The Four Pillars of A Healthy Diet
Have you ever heard or even been recommended the Mediterranean diet? Listen, there is so much research that this way of eating is beneficial for cardiovascular, metabolic, and overall health, and for good reason! It is rich in plants, fiber, healthy fats, and good sources of protein. But the reason I don’t use this diet with my clients is that we all come from different cultural backgrounds, have different taste preferences, and a Mediterranean diet can be confused for meaning that European food is the healthiest food. There is a polarization that can then happen with foods from other cultures being perceived as less healthy. It is actually really beautiful to learn about how the diets of traditional cultures around the world have contributed to longevity and healthy aging. The Blue Zones is a rad organization that studies these cultures and they have learned that although each culture varies in the foods they eat and how they live, there are profound commonalities that contribute to optimal health that we can learn from. For example, there is research that confirms that a traditional Japanese diet shares many commonalities with diets like the Mediterranean diet and is incredibly healthy, even though they taste different from one another.
As humans with rich ancestry and unique circumstances/lifestyles, we have individual needs that differ from the next person (aka Bio-individuality). Hence why one diet, or way of eating, does not fit all. However, we need to eat to not only survive, but to power the thousands of things our bodies do for us every second of our lives. Food has a purpose and there are a few things that are foundational to supporting natural energy, a happy gut, healthy aging, balanced hormones, and a calm mind. Once you have your foundation then you can customize it depending on taste preference and your health needs.
Without further adieu, here are the four pillars of a truly nourishing way of eating.
Nutrient Density
Blood Sugar Balance
Balanced Microbiome
Anti-Inflammatory
Let’s get into it!
1. Nutrient Density
Hint: it is not about calories!
You may already know this but the nutrients that our bodies extract from food to do the many jobs around your body are carbs, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, and (the lesser-known) phytonutrients/antioxidants. The more that we can get these nutrients in balance with one another, the better. The challenge, or rather, opportunity, for most people is increasing micronutrient (vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients) intake. Micronutrients are so dang important for nearly every process in your body including detox and immune systems, mood, energy, hormones, skin health, brain health, etc. The simplest way to increase nutrient density is to focus on eating whole foods. Processed food strips down nutrients, and most of the time all you are getting is macronutrients, maybe with a bit of fortification from synthetic vitamins (not great). Whole foods like fruits, vegetables, animal protein, legumes, whole grains, and good quality dairy are much less processed and contain way more micronutrients!
Ways to do this:
· Focus on whole food sources of carbohydrates like fruit, legumes and root vegetables. These are way more nutrient-dense than refined flours including gluten-free flours.
· Increase your vegetable intake. Veggies are natural superfoods, so full of goodness!
· Prioritize high-quality animal protein over highly processed plant-based products.
2. Blood Sugar Balance
Protein + Healthy Fat + Carbs with Fiber
Supporting blood sugar is not only important for those that have insulin resistance or diabetes! Do you ever experience things like afternoon energy crashes, getting hangry, late-night cravings, or reliance on caffeine? Those are all tied to blood sugar balance. Supporting blood sugar balance is also so important for the prevention of metabolic issues and even neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s which is often referred to now as Type 3 Diabetes. It is natural for blood sugar to rise and fall throughout the day like a wave, but what you want to avoid is high peaks and valleys. That’s where you experience symptoms and over time become less responsive to your natural insulin production. I could write a book on this topic but the gist of how to keep your blood sugar stable is to make sure you are prioritizing carbs with fiber (whole food carbs) and always pairing it with protein and fat.
Ways to do this:
· Pair your coffee with a balanced meal or snack, especially if it is sweetened.
· Start your morning with a protein-rich breakfast. I.e., eggs, Greek yogurt, collagen, sausage, smoothie with protein powder.
· Choose sweets mindfully. Note: just because it says no sugar (i.e. artificial sweeteners) doesn’t mean it doesn’t have an impact on your blood sugar. The sweet taste is strong and can contribute to cravings among other things.
3. Balanced Microbiome
We all have a microbiome of bacteria and other organisms that live all over our body, but especially in the colon. Some of them are beneficial and help us to digest food, absorb and make nutrients, and even make neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine which are very important for mental health. Other organisms are out right harmful. I’m not just talking about the ones that you get from food poisoning from eating at that shady place you knew might not be a good idea. There are bacteria that are more subtle by creating inflammation which damages cells and tissues. Ideally, a healthy gut looks like a robust community of beneficial bacteria of all types and very few harmful bacteria. When this community is out of balance, we refer to that in the biz as dysbiosis. It is important to know that none of the bacteria good or bad could survive without us, we feed them! The good guys eat prebiotics, or fiber, while the bad guys thrive off refined sugar and carbohydrates.
Ways to do this:
· Eat a variety of plant foods as this is where you’ll get fiber from. i.e. sweet potatoes, bananas, flax seeds, legumes, etc.
· Be mindful of refined sugar and processed food. Not just because they feed the bad guys but because these foods often take the place of fiber-rich foods that feed the good guys.
· Add in fermented foods. i.e. yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha.
4. Anti-Inflammatory
Inflammation comes in two forms. Acute inflammation is an immune response to danger (think red, swollen, warm, pain). Chronic inflammation is a more subtle underlying response even though there is no immediate danger. Inflammation is associated with chronic diseases of all types including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, arthritis, and bowel diseases. Inflammation can come from a variety of sources including stress, toxins and chemicals, and processed foods. The cool thing is that there are so many foods that are actually anti-inflammatory. Foods rich in antioxidants, monounsaturated fats, and omega-3s actively reduce inflammation and are powerful tools for prevention.
Ways to do this:
· Eat healthy fats: salmon, olive oil, avocado, flax, chia, walnuts
· Reduce refined oils such as canola, soybean, corn, sunflower, and safflower oils.
· Eat the rainbow! Colors in plants mean antioxidants. i.e. berries, leafy greens, cinnamon, turmeric.
Well, there you have it, friends! I hope this leaves you feeling empowered to embrace a way of eating that is nourishing both for your body and mind.
