Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives – Top 10 Take-away Messages

Napa Valley was, of course, wonderful. A perfect place to attend a conference on healthy eating. We had a bit of time to tour some of the nearby wineries and taste some wonderful wines.

But more to the point. One of the primary objectives of this conference was to review what we know about opportunities to optimize our health through diet, exercise and mindfulness, based on the latest research. Much of the current research confirms what we already know: there is much we can do to reduce our risk of obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other chronic degenerative diseases.  This is good news. By taking small, measurable steps towards enjoying healthier food choices and being more physically active you can dramatically improve your health and well-being.

My Top 10 Take-Away Messages:  

1. Achieve and maintain an ideal body weight.
o A commonly used measurement tool for ideal weight is the BMI.
o A healthy BMI (Body Mass Index) ranges from 18.5 – <25.2.

2. Exercise on a regular and consistent basis.
o If there is a fountain of youth, exercise is it.
o Get at least 30 minutes each day of moderate intensity (a brisk walk).

3. Eat a variety of vegetables and fruits.
o 5-9+ servings each day
o Include vegetables and fruits in every meal and for snacks.
o Eat a rainbow of foods…colorful foods are high in phytonutrients.

4. Upgrade your carbohydrate choices.
o Choose foods low on the glycemic index.
o Choose vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains.
o Limit the amount of total carbohydrates you consume.

5. Eat an “adequate” amount of protein.
o Not too much, not too little…about .5-1gram/kg of body weight.
o There are lots of healthy choices for both omnivores and vegetarians.

6. Fats are an important component to a healthy diet…choose the good ones
o Olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds are great choices.
o Learn how to safely store and use fats and oils.

7. Stay hydrated
o Water is the most abundant, least expensive essential nutrient.

8. If you drink alcohol, don’t over-consume
o No more than 1 drink per day for women
o No more than 2 drinks per day for men

9. Eliminate:
o Trans fats (hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated fats/oils)
o Processed foods (sugar, high fructose corn syrup, white flours)
o Fried foods of any kind (French fries, potato chips, deep fried foods)

10. Avoid over-eating.
o Portion control is essential to good health.
o Eating too much, even of healthy foods, increases your risk of disease.

Of course, this list isn’t all inclusive, but it does touch on the important issues. I will discuss many of these in more detail in future postings. I encourage you to pick one or two of these tips and begin to incorporate them into your life. Healthy change is about picking one small step…and taking it! Taking action, any positive action, moves you towards better health!Of course, this list isn’t all inclusive, but it does touch on the important issues. I will discuss many of these in more detail in future postings. I encourage you to pick one or two of these tips and begin to incorporate them into your life. Healthy change is about picking one small step…and taking it! Taking action, any positive action, moves you towards better health!

Okay…just one more tip—

Enjoy life!
o Practice mindful eating, mindful living
o Consider relaxation and breathing techniques to reduce stress
o Laugh…a lot
o Make time to play

In good health –Jess