Healthy Eating Guidelines

Recently Answered

• QHow can a food curfew help me get a good night's sleep?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Dr. Michael Breus, PhD , Psychology, answered

  

  What you eat at the end of the day can have a dramatic effect on how you sleep at night. Watch me explains how a food curfew can help you properly digest what you've eaten in time to get a great night's sleep.

  

  Find out more about this DVD:

  How Can a Food Curfew Help Me Get a Good Night's Sleep?
  Buy DVD
• QWhy should I eat healthy food when I'm hungry?

  4 Answers

  A

  

  A Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics answered

  The sensation of hunger is instinctual. For many people, the first twinge of hunger sends them searching for food, often before they need to eat. Feeling hungry at the start of a meal is good, but eating every time you feel hungry can result in overeating.
  
  You can monitor your appetite and eat accordingly. Before a meal, rate your hunger on a scale of zero to 4:
  
  0 = not hungry
  1 = slightly hungry
  2 or 3 = moderately hungry
  4 = overly hungry, starving.
  
  Your goal should be to eat when you are between 2 and 3. If you're eating at 0 or 1, it may be for an emotional reason (such as anxiety) or a situational reason (seeing a food commercial on TV).
  
  Meanwhile, if your hunger level is 4, you may be vulnerable to overeating and should pay attention to eating slowly. And try not to go for long periods between meals.
  
  A registered dietitian can help you monitor your appetite and eat in quantities and at times that are best for you.

  See All 4 Answers
• QHow many servings of grain should I eat every day?

  3 Answers

  A

  

  A Intermountain Registered Dietitians , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered on behalf of Intermountain Healthcare

  Aim for 5 to 8 servings (about 5 to 8 ounces) of grain and other starches every day. Try to make at least half of the servings whole grains.

  See All 3 Answers
• QWhy should I eat lean meat instead of processed meat?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered

  Lean meats have more nutritional value than processed meats -- they are loaded with essential nutrients such as iron, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins that build muscle and bones, boost energy, stabilize the body's metabolism, and help the formation of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the bloodstream.
• QHow can I eat healthy at a friend's house if I want to lose weight?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Dr. Andrea Pennington, MD , Integrative Medicine, answered

  If you're going to someone's house, then ask to help plan the menu to ensure that healthy items are available. Or offer to bring your own dish. You could also choose to eat before going and just have water with a lemon as you move from group to group reconnecting with friends. If someone asks why you aren't eating you have several options. Tell them the truth -- that you're focusing on fun not food and you appreciate their help in reinforcing this new health-creating behavior. Or, tell them that you've already eaten.
• QIs it healthy to eat all of my daily protein at dinner time?

  2 Answers

  A

  

  A HealthCorps answered

  It may be better to spread your protein intake between three meals daily rather than eating large protein meals at dinnertime. Spreading your protein intake throughout the day may allow for better muscle repair and better utilization of the amino acids that protein provides.  

  See All 2 Answers
• QWhat is a healthy diet for people over the age of 60?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered

  Follow these healthy diet principles after you turn 60:

  • Eat a balanced diet, rich in fruits and vegetables. Fruits and veggies have consistently been associated with decreased death from a variety of diseases, not to mention you’ll feel a lot better on a diet high in both.
  • Get your fiber. Constipation and digestive troubles plague many older adults. Fruits, veggies and whole grains are a great way to get enough fiber in your diet.
  • Get enough calcium and iron. Anemia and osteoporosis are common in older adults. Meats, beans, eggs and green veggies are all high in iron. Dairy, green leafy vegetables, bony fish and soy are good sources of calcium.
  • Lower your salt. There’s been a lot of news about how much is too much, but experts generally agree that high amounts are bad for you (and salt is hidden in pretty much everything we eat). The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends you aim for less than 1,500 milligrams (mg) per day.
  • Vitamin D. This vitamin is a key player in making sure you get enough calcium in your diet to keep your bones healthy. Additional research has shown that those who are severely deficient are also at risk for dementia. Eggs, oily fish and fortified soy and dairy are all good sources.
  • Get enough to drink. Dehydration can lead to dizzy spells that might lead to deadly falls in older adults. Aim to get 1.2 liters (L) per day in non-alcoholic beverages, preferably water.

  This content originally appeared on doctoroz.com.
• QWhat is the possible downside of eating a diet rich in dairy foods?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answered

  Dairy foods are great sources of calcium-a nutrient most American consume far too little of. If you eat a diet rich in dairy, I recommend that you choose low-fat or fat-free versions of dairy foods because the extra fat often leads to too much saturated fat (eating more than 20 grams a day ages you).
  
  Saturated fat carries several health risks. To name a few, it causes inflammation in your arteries, increases your chance of immune dysfunctions and cancer, and causes weight gain-which can have a negative effect on your bones and joints.
  
  Changing to lower-fat dairy foods can easier if you do it gradually. For example, if you're drinking whole milk now, skim milk tastes like lake water. So try this trick. Mix 2% milk with whole milk for one week. Gradually change the proportions until each glass is totally made with 2% milk. Do the same thing all the way until you get down to skim milk. Over eight weeks, skim milk will taste normal and whole milk will eventually taste too fat.
• QWhy can eating a variety of foods lead to weight gain?

  9 Answers

  A

  

  A Dr. Mike Clark, DPT , Fitness, answered on behalf of Sharecare Fitness

  

  Variety is less likely the issue, however, amount of food you eat is.
  
  Watch this video to learn more. 
  
   

  

  Find out more about this DVD:

  Why Can Eating a Variety of Foods Lead to Weight Gain?
  Buy DVD

  See All 9 Answers
• QWhat are some foods to have on hand if cravings hit?

  11 Answers

  A

  

  A Jeremiah Forster, NASM Elite Trainer , Fitness, answered

  All great answers but in my opinion the best way to deal with cravings is to change your diet as a whole. This can be accomplished many ways but in my opinion the best is below.
  
  Have balance in your diet. Most cravings come from an elevated blood sugar level and the rapid fall causing the body to send signals that more food is needed. The more balanced the diet is, the slower the digestion, the more regulated insulin levels are, the less the release of insulin.
  
  I try and advise all of my clients to never eat carbs by itself at a meal. I try and encourage all clients (even with snacks) to eat a fat or protein along with the carb. So for instance I believe it can set people up for failure if eating just an apple but combining an apple with cottage cheese, nuts, cheese or some kind of lean meat can slow down digestion and have less of an impact on blood sugar levels causing greater satiety.  
  
  Best ways to improve satiety (decrease hunger):

  • Your largest meal should be breakfast (never skip breakfast)
  • Eat frequently throughout the day
  • Never eat carbs by themselves
  • Try to get a protein, complex carb, plenty of fiber, healthy fats in most of your meals
  • Eat more veggies
  • Drink more water
  • Try and use more complex carbs vs simple sugars

  See All 11 Answers