Eat for Health
Nutrition information can be so confusing.
People want to eat well for their health; but there is so much conflicting information and so they are unsure which diet is best for them.
Carnivore? Whole Food Plant Based? Clean Keto? Paleo? Gluten Free? Low Carb?
Followers of these diets advocate good health results - weight loss, diabetes reversed, arthritis reversed, healed from cancer, etc; however some of them may have some side effects, no long term research to verify benefit, or may lead to an imbalance of nutrients.
Let’s take a look at what these diets have in common:
They eliminate sugar, and refined carbohydrates like white flour, cakes, biscuits, pastries.
They eliminate processed foods with synthetic chemical numbers.
They eliminate processed, refined seed oils (which are heated, bleached, deodorised).
They focus on eating food from nature as grown.
That looks like a pretty good place to start! Eliminate the bad, and focus on the good.
So why are there so many competing theories? Well it can take years for true outcomes of a diet to be known, for example the low fat theory promoted in the 1960s for heart health which then became the overarching idealogy before definitive studies had proved any health benefits.
Nutrition knowledge is relatively young. Macronutrients - carbohydrates, protein and fats were only discovered mid 1800s and vitamins in the early 1900s.
Much of the knowledge about the gut microbiome has only been discovered in recent decades.
Did you know….
The average adult gut microbiome is 2 kg and made up of trillions of bacteria, fungi and viruses, with more genes than the human genome.
Appetite, food digestion, immunity and even brain health (via the vagus nerve) can be modified by your gut microbes.
Gut microbes help break food down to liberate nutrients, metabolise glucose and moderate the immune system’s inflammatory response.
The gut microbiome is initially established during natural birth, breastmilk and skin to skin contact.
A diverse population of gut microbes is associated with better health; however antibiotics, urbanisation (lack of contact with soil), low fibre and high sugar diet, and chemicals have all contributed to declining microbial diversity.
With the loss in microbial diversity we have seen an increase in food sensitivities/allergies, obesity, chronic inflammation, auto-immune and chronic diseases.
The standard Western diet is low fibre, high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, fat, meat and processed foods - foods which do not support a healthy gut microbiome. Ways to support gut health and microbial diversity and balance are:
Eat more fibre. The more pre-biotic fibre you eat the healthier your gut microbes.
Eat the colours of the rainbow for a range of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.
Eat an omega 3 rich diet.
Avoid sugar which feeds bad gut bacteria.
Avoid synthetic chemicals, and emulsifiers - which may damage the intestinal lining.
The Mediterranean way of eating follows these principles. It is heavy in vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, olive oil, with fish and meat being the flavour of the meal, not the focus. Population studies show the traditional Mediterranean diet helps to reduce inflammation in the body, protect against cell damage, lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, support longevity and a diverse gut microbiome.
The added bonus of the Mediterranean way of eating is that it is less restrictive than carnivore, keto or vegan, so it is more sustainable and likely that people will consistently maintain this way of eating part as part of their lifestyle to treat and prevent health issues.
Food sensitivities/intolerances/allergies seem to have become very prevalent in our society which can further complicate eating for health. See my next blog “Understanding Food Sensitivities” to learn the differences, root causes and helpful protocols support wellbeing.
If you would like support with your diet and nutrition and eating well for health, please connect with me on the contact page.
