Linda Riebel, Ph. D.

Some Thoughts on Diet and Nutrition

There’s a lot of debate about what we should eat, as well as how much. Dietary fads come and go. Should you eat more carbs, or avoid them? Should you load up on meat, or go vegetarian? Nutritionists and medical researchers are busily working to ascertain which combinations of foods are best for which people at which stage in their lives. Though the medical issues are incredibly complex, there is a growing consensus on basic facts about weight management:

·        There are no miracle instant weight-loss diets.

·        Weight loss is more likely to last if the weight comes off slowly.

·        Expect to create not a diet, but a lifestyle you can live with permanently
      (and that includes regular meals and regular exercise!).

There is also agreement among reputable scientists on the most important principles of food selection for optimal health:

·        plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains;

·        minimal amounts of food from animals (meat, dairy, fish);

·        some dietary fat is necessary; vegetable oil, especially olive oil, is best.

·        no transfats

I recommend:

Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy (2001) by Walter Willett, a nutrition researcher and professor of medicine at Harvard.

Safe Food (2003) by Marion Nestle, Professor and Chair of Nutrition at New York University.

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