All journeys start somewhere. Knowing where to start can be half the battle. Your journey to finding health and well-being is no exception. Nutrition guidelines today lack consensus for many reasons that are too vast and controversial to get into here. So, I won’t because I want to keep this simple today. I want you to start your wellness journey and I want to give you some simple basic principles as your foundation to start. I have done your research. I have questioned everything. I have delved into the science for you. As a master of nutrition and a certified physician’s assistant with over 17 years of experience, I’m thrilled to share these insights on cultivating a healthy lifestyle in the modern era. Our fast-paced lives require intentional choices that promote vitality, longevity, and overall well-being. Let’s delve into the six essential pillars that form the foundation of your journey to finding health:
1. Know your fats: Avoid Vegetable/Seed Oils at all costs!
Guess what?! Saturated fat is good! You read that right! In today’s food landscape, it’s crucial to be discerning about what we put on our plates. Vegetable or seed oils, often touted as “healthy,” can be so damaging and detrimental to health. I will dedicate a follow up blog on the science explaining why vegetable oils are so bad. Just know for now that these oils are polyunsaturated fats that oxidize very easily creating lipid oxidized products that will damage everything it touches including proteins, cell membranes, DNA, and our mitochondria (the organelles in our cells that make energy to fuel your body). Vegetable oils are in so many food products on the shelves, and all restaurants will use vegetable oils. So, what are we to do? First know what oils are considered vegetable/seed oils. Then, you can identify them on food labels when grocery shopping. Dr. Catherine Shanahan, a family medicine physician, leading authority on nutrition, and best-selling author describes the worst oils as “The Hateful Eight”. These 8 oils are soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, safflower seed oil, corn oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, grapeseed oil, and ricebran oil. Opt for healthy stable oils that resist oxidation like olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, real butter, clarified butter or ghee, tallow, lard, and peanut oil. Some basic tips to avoid vegetable oils to get you started are: Don’t buy any food product that lists a vegetable oil as an ingredient. Have only the stable oils listed above in your kitchen. Avoid eating out. But when you do eat out, avoid all fried foods including French fries. Find out which restaurants will upon request make your food with real butter and then eat there. And lastly, make your own salad dressings. Or you can simply use olive oil and vinegar as your dressing.
2. Sweetness in Moderation: No Added Sugars or High Fructose Corn Syrup
Excessive sugar consumption wreaks havoc on our health. High sugar diets are associated with the development of insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes. Sugar is also damaging to functioning of enzymes and other proteins in our bodies. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is particularly insidious. It’s prevalent in processed foods, sodas, and sweetened beverages. HFCS has been linked to obesity, diabetes, and liver disease. Instead, savor the natural sweetness of whole fruits (in moderation) and limit added sugars. Your body—and your taste buds—will thank you.
3. Your body is a machine: Eat to fuel your body
For the purpose of starting out and laying a healthy foundation, I am going to keep this section to some very basic healthy eating principles. There are many different diets that I like and recommend to clients depending on their personal needs and health goals including Mediterranean, Keto, Paleo, Autoimmune Protocol, Elimination. But all of the diets I recommend have some common components. So, remember that your body is like a machine. It has requirements to operate optimally. You need fuel to convert to energy. You need nutrients such as vitamins and minerals which keep operations running smoothly. Eating whole foods minimally processed and as close to how it is found in nature as possible satisfies these needs. Pesticides, preservatives, food dyes, and other chemicals will negatively affect the operations of your body. So, avoid them.
We want the body in fat burning mode most of the time, but we also want the body to be able to easily switch fuel source to carbohydrates when needed. Therefore, eat a diet with a low glycemic load which will promote more fat burning and metabolic flexibility. (The glycemic load of a food is an estimate of how much it will raise your blood sugar.) Stress vegetables aiming for 4 to 6 servings of non-starchy vegetables daily (ex. leafy greens, broccoli, tomatoes). Limit or avoid starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn. Eat fruit in moderation, 1 to 2 servings daily. Think of a variety of rich colors when shopping for veggies and fruits. Make sure that you are including healthy fats with meals – ex. extra virgin olive oil, real butter, avocado, coconut oil. These fats make an awesome clean and efficient fuel for your mitochondria to burn to make energy.
Avoid bread for a number of reasons. One, it is often made from refined flour and has a high glycemic load. And two, store-bought bread will contain vegetable oils. Traditional sprouted whole grain bread like Ezekiel Bread found in the freezer section at the grocery store or homemade sourdough bread made from an organic ancient grain like Einkorn or Spelt (preferably fresh milled at home) is okay in moderation (as long as you are not gluten sensitive). Avoid pasta as well for its high glycemic load.
Prioritize protein. Adequate protein consumption is necessary for muscle synthesis, and we want you building some muscle! Think fresh meat from pasture-grazed animals, wild-caught low-mercury fish like salmon and sardines, eggs from free-range chickens, cultured dairy, nuts, seeds. The average adult needs about 1 to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of ideal body weight each day.
A few more things…..no snacking between meals and no carbs for breakfast. Because of cortisol spiking in the morning, your body will respond with higher spikes in sugar when you eat carbs for breakfast.
4. Spice Up Your Life: Herbs and Spices
Beyond flavor, herbs and spices offer remarkable health benefits. Turmeric, for instance, contains curcumin—an anti-inflammatory superstar. Cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar levels. Garlic supports cardiovascular health. Ginger also has anti-inflammatory properties and aids digestion. Incorporate many herbs and spices into your meals, and let them enhance not only the flavor of your meals, but your health.
5. Move and Muscle
Our sedentary lifestyles demand intentional movement. This can sometimes be overwhelming to plan. Many of us find it daunting to go to the gym for a 60-minute workout daily. However, I say keep it simple and build in movement and strength training into your life. Break it up. You have a 10-minute break, then do some push-ups or squats or stretch. Take a walk on your lunch break. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and race up them. I literally have a pull-up bar in the doorway between my kitchen and dining room for the purpose of squeezing in a set or two of pull-ups while I am waiting between steps while cooking. Make movement, strength training, and stretching just a part of what you do every day. Regular exercise improves cardiovascular health, boosts mood, and enhances longevity. Building muscle increases your resting metabolic rate and promotes healthy weight and also improves quality of life as you age.
6. Soulful Practices: Spiritual Well-Being, Relaxation, and Gratitude
Nurturing your spirit is as vital as nourishing your body. Cultivate mindfulness through meditation, prayer, deep breathing, or nature walks. Prioritize restorative sleep—essential for cognitive function, immune health, and emotional balance. And practice gratitude daily. Research shows that gratitude positively impacts mental health and overall life satisfaction.
Conclusion and What’s Next
These six pillars form the bedrock of a vibrant, balanced life. In future blog posts, we’ll delve deeper into each pillar, exploring practical tips, recipes, and evidence-based strategies. Stay tuned as we embark on this transformative journey toward optimal well-being!
Remember, small steps lead to lasting change. Let’s thrive together! 🌱🌟
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