Some health rules you can ignore

Everywhere you turn there are people, articles, advertisements offering health advice.  Or as someone told me they turn to “Dr. Google” for health questions.  The health advice being offered may be scientifically based, well-researched advice.  But it also can be quack advice.  Just walking the other day, I heard a neighbor giving another neighbor some food and she said, “Don’t worry it is low-carb.”  Who wants low carb food for the holidays?  Not me.  I always eat plenty of carbs to ensure I get lots of energy and lots of nutrients that carbs provide.  How do you know the advice being provided is good, accurate advice?  Last week we talked about a number of reliable sources including the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association and the Centers for Disease Control.  You can also look for reliable health information at websites that end with .org, .gov or educational institutions, which end in .edu.  

What are some “health rules” that registered dietitians say you can and should ignore?

• Cut the sugar – well there is some sugar we should cut back on and that is “added” sugar.  There is the “added sugar” in various forms of sugar that manufacturers add to so many foods and add they do.  But we want to keep the sugar in our diets that is naturally present in foods such as the fructose in fruit, lactose in milk.  These are all healthy sugars and are in foods we need in our diet as these foods provide so many essential nutrients.  And the “added sugar” in yogurt, chocolate milk, pudding isn’t so bad as it is in foods that provide protein, calcium, and vitamin D to our day.  On the other hand, is the “added sugar” in sodas, energy drinks, the syrups added to coffees.  These “added sugars” are 100% calories and provide no nutritional benefits and are the carbs we should be cutting back on.

Add more fruits and vegetables to your day

• Count those calories – counting calories can have benefits and many drawbacks.  I counted calories as a teenager and chose the cake instead of the glass of milk.  A stupid thing to do for a growing teenager who needed that calcium and vitamin D.  Counting calories while forgetting the nutrient content of the food is not a wise thing to do.  The dietitians noted that choosing ¼ of an avocado provides 80 calories and yes, some fat, but a heart-healthy fat.  Whereas a low-fat cookie may actually have plenty of added sugar and few nutrients and no fiber.  Focusing on meals that provide all the food groups would be a much wiser choice.  Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy instead of counting calories.
• Too much protein and your kidneys – Americans aren’t lacking in protein.  Every time the students in my class analyze the amount of protein in their diets, no one is ever lacking in protein.  Some people should be adding more protein to their diets.  Protein helps you feel fuller longer so having some protein at each meal is a good choice.  As one gets older, they need protein to prevent loss of muscle mass.  And unless you have health issues, your kidneys can handle the extra protein.  Drink more water if you want your kidneys to process any extra protein you may be adding to your day.
• Low-carb, high-fat diets are the best for weight loss – You should cut back on some carbs.  The Dietary Guidelines state, “consume an eating pattern low in added sugars.” So, cutting back on carbs with a lot of added sugar is a wise choice.  But cutting out carbs such as bread and grains is not a healthy choice.  Every meal should have some grains and half these grains should be whole grain.  I love bread at meals and to me a meal without bread or some grain is just not a complete meal.  Focusing on lifestyle changes like learning to eat healthy and exercising more is a much better way to lose those pounds than cutting out carbs.

Enjoy a balanced diet

Health myths are hard to escape as so many people believe these myths and many people seek out advice from unreliable sources.  And if you get your health advice from an unreliable website, the information you get will be unreliable.  Check out the websites listed here and try out some new websites like CDC.gov for more reliable health information.  

Follow the Dietary Guidelines for a Healthy Diet

Sources:  American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, Centers for Disease Control, health rules, Guidelines  Images:  dietary guidelines  , Fruit and vegetables