutes. Vegan Diet or Carnivore Diet? Gluten is bad? Eggs are bad? Wait, now they are good? The sound bites surrounding food go on and on.

I am a firm believer in bio-individuality and mindful eating being the cornerstones of a healthy diet. That being said, I do think that there are some overarching guidelines that apply to the vast majority, if not all people.

1. Eat fermented, probiotic containing foods

You'll notice that I didn't just stop with fermented foods. What's the difference between foods that are fermented and foods that are fermented and contain probiotics? Well, certain foods (sourdough, chocolate, wine) early on in their lives undergo fermentation in various degrees. In sourdough, the Lactobacillus-laden leaven is what aerates the bread and what gives it its characteristic sour flavor. However, soon after the loaf is plunged into the raging hot oven these bacteria die.

There are some amazing benefits to making probiotic foods staples in your diet including:

• Supporting your immune system
• Help digest food
  
• Synthesize some B vitamins and vitamin K
  
• Synthesize certain amino acids
  
• Outcompete pathogenic bacteria
• Produce short chain fatty acids which may protect against diseases, particularly those that affect the bowels like Crohn's and ulcerative colitis
  

Foods to try: yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, miso

2. Don't consume beverages with added sugar

I think that if I could pick one thing from people's diet to eliminate it would be soda. It provides no nutritional value... just a lot of salt and even more sugar.

Also, I point a finger at fruit juice as well. I used to think that I was making a healthful choice when I purchased a 24oz bottle of Minute Maid orange juice but now I look back in horror. Even if I had juiced the oranges myself that is way too much sugar. The average medium sized orange yield approximately 2 oz of juice. This means that drinking one of those 24 oz monsters would be the equivalent of eating about 12 oranges! I like oranges but there is no way that I could manage that in one sitting. The biggest issue is that the fiber is mostly removed (more on that below). Sure, you can buy it with a bit of pulp but it's not going to make a huge dent in your recommended daily fiber intake of 25g for women and 38g for men. .

Drinks to try: sparkling water with an ounce or so of fruit juice added, homemade iced tea

3. When in doubt don't buy something that has a health claim on it

This might see counter-intuitive. However, do you know what doesn't come with a label? Apples. Kale. Radishes. Obviously, this isn't going to work all the time; this is more of a guideline than a rule. There are packaged products that I have purchased that advertise their, say, fiber content and I think that they are perfectly healthful foods. Yet, there are plenty of heavily sweetened breakfast cereals that boast their whole grain content and that the American Heart Association has approved the consumption of this food.

4. Fiber is your friend

I really feel like fiber is the unsung hero of the world of nutrition. There are so many benefits beyond taking a satisfying poo. First it is worth knowing that there are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber, as the name suggests, dissolved in water and forms a sort of gel. It's helpful for managing blood sugar levels, reducing cholesterol and softening stool ensuring that waste can pass through easily. It is in beans (not the skins), apples, pears, carrots and Jerusalem artichokes.

Soluble fiber is also a prebiotic. Most people have heard of probiotics and focus on taking powders and eating yogurt but prebiotics are just as important. Why? They are the food for the probiotics. They ensure that once the probiotics find their way to the gut they will have the proper food that will allow them (and you!) to thrive.

Insoluble fiber is the stuff that needs a lot of chewing: the stringy parts of celery, the skins of whole grains, and the seeds of berries are great examples of insoluble fiber. The main benefits include adding bulk to stool making it easier to have a bowel movement and reduces the risk of colorectal cancer.

Foods to try: apples, prunes, black beans, cabbage, oatmeal, lentils

This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are so many tiny, tiny changes that everyone can make to their diet that will boost their health in a big and meaningful way. Let me know in the comments what small and accessible changes you've made to your dinner plate that have yielded big results.