Boost Your Health One Meal at a Time
By Mary Peppers
Whether you’re battling a chronic health
problem or just feeling a little low, it’s a
good idea to check the healthfulness of
your diet. Try these dietary strategies for
coping with common health issues.
Fight Fatigue
It’s normal to have a lack of energy now
and then, but some people feel tired most
of the time. When fatigue isn’t due to a
medical problem or lack of sleep, diet may
be to blame. If you have trouble staying
alert during the day, try these steps:
- Start the day with a healthy breakfast. Your body needs a metabolism boost in the morning. Brain cells prefer glucose for energy, so include healthy carbohydrates such as whole-grain cereal, whole wheat bread and fresh fruit.
- Don’t skip meals. Missing breakfast or lunch can lead to a drop in blood sugar. Try to eat at regular intervals and consume reasonable portions.
- Avoid large, fat-laden meals. To prevent an afternoon slump, eat fewer fatty foods at lunch and try to choose a meal that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains or lean protein.
Chase the Blues Away
People with low blood levels of vitamins
B12 and folate are more likely to suffer
from depression and other mood disorders.
The type of fat in your diet can also
affect mood. A recent study funded by the
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
found that people with fewer omega-3 fats
in their blood had symptoms of depression
more often. To see whether food can
improve your mood, consider these steps:
- Get your B’s. Vitamin B12 is found naturally in foods that come from animals, so try to include some meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk or other dairy products in your diet.
- Up your folate intake. Make sure you’re getting enough folate by including certain healthy foods in your diet, such as leafy green vegetables, asparagus, fortified breakfast cereals and breads, strawberries, oranges, melon, whole grains, and legumes.
- Go fish. Eating fish regularly can help ensure you’re getting healthy doses of omega-3 fats. Fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel and tuna, have the most omega-3s. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish twice a week. However, nursing mothers, women who are pregnant or might be pregnant, and young children should avoid fish that may be high in mercury, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish.
Head Off Headaches
Although headaches can be caused by a
wide range of factors, including stress or
hormones, some headaches are linked to
eating habits. For some people, consuming
foods that contain tyramine, such as
aged cheese, chocolate, wine, beer, nuts
and pickled herring, can trigger a migraine
headache. Even cutting back on caffeinated
beverages can lead to caffeine-withdrawal
headaches. If you’re prone to headaches,
try these tips:
- Eat at regular intervals. This can help prevent low blood sugar. Keep nutritious snack foods such as fruit, low-fat yogurt or whole-grain crackers handy at your desk or on the kitchen counter.
- Keep a food diary. When you get a headache, write down what you ate or drank before the headache started. If certain foods seem to trigger a migraine or headache, stop consuming them to see whether it helps prevent problems.
- Wean yourself from caffeine. If you decide to cut back on coffee, tea, soft drinks or other sources of caffeine, gradually reduce your intake over several days to help avoid caffeinewithdrawal headaches.
Get Help Online
Go to www.paramounthealthcare.com, click on “Better Health for Life,”
then “Wellness,” then “Nutrition.”
Build a Healthy Meal To further improve your diet, try to
cut out foods high in saturated fat,
trans fat and cholesterol; and avoid
foods with added salt, sugars and
other caloric sweeteners.
Although hyped-up headlines can
make diet choices seem confusing,
eating well doesn’t need to
be complicated. Build your meals
around these healthy foods: