Jan Davidsz-de-Heem, La Desserte1640
Nutrition
The concept of healthy food changes all the time. Nevertheless many attempts have been made to give dietary guidance. The following suggestions may be useful for people with dementia, stroke, multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis, too much body weight, or just in need of knowing what to eat and what not to eat.
The idea of eating “Real Food” is based in part on the writings of Michael Pollan, “In Defense of Food, An Eaters’s Manifesto”, The Penguin Press, 2008. Read also his book “The Omnivore’s Dilemma”.
1. Do not eat that your great grandmother would not recognize as
food.
2. Avoid products with more then five ingredients, particularly
if you cannot pronounce them.
3. Avoid products that contain corn syrup, high fructose corn
syrup, or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.
4. Avoid products that claim that they are healthy.
5. Avoid products that are incapable of rotting.
6. If wild, eat it.
7. Mostly eat plants.
8. Eat organic. Buy ecological food.
9. If in a can or plastic bag, consider not buying.
10. Eat like the French, the Italians or the Japanese every week.
11. Learn the difference between industrial, processed food and
real food.
12. Pay more, eat less.
13. Caloric restriction is good for you. Eat less. Do not have
“seconds”.
14. Do not snack. Eat meals. At a table. On small plates.
15. Eat with family, friends, or a lover. Spend more time eating
smaller portions.
16. Serve the same meal to all family members.
17. Leave the serving bowl in kitchen, not on the dinner table.
18. Use knife and fork when eating hamburger or pizza.
19. Do not eat hamburger or pizza. Do not have soft drinks.
20. At most, have one or two glasses of wine with one meal daily.
21. Learn to cook. Cook with basic ingredients. Shop at farmers’
market.
22. Avoid “diets”, detox programs, cleansing programs, and any
nontraditional food.
23. At big parties and business dinners, pretend that you eat and
drink.
24. And, practice caloric restriction every day.
In conclusion, eat food, not much, and mostly plants.
Doctors, including the American Heart Association and the National Cancer Institute recommend “Healthy Food”:
- Vegetables and fruit should be served in 5 or more portions every day. Fresh fruit is a better snack than a candy bar. Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage), green leafy vegetables, and citrus fruits may be particularly healthy, with claims for reduced rates of stroke, heart attack, lung and colon cancer.
- Foods with much fiber include vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, some breads, some cereals. Choose whole grains over processed (refined) grains. Doctors recommend 20-35 gm every day and claim reduced rates of stroke and heart attacks, perhaps type 2 diabete, and colonic polyps.
Cezanne, Still life with Cherries
- Foods with folic acid, or folate. This vitamin is found in some cereals, orange juice, and green, leafy vegetables. Vitamin supplement with folate in the amount of 400 -500 micrograms is recommended during pregnancy to prevent birth defects of the neural tube. Folate and vitamin B12 should be taken by all patients with dementia.
- Foods with calcium and vitamin D. Dairy products have high amounts. The recommendation for men and pre-menopausal women is to consume at least 1000 mg daily of calcium; postmenopausal women should consume 1500 mg. Adults should consume 800-1000 IU (International Units) of vitamin D daily. All patients with epilepsy and multiple sclerosis should take vitamin D and calcium supplements.
- Avoid “fats”, particularly saturated fats (of red meat) and trans fat (of margarine, industrial baked products, and much “fast food”). American Cancer Institute recommends limited intake of processed and red meats. Read labels and avoid “partially hydrogenated fat or vegetable oil”. Eat less food with high cholesterol and the risk of heart disease and stroke will diminish. Be careful not to increase carbohydrates when reducing intake of fats; although cholesterol now will be lower, the good cholesterol, HDL (high-density lipoprotein) will drop, and the risk of vascular disease will again rise.Healthier fats are mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats (some oils).
Matisse, Still Life After Jan Davidsz-de-Heem, La Dessert, 1915
- Antioxidants. Many foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, the vitamins A, C and E, and beta-carotene have antioxidant properties, which stabilize normal cell structure and functions of the body. There are no clear recommendations on the use of the various and expensive “Antioxidant Medication” that can be purchased in health stores. Past recommendations of vitamin E supplementation (in particular, for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease) have been withdrawn due to possible adverse effects at high dosages (1600 mg and more). It is unknown whether supplements of 400-800 mg daily are useful or harmful, so better avoid.
