Choosing a Diet That's Good for Your Overall Health
By Stephen R. Farris
Diets are a big craze for decades, and there are plenty available to choose from. Some folks diet to lose weight or choose a diet to eat healthier. Others pick a diet to help them maintain a certain body weight.
If you're choosing a diet to eat healthier for your overall health, then you might consider a few of the following. Just remember, there is no one-size-fits-all diet. You may have to experiment some in order to find the one that suits your needs the most.
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is known for its nutritional values, reducing your chance of developing certain diseases, aiding in your overall wellness, and helping contribute to longevity. What's in it? Good question. It mostly consists of eating more raw vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, fish, nuts, lentils, and using olive oil. However, you should limit the amount of poultry, eggs, dairy products, and red meat while partaking in the Mediterranean diet. Since you're limiting dairy products -- shorting yourself in calcium and Vitamin D -- you might consider taking a supplement in order to get your daily doses of calcium and Vitamin D.
The DASH Diet
DASH is short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The diet is designed to address high blood pressure and/or help treat or lower it. This is another good diet for your overall health; you certainly don't want to put yourself at risk of developing high blood pressure, or heart disease. The DASH works by hitting most all of the major food groups, limiting servings to your daily calorie intake. For instance:
Five servings of veggies
Five servings of fruit
Seven servings of healthy carbs (whole grains)
Two servings of low fat dairy products
Two servings of lean meats (you can go lower if desired)
While reducing your chances of developing high blood pressure and certain heart disease risks, it can also reduce your chances of developing breast or colorectal cancers. As an added bonus, it can also help you lose weight. However, while the DASH diet is a low sodium-based diet, there is a chance it could lead to insulin resistance in certain individuals.
If you're considering a diet for your overall health, check with your local chiropractor for nutritional advice and suggestions to help get you started.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Lake Mary, Fla.