You Are What You Eat

You are what you eat is a statement that is simple but also difficult to understand.   What you put in your mouth is the only thing your body has to make you out of.  So as the adage goes junk in junk out.  

In this era of food insecurity, where so many have limited amounts to eat with limited nutritional value the fact that you are what you eat has more meaning for the quality of your life.

The quality of what you eat is one of the tenants of longevity that healthcare providers preach daily.

Asking their patients to try to get in those 4-5 fruits and 4-5 veggies each day.  Asking their patients to remember to try to get those fruits and veggies without pesticides.

Asking them to make sure they are adequately hydrated with non-sugary drinks, with no artificial sweeteners and plenty of water.

Then there is looking at the source of their foods and how they were grown.  In the ideal situation one would avoid farm raised fish and only eat wild caught fish.

For those beef eaters make sure that the beef is grass feed and not corn feed. Making sure the chicken is organic and free range.

If you are not a meat eater but ingest plant-based burgers and chicken,  do think about what chemicals went into making the plants look like and taste like beef or chicken.

For those that realize they are not getting all of the vitamins and minerals they should be getting from their food do be careful as you are supplementing.  As I have said before, not all supplements are equal. In China and India there are no standards for these supplements.   A good buy with a $2.00 bottle of vitamins may not really be a good buy.

Also be careful about what you take in your supplements.   What may be good for your friend may not be good for you.   Do discuss with your healthcare provider what supplements you are taking.  You are taking them for a reason, and they do have consequences in your body.   Do not keep them a secret from your healthcare provider.

Remember that the majority of fast food is just that.  It is fast food but not quality food.  Many are prepared with vegetable oils that cause inflammation in your body.  The excess calories cause you to gain weight.   Many have additives and preservatives that are not good for your body.

Watch prepared food that you buy at the grocery stores.  Again they have preservatives and additives.  Science has mastered the taste; mouth feel and smells that make you want to eat these foods.

Watch the sugar and refined products that you eat. Remember that sugar lights up the same area of the brain that cocaine does.  Sugar is addictive.

Does all of that make a difference?  Yes it does.  Try to eat the best quality of food that you can.  Be particular about what you put in your body.  It is the only body that you have. It deserves to be taken care of properly.

I often say some of my patients take better care of their cars than they do their bodies.  Do not be one of them.