- Small amount of alcohol may reduce vascular disease and slow the progression of atherosclerosis. A better type of alcohol has not been named, although claims have been made that red wine (containing resveratrol) is preferable. It is also unclear what amount of alcohol is optimal. However, there are no doubts that very severe health risks are associated with excess use, including lever and hematological diseases, many types of cancer, vascular disease with stroke and heart attacks, injuries, falls, motor vehicle accidents, dependency issues, and more. To balance any possible benefits with the severe health risks of excess use, the following guidelines are suggested: Avoid more than two alcoholic drinks per day, if you are a man; one per day, if a woman. None, if you are under the age of 40 years with low risk of vascular disease. None, if you are pregnant. Do not start drinking alcohol because of “medical recommendations”.
- Benefits of industrial products claiming various health benefits equal to those of natural (“real”) food remain uncertain. With the possible exception of vitamins, the need for products purchased at high cost in health stores is doubtful. Omega-3-fatty acid taken by a capsule may not have the same effects as when enjoyed in its natural state of a baked cod. Resveratrol may be inactive as a pill, but not in the chemical environment of red wine.
Anthelme Brillat-Savarin,
“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are”
Fernando Botero, Picnic, 1989
A Healthy Life
In addition to recommendations for a healthy diet, the American Cancer Association suggests a healthy weight throughout life.
- Balance calorie intake with physical activity.
- Avoid excessive weight gain throughout life.
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight if currently overweight or obese.
- Adopt a physically active lifestyle.
- Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, in addition to common and usual daily activities, on 5 or more days of the week; 45 to 60 minutes of intentional physical activity is preferable.
The Height to Weight Ratio
To achieve a healthy weight and also to feel physically attractive, the “height to weight ratio” is important. The ideal weight depends upon the height, the body built or frame, and the age of the person. One way of measuring the health level of the body is a formula called the Body Mass Index (BMI), accepted and used by most physicians and nutritionists. BMI is a number derived from dividing the weight by the height squared. The ratio is obtained by using kilogram for weight and meter for height. A BMI Calculator that converts to metric system to produce the ratio is easily found on the internet, and your doctor can also do the calculation for you.
A ratio at 18.5 and below indicates that the person is underweight. Normal weight is 18.5 – 25. At BMI of 25.5-30, the person is overweight and should loose a few pounds. At 30.5-40, the person is obese and must loose
Venus de Milo
excess weight. Morbidly obesity above 40 requires serious efforts to loose weight with the help of your doctor or nutritionist.
The Best Diet for Fast Weight Loss.
You did not gain all those extra pounds in a few months; it took years. Therefore, do not expect to loose the weight in a few months. Get Thin Fast-schemes are promoted by many companies at a high cost to you. The fallacy of such schemes is that you cannot and should not get thin fast. People generally do not seek a doctor’s recommendation for these schemes. The “Diet” is rarely or ever supported by the FDA or by a reputable medical doctor practicing medicine. If you loose weight at all, you will likely regain it in short order after finishing the Diet. Weight loss should be gradual, not fast. Fast weight loss is unsafe.
Here is the Best Diet for weight loss, for free:
1. Eat less. In particular, reduce intake of fat and carbohydrate
stables, like pasta, rice, potatoes and bread. Reduce excess alcohol use.
2. Exercise more, every day.
3. Continue 1. and 2. for the rest of your life.
If this does not work, or a more significant loss is necessary, speak to your primary care physician.
Lichtenstein, Still Life with Oysters, 1973
Tips for longevity
- Follow the suggestions above for nutrition, exercise and weight.
- Have a partner or a spouse.
- Have sex as often as possible.
- Have a happy outlook.
- Love, or make peace, with your parents, children and grandchildren.
- Stimulate your mind: Travel, read, listen to music, socialize.
- Speak a second language, or learn one.
- Play a musical instrument, chess or cards.
- Do gardening.
- Dance.
- Cook.
- Work until you cannot.
- Pray, if you believe in the power of praying.
- Do not smoke or do elicit drugs.
- There is no diet that eliminates the risk of stroke, heart attack, cancer, or death.
- Get used to the thought that you will die.
- With your loved one, or alone, plan to die with dignity.
Jack Vettriano, The Singing Butler
“You die your way and I’ll die mine”
Frank Sinatra, about smoking.
