The "D" Word

There's a lot of confusion about what is and isn't the best for your diet. The word "diet" is even somewhat controversial. A diet is what you eat typically, it is not a weight-loss plan. It's part of your lifestyle, not a 30 day crash. Cleanses, diets, purifications, etc. all imply short-term changes. If you were reading a history book about yourself, it should read something like this: "[your name]'s diet consisted of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts, and fish." It shouldn't read: "[your name]'s diets consisted of The Apple Cider Vinegar Cleanse, The Only Eat Yogurt Until 3pm Then Free-for-All, The Eliminate Everything over 6oz, The Cereal 3x/Day, and The Low-Fat Granola Bars and Fat-Free Frozen Yogurt Diets."Read more ...The easiest method for determining what to eat is to go back to your roots. Our ancestors (Paleolithic Era - before the Agricultural Revolution) were hunter-gatherers. If they could hunt it or pick it, it was fair game. Granted, a few poisonous berries and some stealthy tigers complicated things along the way, but their diet consisted of what they could get their hands on. It didn't consist of going to a grocery store to buy processed foods that could sit in a cupboard for years without changing. A simple rule is this: if it can't go bad, you probably shouldn't eat it. Sure, eventually your cereal will go stale and your ice cream will get freezer burn, but that's not what I mean. If your food has a shelf life of longer than a month, it's probably going to disagree with your digestive tract in one way or another.There is a ton of research out there regarding what to eat, and it can get very overwhelming at times. The best way to approach a new lifestyle change is to do it in small steps. James Chestnut, DC has some great recommendations; one of which makes the switch to healthy eating a bit more tolerable for even the fast food junkie. Add one piece of fruit or a vegetable to every meal. So if you can't put down that piece of pizza just yet, at least add an apple. Eventually, you'll recognize your body's preference for the latter and drop the former. (Well, that's the plan anyhow!)So what should your diet consist of? Refer back to paragraph one. It says that your diet should consist of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts, and fish. That's pretty standard stuff. Notice it doesn't include grains. No bread, no pasta, no cereal. That's going to be a tough sell for many of you. If I haven't lost you yet, take a look at this: Inflammation Checklist by David Seaman, DC. Do the checklist, and then refer pages 3 and 4 which describe in detail why grains are a pro-inflammatory source of food.Remember: diets aren't about losing weight. A diet is a lifestyle choice and should be one that puts you on the road to a happier, healthier path; it shouldn't be one that promotes pain and inflammation. To get help on your journey, contact a healthcare professional today!Dr. Lindsay Mumma - lindsaymumma@gmail.com - is a chiropractor at Triangle Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Center in Raleigh, NC. Her clinic focuses on offering multiple manual therapy options for pain management and functional improvement. For more information, please visit www.triangleCRC.com .