Establishing healthy eating habits early in life is the most important thing parents can do to promote long-term health for themselves and their families. People tend to eat diets high in processed carbohydrates and animal proteins, leading to an increase in diet-related diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and diverticulitis.
This week, a relative of mine was hospitalized with a severe case of diverticulitis, requiring intravenous fluids and powerful antibiotics. A few decades ago, diverticulitis typically occurred in people in their 60s or 70s. But the relative I am talking about is in his early 40s. Because of the typical American diet, diverticulitis is now affecting much younger people. The same is true for diseases like colon cancer and diabetes. A few weeks ago, a 20-year-old came to my office with advanced type 2 diabetes. The onset of these diseases in people so young is discouraging and underscores the urgent need to change our diet in the United States.
The Netflix film “Forks over Knives” offers a fascinating take on this topic. The film documents the careers of two prominent American physicians who initially believed in the health of dairy and animal products. However, by practicing medicine in countries where people follow primarily plant-based diets, they found much lower rates of so-called “Western” diseases, such as atherosclerosis and cancer. One of the physicians began working with patients with advanced atherosclerotic disease that was refractory to conventional medical and surgical treatments. Although the prognosis for these patients was poor, after being placed on a strict plant-based diet, most of them stabilized, and some even showed regression of their heart disease over time.
This month, a large, well-designed study on the effect of carbohydrate consumption on life expectancy was published in the Lancet , and the results are interesting. The study found that eating carbohydrates in moderation (not too much, not too little) was associated with a longer life expectancy. What’s more, people who ate unprocessed carbohydrates fared better than those who ate processed carbohydrates; and those who opted for a low-carb diet fared worse if they replaced calories with meat and dairy.
What can we learn from this information? What type of diet ensures the best long-term health? In my opinion, the answer is simple, although difficult to implement in practice. Here are some guidelines for healthy eating:
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. The largest portion of each meal – breakfast, lunch, and dinner – should be fruits and vegetables.
- Try to eat healthy, unprocessed carbohydrates (e.g., potatoes, brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, couscous, and other whole grains) instead of processed carbohydrates (anything made with white flour, e.g., white pasta, white bread, cookies, cakes, pizza crust, etc.). Eat carbohydrates in moderation.
- Eat less meat and dairy. When you do eat meat, avoid red meat. Fish, which contains healthy oils, is a better choice than chicken.
- Drink only water. Avoid juices and sodas, which contain too much added sugar.
- Check food labels. The recommended daily sugar intake for older children and adults is 25 grams. A Chobani vanilla yogurt has 20 grams of sugar. A can of Coke has about 40. Keep this in mind when buying snacks.
- Avoid restaurants. Prepare homemade meals whenever possible.
What about whole milk for children? Whole milk is still recommended by the American Pediatric Association (AAP) for children ages one to two. However, some recent studies have suggested that whole milk and dairy products are probably not so good for us. I wonder if the AAP will ever change its mind on this issue. Keep in mind that the nutrients obtained from whole milk (e.g., fat, calcium) can be easily found in other, healthier sources.
In conclusion, we are all in this together. I will try to follow these guidelines as much as possible in my own kitchen. Good luck to all!
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