Nutrition Considerations

 Jennifer Morris

ABPN, ABOM

This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, website or in any linked material are not intended and should not be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This blog does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other professional health care advice, diagnosis or treatment. We cannot diagnose conditions, provide second opinions or make specific treatment recommendations through this blog or website.

If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your health care provider or seek other professional. medical treatment immediately. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something that you have read on this blog, website or any  linked materials. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or call for emergency medical help immediately. 

Nutrition plans are everywhere. With countless weight-loss and weight-maintenance diets available, which one is best for you?

The short answer is: the one that WORKS.

Factors to consider include:

• individual health concerns...do you struggle with high blood pressure? Insulin resistance? Food allergies, intolerances, or other restrictions? 
• time commitment...a busy lifestyle may preclude hours of shopping and food prep. Labor-intensive food trackers likewise may not be practical
• social factors...meals with family and/or friends may guide your choice options or lead to feeling deprived if you are eating differently from them. 
• cost...expensive ingredients and supplements add up
• long term commitment...radical nutrition plans may not be sustainable
• safety...extreme restriction of content or amount are not likely to be healthy over the long haul 

So...with these overall considerations...what to eat?

Considerations

1. restaurant hacks:  restaurants and eating out with friends/family are where nutrition plans often go to die. Ways to navigate this include

• plan what you are going to eat ahead of time...this is especially helpful if you know WHERE you are eating ahead of time. If possible, guide restaurant choices towards those that favor healthier food options including healthier cooking methods (baking over frying...fresh ingredients over processed foods.)  This also helps take the stress out of trying to find something "healthy" to eat under pressure at the restaurant, precluding snap decisions towards less healthy food. It will also help you feel a little less "high maintenance"
• use nutrition apps like myfitnesspal, mynetdiary, or mymenu to find or verify nutrition information
• start with water or even unsweetened tea
• skipping the bread service; bread is transiently filling but won't hold you for long after dinner. Focus on complex carbs and proteins instead
• avoid drinkable calories...they add up quickly and are not filling, and even simple juices may have 300 or more calories in them
• take care with alcohol...if you do chose to drink, look for lower calorie options like a single glass of wine, or something light mixed with tonic water
• pay attention to portions...you are NOT obligated to clean your plate. Many folks struggle with the psychological concept that they "paid for the meal so they need to finish it."  The meal is paid for, regardless of whether you clean your plate...eat until you are beginning to be full, and then stop!
• Be cognizant of condiments like sauces and dressings; a salad is not a health food when it is drenched in high density unhealthy dressings; same for that high-fructose barbeque sauce
• be aware your health is more important than any social pressure...and that pressure may change as peers see you claiming your health

2. nutrition plans overall:  the most appealing nutrition plan for most people is a low inflammation nutrition plan, which Cleveland Clinic and Harvard Health Publishing  summarize: 

 https://health.clevelandclinic.org/anti-inflammatory-diet (as accessed 7/11/24)

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation (as accessed 7/11/24)

These plans are characterized by:

• avoiding sweets, snack foods, processed meats, processed cheeses, sugary beverages, and fried foods
• focusing on whole foods, such as one-ingredient foods (an apple, a cucumber), wild rice, chicken/turkey breast, eggs, fish, legumes, nuts/seeds (careful not to overdo these), and oats. 
• drinking water, unsweetened tea, unsweetened coffee
• avoiding artificial sweeteners (some of which may contribute to inflammation, including fructose)

Not only do these eating plans help reduce/maintain healthy weight; they also may be helpful in reducing or averting inflammatory-driven or inflammatory-mediated medical illnesses (including mood, anxiety, and sleep disorders)

3. long-term considerations:  The story is all too-well known...eagerness to start a new eating structure meets the realities of every day life. Initial time capacity gets challenged by new obligations.  Life derails healthy eating again.  How to avert this common pitfall?

• plan in advance. Healthy eating will not happen by accident, and will not likely happen intuitively. There is a reason convenience food is...convenient. 
• get family buy-in...though meals may have to be modified slightly for different nutritional needs, preparing separate meals for everyone is not practical. Try a low inflammation-geared main course and vegetable, a fruit, and then an additional more calorie-dense side or dessert for family members who need this
• aim for variety in meals, but stick with a pattern or theme so you are not continuously inventing dishes. A 1-2 week rotation is doable; a new-meal-every-day approach is not sustainable
• make enough for dinner (especially main dishes)  to have left-overs for lunch. this is both economical and will reduce the temptation to grab fast food or cafeteria options instead. Pair lunch left-overs with healthy sides like fruit, raw vegetable, nuts, Greek yogurt, etc.
• keep a running grocery list so you are stocked up on ingredients
• don't have time to both shop for groceries and cook? Consider ordering groceries for delivery (which is cheaper than meal delivery) and engaging available family members in either shopping, cooking, or both!
• realize that healthy does not have to mean complicated! A plain scrambled egg with a piece of fruit or some berries, plain yogurt and fresh vegetables is a low inflammation, diverse and healthy. 

4. travel: Traveling, for work or vacation, has derailed many an eating plan. How to avert this?

• look for healthy options, even in unexpected places. I was filling my car up with gas recently, popped into the OnCue for a bottle of water, and was excited to see a display of fresh fruit and yogurt (next to the not-so-healthy granola bars)
• stick with regular mealtimes; avoid "car-snacks"
• bring your own high-fiber, high-protein snacks for the car, to balance restaurants, or to stave hunger
• stay hydrated
• avoid fast food. avoid fast food. avoid fast food. 
• travel for vacation is an opportunity to indulge; however, several weeks of healthy eating can become derailed quickly. Choose a special treat a day, and otherwise stick with the meal-plan
• if you do go overboard one day...recognize and re-align the next day, rather than giving up on the program...that day is done! On to the next day and new opportunities...

Hope this post offers some ideas on healthy eating, weight loss/maintenance, and ways to attain these goals

Jenn