One Best Food
One Best Food
Question:
Due to work commitments and a varying shift pattern I find it difficult to stick to a strict diet and regime. I eat healthily, have a varied diet and am fortunate to have a very good cook as a partner but what one thing should I try to eat more of which is going to give me ‘most bang for my buck’.
Kelli’s Answer:
I’ll admit, this one may be too hard for me! Anyone who’s ever heard me talk about nutrition would know that I have trouble narrowing it down to any “one thing” that is most important to add to your diet. As you said, you eat healthily and have a varied diet – that’s part of the key to wellness, getting all the nutrients you need from various foods. That said, I’ll give you 3 things to focus on based on what I usually see missing or overflowing in clients’ diets…
1) Add dark, bright, vibrant fruits and vegetables – living, raw foods have enzymes at work in them that promote gut health – and when our digestion’s tuned in, it promotes health and wellness throughout our bodies. In addition, of course, these offer lots of phytochemicals (disease fighters), antioxidants (cell repairing and inhibitors of cholesterol plaque formation, and fiber, a key to wellness.
2) Add healthy fats – we have been programmed to be afraid of fat, which, in my opinion, has devastated the health of our society as a whole. Instead of being afraid of them, add them to EVERY meal (replace some of the carbs). Add olive oil, organic coconut oil, nuts, nut butters, flaxseeds and other healthy fats to foods. I mean, go ahead and drizzle a teaspoon or so of olive oil on after you’ve cooked your meal. If you take out some of the carbs, especially from grains (something most of us get too much of), you’ll be okay with maintaining a healthy weight. (Again, carbs, even refined ones, are useful for training nutrition, but not needed in abundance for daily nutrition). And, supplement fish oil if you don’t eat at least 12 oz. of fatty fish per week.
3) Stay away from: Processed foods. If it has ingredients you can’t pronounce or a list that’s longer than this post, put it back on the shelves. If you can’t picture how it grows or is made, it doesn’t likely need to be in your diet. In ways we don’t even know yet, I believe the chemical additives, colorings, fake fats, processed sugars, refined grains, etc, will come back to “bite” us generations from now much worse than butter ever did!
Please send us your questions for our Expert Sports Nutritionist, Kelli Jennings to “Ask the Sports Nutritionist“. Kelli Jennings is a Registered Dietitian with a passion for healthy eating, wellness, & sports nutrition. For more information go to www.apexnutritionllc.com.
