You can never go wrong with things like fresh fruits and vegetables. Make
sure you wash your fruits and vegetables very thoroughly, especially now
with the number of pesticides that are being used and how hazardous they
are to our health. Dr. Enshiwat recommends that you soak and wash your
fruits and vegetables before eating them, not just running them under water.
Everything in moderation is acceptable. Nobody will tell you that you can
never eat french fries or other junk food in your life. If you can avoid
it, great, but most people have difficulty doing so. If you have to have
unhealthy food once in a while, it is okay, but for the most part, you
should stick to what is called a
clean diet. A clean diet includes non-processed foods, such as deli meats, bacon,
hot dogs, etc. Try to avoid these types of foods because there are many
ingredients included that has absolutely no nutritional value and is more
harmful than helpful. Stick to things that have minimal ingredients. For
instance, if you look at the package and it says it has milk, butter,
and peppers but for example, if everything in the ingredients is something
that's healthy and is something that you can actually pronounce is
probably your best bet.
Physical activity. Activity is also very important. Aside from nutrition, leading a slightly
active lifestyle and is very important. That is not to say you have to
run a marathon, but maybe incorporating a walk each day before or after
dinner could be helpful.
Vitamins. As far as vitamins, or nutritional supplements, are concerned, for instance
in elderly patients who are not eating well, it is recommended that things
like Ensure or Boost, or protein supplements that are high in calories
and protein especially in elderly people who can't get the adequate
calorie intake that they need. There are not many studies that prove or
disprove the benefits of taking a multivitamin. There's really no
harm in taking it, but studies haven't actually shown that taking
a multivitamin really improves your quality of life. It is completely
your decision.
Avoiding sugar. Try to avoid things that are high in sugar content. Unfortunately, many
things do contain sugar but mainly try to avoid things where sugar is
the main ingredient. For instance, sugary drinks and even some fruit juices
are very high in sugar, so you want to be very careful. More obviously,
things like pop, cookies, cakes, etc. and other snacks that have added
sugar. Your body doesn't like it, doesn't need it and it makes
you feel very sluggish when you eat these things. In terms of improving
your own quality of life and your health, especially if you have diabetes,
you are going to want to avoid anything with high sugar.
Read more from Dr. Enshiwat:
Top reasons to see an Internal Medicine physician,
What to bring with you to your first visit with your family doctor