Eating For Health

We all know that eating healthier foods will have a positive effect on our physical health.   How does what we eat affect our mental health?   Are there really “brain foods”?   A review of 41 studies on diet and depression was recently published in Molecular Psychology .   In their review, the researchers looked at different diets such as the DASH diet , the Mediterranean Diet and the Healthy Eating Index .    Most people realize that if you fill up on junk food, you won’t feel your best physically or mentally.   My neighbor calls it “brain fog”.   Research has shown that people who eat lots of fruits and vegetables and fish seem to have better mental health.   But is there an overall diet that is good for better mental health?   Yes.   The Mediterranean Diet came out on top in a review of many diets.   I wrote about the Mediterranean Diet in January as this diet is ranked number one as “Best Diets” for overall health by U.S. News & World Report ( Best Diets for Health 2021 ).  

What are some healthy lunches to eat at home or to pack for work or for going on a car trip?   When we go on car trips, we usually bring along a picnic lunch.   Just recently I went away with my two daughters and one daughter brought our picnic lunch.   Lean deli meats, whole grain rolls, fresh fruit, some greens for our sandwiches and some sides of egg salad and potato salad.   My husband and I also pack our lunch when we go on road trips.   This week we ate our picnic lunch on the way to our destination.   Sandwiches of whole grain bagels, lean deli meats, fresh fruit, whole grain chips, yogurt and milk.   So much healthier than any Fast-Food restaurant meal and often less time consuming. What are some healthy lunches you can pack or make for yourself at home?   Eat This, Not That! asked some dietitians about healthy lunch options and here are some of their suggestions.   1.  Pack an adult or child “lunchable” meal. So popular with kids but adults can also enjoy their own “lunc

Almost everyone knows that fruits and vegetables are good for you.   But many people have no idea how many fruits and vegetables you need each day.   Many of my students say it is important to eat healthy but then have trouble defining what that means.   One thing “eating healthy” means is that you eat fruits and vegetables every day.   And there is a minimum you should eat.   Do you know what that number is?   Easy to remember, “5 A Day”, every day.   Early on in teaching I told my students to eat 5 fruits and veggies a day.   Then one student ate 6 fruits and veggies and told me they had to cut back.   I was puzzled, and asked, “Why are you cutting back on fruits and vegetables?”   She told me because I taught them “5 A day” and 6 must be too much.   So now I very carefully say, “at least 5 A Day”, as eating more than 5 is good for your health. The next question is – how many fruits and how many vegetables?   Can it be 4 fruits and 1 vegetable, 3 fruits and 2 vegetables?   There ar