One of the best ways to prevent chronic diseases is to change your diet. A healthy diet can help prevent diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and many other illnesses from developing. It can also bolster your strength and improve your mood. Simple, smart steps now can set you on the path toward better nutrition. Choose one of these steps to begin and then introduce more:
• Try a new fruit and a new vegetable each week. Too often, we fall into repetitive patterns of eating. Since the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends half of our plates be filled with fruits and vegetables, it’s important that we keep mixing up what we eat (which also helps us avoid getting tired of healthy food). The American Heart Association recommends a colorful array of vegetables and fruit to ensure we’re meeting nutritional goals: heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/add-color/eat-more-color.
• Replace chips with nuts. You may have noticed that your favorite potato chip brand is expensive this year. Substitute a healthier alternative. If nuts are not exciting enough for you, try seasoning them. Some spices that are often used (not necessarily together) include garam masala, rosemary, chili powder, cayenne pepper and cinnamon.
• Eat whole grains. An American Institute for Cancer Research report concluded that just three servings a day of whole grains can result in a 17% lower risk of colorectal cancer. If you are tired of whole wheat and oatmeal, remember that there are numerous other whole grains, including those Johns Hopkins Medicine lists at hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/barley-farro-sorghum-and-more-9-whole-grains-to-try. Some of the nutritional value has been removed from refined grains, such as white bread and white rice, making them less filling and healthy than whole grains.
• Drink more water. It’s not always easy to get the eight glasses a day of water your body craves, but doing so can help you feel better and stay fuller. You can even set an alarm to remind you it’s time to consume more.
• Eat fewer prepared and packaged foods. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that 70% of the salt in American diets originates from packaged and prepared food. In other words, putting away that saltshaker is not enough, especially if you already have high blood pressure. Even supposedly healthy food may be very high in salt, so read all the labels on your food carefully.
• Cut those sugary drinks. If you have been watching what you eat and are still unable to lose weight, the culprit may be a beverage. Americans consume high levels of sugar, including soda and unhealthy fruit juices. Consider mixing sparkling water with a healthy juice (look for 100% juice) instead of drinking soda.
• Introduce more legumes to your diet. Beans, lentils and other legumes are inexpensive, nutritious and easy to add to so many meals. You can toss them into rice dishes, casseroles, stews, salads, soups and even sandwiches. They can be purchased in cans or dry. Since legumes have a longer shelf life than so many other forms of protein, they are easy to keep on hand for when you are low on fresh groceries and unsure what to make for dinner. Consider trying legumes you don’t typically eat, such as cannellini beans, chickpeas, broad beans (fava beans) or lima beans. Handy recipes are included on the Mayo Clinic’s website at mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/bean-legume-recipes/rcs-20075988.
• Join Eskenazi Health Healthy Me classes. Free lifestyle medicine groups, taught by medical professionals, can inform you about nutrition and introduce you to easy, healthy recipes. Find out more at eskenazihealth.edu/programs/healthy-me.
Any life change is difficult. Let yourself slip now and then from your new good habits, especially on days you have social gatherings. Once your new routines become the norm, however, you will find yourself feeling better and stronger. If you need advice on any dietary changes, consult with your physician.
Nydia Nunez-Estrada, M.D., family medicine specialist with Eskenazi Health Center Grande