As a chronic wellness coach, the most frequent question I hear is, “What should I eat?” Sad but true, we have lost our most basic of instincts – knowing what to eat. Certainly, our paleo ancestors didn’t have this problem. Unfortunately, we live in an age where most of us have seen the media report that carbs are good, then carbs are bad; fat is good, then fat is bad, and on and on. So what is a Pinkie to do? How do you own your health without making yourself crazy?

Can the Government Help?

One source that many people have turned to, including our teachers and mothers, is our government. Every five years the U.S. Department of Agricultures releases their "new" dietary guidelines. These guidelines are the precursor to that famous, or infamous, food pyramid. Since these guidelines are often created with the help of  industry “experts”, aka lobbyists, there were some surprising changes in this year’s guidelines. The biggest change was a decreasing emphasis on meat. Specifically, the new guidelines call for eating less "solid fats." What in the heck does that mean? That means eat less meat. Yes, it seems scientists prevailed over lobbyist this year. Indeed, this is the first time our government is noting the health benefits of a vegan or vegetarian diet. Unfortunately, the government is still holding on to the notion that dairy is a food group. Really? Thanks to dairy industry lobbying dollars, the USDA is ignoring the role of dairy products in so many of our health epidemics. Stand up and take notice, Pinkies -- our health problems are due in large part to the amount of saturated animal fat and dairy we consume.

Some Good Suggestions, But How Do I Do That?

While the government is to be commended for standing up to some lobbying pressure this year, they really did leave us wanting practical guidance on what to eat. Here is what else they had to say:

• Eat more fruits and vegetables, particularly focusing on dark green, red, and orange vegetables, and beans and peas. (Yeah, we know that, but what does this mean?)
• Fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables. (Ok, good start)
• Enjoy your food, but eat less. (Ah guys, that hasn’t been working too well so far)
• Focus on calories in versus calories out; balance physical activity with calories. (Ugh, do I really have to count calories)
• Drink water instead of sugary beverages. (Does Vitamin Water count?)
• Eat less trans and saturated fats, sodium, added sugars, and refined grains. (But this stuff is everywhere!)

These are all great suggestions. But really, how does this help us address our obesity and Type-II diabetes epidemics? Unfortunately, it doesn't. Our trusty USDA fails again to provide much guidance on how to do any of this. Not very helpful for the busy mom trying to feed her family or the single professional trying to burn the candle at both ends.

Some Good Old Common Sense

The funny thing about eating right is that it’s not all that difficult. And it certainly shouldn’t be scary. If you remain open to common sense, you will make the right choices. But just in case, here are some practical tips:

• Eat real food. If you eat a variety of unprocessed fruits, vegetables, whole grains (and not the stuff labeled whole grain), beans and lentils, and an occasional lean animal protein if you are so inclined, you will be feeding your body all the micro and macro nutrients you need to be healthy. And I mean real food, not the stuff that is labeled as "containing" real food. For real health benefits and real vitality, you have to keep the fuel real.
• Eat less meat and more plant protein. As noted earlier, the USDA took a major step forward by noting that we should eat less meat. The benefits are innumerable and documented. But what about your protein needs? As Agriculture Secretary Vilsack said, beans are a great, affordable way to put healthy protein on the plate. But if you can't give up an occasional hamburger or roast chicken, be sure to make it pasture raised, grass-fed and not grain finished. Check out EatWild.com for information on why grass is superior to feed lot beef and where to find grass-fed meat near you. Yes, it is more expensive, but remember it’s a treat, not a thrice daily indulgence.
• If it comes in a box, bag or a can, skip it. Another great tip in the new guidelines is the recognition of the role sodium plays in many diseases. But it is unrealistic to ask people to tally their intake. If asking people to count calories doesn't work, counting sodium won't work either. A major source of sodium is processed foods such as soups, sauces, frozen meals, crackers, chips and most junk foods. Eliminate these items and you shouldn't have a problem staying within the recommendations. Also, when using salt on your food, grab some mineral rich and yummy sea salt instead of your standard demineralized, acid producing table salt.
• Eat seafood, but cautiously. The new guidelines suggest eating more seafood. On the one hand, this is great news as most seafood is lower in saturated fat than red meat. Many fish also contain essential fatty acids which can help lower cholesterol and inflammation.  However, not all seafood and fish are created equal. I recommend limiting your seafood intake to the occasional (no more than once to twice a week). Select either wild-caught Alaskan salmon, or small white fish such as flounder, tilapia or sardines. We have unfortunately polluted our waters and therefore our fish. By staying small you minimize your toxin intake.
• Read the ingredient list. While checking the nutrition label for calories, fat and sodium is important, don't overlook the ingredient list. I like Michael Pollan's rule of no more than five ingredients. Also, if you can't pronounce an ingredient, return it to the shelf. We ingest far too many chemicals from our food supply. Just say no.

Eating shouldn't be scary and heavily laden with rules, especially since the best way to own our health is through what we eat. But neither should we eat food that is leading to our numerous dietary driven epidemics. Unfortunately, we have gotten so far away from how food comes to be that it seems like we do need rules. The simplest of all rules: keep it real and keep it plant-based.

With love and veggies,

Laurie

Photographs by Alicyn Drew