Health Center

Diet for Daily Health

Food is the most neglected of medicines. Day in and day out, the foods you choose as fuel either build your body up or tear it down.

Here I'll give you comprehensive information and guidance about nutrition so you can be sure you're providing your body with optimal nourishment. Here are some basic principles to help you get started.

Follow a low-fat diet
Keep your overall fat intake in the 20 percent range, and avoid unhealthy fats—high-fat dairy, red meat, pork, and fatty poultry, processed oils, and margarine—as much as possible. These foods have little nutritive value, and the fats they contain are linked to a number of serious health problems.

Seek out healthy fats
Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs), found in cold-water fish (salmon, trout, mackerel, and tuna) and flaxseed, have been shown to support breast and colon health as well as healthy blood cholesterol levels. If you're not eating fish several times a week, consider taking a fish oil supplement containing omega-3 EFAs or supplementing your diet with freshly ground flaxseed. Flaxseeds are a great source of essential omega-3s and can easily be added to your meals and drinks. You can add ground flax to baked goods or use it as a topping on yogurt, hot or cold cereal, salads, or soup—anywhere you would eat nuts, you can eat flax! Flax also provides you with an abundance of omega-3 EFAs for improved blood flow, reduced blood "thickness," and healthy blood pressure. It's also a good source of fiber to help you maintain regularity and support your colon.

Eat moderate amounts of lean protein
Protein is essential to build and repair tissues and for many other functions in the body. About 20 percent of your diet should consist of high-quality protein from lean poultry, fish, egg whites, nonfat yogurt, and beans.

Make plant foods the mainstay of your diet
No, I'm not suggesting you become a vegetarian. But vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains are, quite simply, the best foods to fuel your body, feed your brain, and fight disease. Most plant foods contain slow-burning carbohydrates, which yield a steady supply of energy and satisfy your hunger. They are also loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a vast array of phytochemicals — specialized compounds that protect plants from the harsh realities of their environments and confer health benefits when eaten.

For a change of pace, or if you tire of eating vegetables and fruits, consider juicing them at home. (The commercial processing required to can, bottle, and freeze juices destroys much of their nutritional value.) Juicing helps you tap into nature's most powerful source of energy, stamina, and disease prevention. I recommend it as part of my overall health plan because fresh juice provides something no supplement can—"live" nutrients and enzymes in their natural states. Juicing is a great way to boost your energy and stamina and prevent a full range of health problems.

Don't forget to drink clean water
Water has amazing healing properties. To name just a few, drinking water can help reduce the risk of high blood pressure, moisturize dry skin, promote good digestion, soothe pain and inflammation, and protect against ulcers. Yet few of us drink the recommended eight to twelve 8-oz. glasses of water daily. Make it a point to drink a glass of pure, filtered water every morning upon waking and to refill your glass often throughout the day.

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