Take back your health by eating ‘real food’

I estimate that more than 80 percent of the disease processes I see every day are directly linked to a poor diet. A traditionally neglected area of discussion, nutrition is paramount to both disease prevention and treatment. But much of the current advice about diet can be confusing and is weighted down with conflicts of interest and advice that seems insurmountable with limited budgets of both money and time.

If there is one single rule that sums up the mainstay of dietary advice that I believe is good for everyone, it is simply “eat real food.” A phrase made famous by author Michael Pollan, and seemingly so simple, this advice pierces the root of the current food crisis defining the standard American diet.

In only one generation, Americans have obliterated centuries of common wisdom and advice on how to prepare and preserve nutrient-dense foods, swapping kitchen prep for drive-through windows and prepared “meals” that come to us packaged and ready to serve. Believing the hype that food planning and preparation is expensive (it’s not), takes too much time (it doesn’t) or is simply obsolete in this postmodern era (it’s not), we have traded our culinary skills for goldfish crackers and Wonder bread.

It is these prepared, highly processed nutrient-poor edible items that now predominate the grocery carts of most American families. Even schools encourage “snacks” of small packaged convenience items in the name of safety. But there is nothing safe about the ingredients they contain.

If you want to take back your health, then take back your pantry using these tips:

▪ Eliminate highly processed grains including crackers, cookies, cakes, chips, pretzels, breads and pastas. Carrots, apples, grapes, melon, berries, celery, cucumbers, peppers, dried fruit, nuts and seeds are grab-and-go, take no prep work, pair well with dips and spreads and are packed with nutrition.

▪ Concerned about spoilage or the cost of fresh foods? Plant a garden, buy from a neighbor with a garden, eat in season, buy surplus and preserve (can, dehydrate, freeze).

▪ Soda is worthless in so many ways. But so are fruit juices and sports drinks. Not only are they loaded with sugar but they are also full of artificial colors. Playing outdoors does not require Gatorade.

▪ Need to save a buck? Pack your lunch. It is definitely less expensive, is a great way to use leftovers and makes it so easy to control the quality of your food. A salad at a fast-food restaurant can cost $4.79 or more and takes far more time to obtain than the one you put together in less than 5 minutes last night while cleaning up after dinner.

▪ Short on time? Slow cookers are fantastic. They’re good for just about anything and the food always tastes better with time. Make a bunch and you have lunch for the next day.

This story was originally published December 5, 2016 at 1:19 PM with the headline "Take back your health by eating ‘real food’."