Nutrition & Overwhelm

Recently I was researching saturated fat. I was looking to learn more about the potential harms related to diseases under the umbrella of heart disease. Interestingly enough, many physicians and other nutrition experts seem to have switched their opinion on this topic, stating that saturated fat may not be as bad as we had previously thought. However, as of now the Dietary Guidelines for Americans still says to limit saturated fat to no more than 10 percent of your daily caloric intake. The point here is, is that this seems to be a trend of “don’t eat that, it’s unhealthy” and “actually you should eat more of that food, it’s very healthy.” Fat is bad! No, now it’s good! Carbs are terrible for you and make you fat! But you need them, they are your number one fuel source. Coffee is good, no it’s bad. And oats are terrible, but wait aren’t there studies that show that they can help reduce cholesterol and reduce risk of heart disease? White flour! No! whole grain! You get the picture here! It goes on and on like this. And honestly, what are we to believe, and how do we maneuver through all of this back-and-forth information? Well, you don’t, not without becoming overwhelmed, and potentially throwing in the towel on living healthier. You simply walk away from it and find a balance that works for you.

This means keeping balance by incorporating carbohydrates, fat, and protein, in a way that makes you feel good. Moderating your food enough that you feel satisfied but not stuffed. Do the best you can to not eat overly processed food. Swap those out for more fruits and vegetables. Avoid over-consuming very fatty foods all of the time because they are higher in calories. Also, too much fat is difficult for the body to digest properly; and when stored beyond capacity it causes harm to the body, whether it’s saturated or not. This deems the same for high-sugar and high-sodium foods. Too much of anything, be it carbs, fat, protein, fiber, salt, sugar, your vitamins and minerals – overconsuming any of these beyond a healthy limit for your body, is going to be problematic.

So anytime you are feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, remember to come back to the three nutrition principles: moderation, balance, and variety. Find your perfect rhythm with food that makes you feel comfortable physically and mentally. When implementing changes in your diet and lifestyle to improve your health, ease into it. Be patient with yourself and learn what works for you. Lastly, stay hydrated, move your body, and eat the foods that make you feel good. If that means you’re going to eat white bread because you like it more than whole grain, then do it! If you want your oats in the morning, have them! You can make these foods healthy for you by dressing them with other nutritious foods and eating healthy portion sizes. Don’t overthink it.