The Doctor Is In:
What Is Healthy Eating, Exactly?
Now that you have committed to being healthy this year we need to tackle one of the biggest pieces to the puzzle, FOOD. Living healthy is 80% diet and 20% exercise, in other words so as you see if you do not exercise you can make a huge dent in your weight loss goals simply by changing your diet. I want to give you some tips and tools that have helped me shed some unwanted weight and keep it off.
I have a lot of food allergies so it is very difficult to follow most “diets” that you see on TV or read about in books. Just because I went to medical school did not mean I understood exactly how to cure myself. In the last 5 years I have researched and experimented to figure out what works and I want to share with the GEM readers. These are some basic tips that I hope will help at least one person.
Are you curious yet???
FIBER
What is Fiber? Part of plant foods that can’t digest or absorb. Although fiber is not digestible, it is good for the body in many ways, says naturopathic physician Wendy Wells. “Eating fiber increases the immune system in your gut, feeds the good probiotic bacteria there, keeps the digestive lining healthy and absorbs and pulls out excess hormones, cholesterol, fat and toxins from the body.”
Did you hear that PULLS OUT FAT!
When I learned this information about fiber I knew that I needed to have fiber with every meal. According to WebMD Kathleen M. Zelman MPH, RD, LD “The average adult only eats 15 grams of dietary fiber per day. Women need 25 grams per day and men should get 38 grams per day, according to an Institute of Medicine formula based on getting 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories.” In addition to losing weight a high fiber diet reduces your risk of developing colon and breast cancer. Here are some of the ways to use fiber as a tool in your weight loss :
- fiber-rich foods such as fruit, vegatables and whole grains contain few calories per volume
- the extra chewing time involved with eating high-fiber foods may leave you feeling more satisfied
- the bulkiness of high-fiber foods keeps you feeling fuller longer so you’re more in control of your appetite
- you’re inclined to eat less food overall because high-fiber foods are filling
- high-fiber foods help you stay regular so you look and feel lighter and less bloated
Read more: 10 From GEM: 10 Hearty And Healthy Fall Foods
PROTEIN
What is protein? The definition of a protein is a substance that has amino acids, compounds and carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sometimes sulfur and is found in many foods. Meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, seeds, nuts, dairy products, and eggs are great sources of dietary protein. NBC’s “Biggest Loser” trainer Jillian Michaels says you should eat half your weight in grams of protein daily (if you weigh 200lbs eat 100gms of protein). There are a couple easy ways to achieve this, eat protein with every meal. If you don’t eat meat or eggs for breakfast you can add a glass of milk or milk in your cereal to get your morning protein. I also incorporate protein shakes in addition to my daily meals. I use milk and egg protein because of my soy allergies, but whey protein is very popular and now there is hemp protein powder as well as others. Read the nutrition label and decide what works best for you. If you have questions don’t hesitate to Ask Dr. Renee.
Read More: 10 From GEM: 10 Tips To Beat The Morning Rush
CARBS
What is a carb? A major food source and a key form of energy. Carbohydrates receive a bad rap unfairly; there are good carbs and bad carbs. I believe at least 45-65% of your calories per day should come from carbs. Good carbs (complex carbohydrates) are plant based foods, whole grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits. These foods contain fiber, vitamins, and phytochemicals in addition to grams of carbohydrate. Bad carbs (simple carbohydrates) come from white bread, white rice, pastry, sugary sodas and other highly processed foods that can make you fat.
Read more: 7 Ways I Got 5 Kids To Make Better Food Choices
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The most important thing in addition to what you eat is to make certain you drink water. Please try and drink 8 8oz. glasses of water a day. If you can drink more even better but water is very important for hydration, sometimes you tihI hope this information will help you achieve your health goals for 2014. If you need motivation, inspiration or more information please remember don’t hesitate to Ask Dr. Renee.
Dr. Reneè Matthews is becoming a leader in the healthcare industry. She has spent the early part of her career as a medical educator for Public Cord Blood Services and as a radio host for XM Radio Reach MD, a programming source for health professionals.
In addition to being featured in Ebony Magazine’s health spotlight, Ask Dr. Renee, Dr. Matthews is the contributing health blogger for Good Enough Mother, a leading community dedicated to moms providing advice and exposing the myths of motherhood. She has also been a contributing writer for Loop21 and health blogger for Examiner where she is reporting on health news and health care. In addition to her columns, Dr. Matthews has often appeared as a lecturer before various organizations.
Dr. Reneè earned her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University. She earned her Medical Doctorate in 2005. Dr. Reneè is a member of the National Medical Association and Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network. Dr. Renee is especially passionate about addressing the health concerns of women and has been recognized by patients and professionals alike for her ability to translate the challenges patients face into tools and solutions they can use to improve their health care. Check out her website , her Instagram, Facebook page, Pinterest, and follow her on Twitter at @AskDrRenee.
