Good Nutrition for a Healthy Life: The Basics + Fads and Facts

What is nutrition? Nutrition can tell us what kinds of food we need to eat, foods we should probably avoid, and how an unhealthy diet can trigger disease.

Eating the right foods can set your life on a good path. Making sure you get enough macronutrients and micronutrients is key to a balanced diet — twice as key during pregnancy .

Eating unhealthy foods, especially foods with beaucoups of chemicals and empty calories, can lead to chronic diseases, like heart disease , obesity, and even depression .

Don’t you fret! I’m here to lay it all out for you. You can find all the information you need explained in layman’s terms, and it will be backed by reliable, recent research .

Who knows? This knowledge could add years to your life.

Why is nutrition important?

“You are what you eat.” Perhaps this cliché is more applicable — “You reap what you sow.” What you put into your body often determines how healthy your body is.

There are several dietary imbalances nowadays that are contributing to obesity, heart disease, and other life-threatening conditions.

The average American diet exceeds daily recommended intake levels of:

Empty calories Added sugars Sodium Saturated fat

Moreover, the typical American doesn’t get enough:

Vegetables Fruits Healthy fats

But don’t take my word for it. Recent research backs this idea that nutrition is paramount to overall health.

The Mediterranean Diet has been shown to decrease risk of heart disease (such as high blood pressure). Following healthy diets, like the Mediterranean or Japanese diets, decreases your risk of Alzheimer’s disease .

Most patients with rheumatoid arthritis have unhealthy eating habits .

An unhealthy diet has been associated with physical inactivity, bigger waist size, skipping breakfast, and taking no dietary supplements (which can help round out good nutrition).

The typical Western diet also leads to imbalances in your gut bacteria, which can ultimately lead to autoimmune disease and… well, most common health issues, since your gut health is so closely connected with the health of the rest of your body.

What happens when your diet is unhealthy?

Malnutrition and food allergies can lead to several disorders. Not getting all your required nutrients or consuming too much bad stuff can trigger chronic illness.

Studies show Western diets are dangerously high in salt, added sugar, saturated fats, and trans fats. This combination leads to cardiovascular disease and chronic illnesses that are so common in our society.

The more acidic foods that you eat, the harder your body has to work to maintain your body’s pH levels . Though your pH levels usually remain the same, the amount of strain acidic foods put on the body can lead to several health problems. This phenomenon is known as “dietary acidosis” or “diet-induced acidosis.”

Nutritional Counseling with Your Healthcare Provider

You shouldn’t be scared of talking nutrition with your healthcare provider. Whether it be a dietician, a nutritionist, or a functional medicine provider — don’t be scared of what they might tell you to stop eating. Get excited about what foods you will be encouraged to eat!

What is the difference between a nutritionist, a dietitian, and a functional medicine provider? I’m glad you asked.

A nutritionist studies food and nutrition through self-research or through formal education and may or may not have completed a traditional degree. But they are not certified by a licensing body. A registered dietitian nutritionist has completed formal education at an accredited university, earned an RD or RDN behind their name, finished an internship, and passed a licensure exam. A functional medicine provider focuses on the health of the overall person. In the quest to prevent disease and illness, a functional practitioner will place a lot of emphasis on nutrition — because your body’s diet is critical to whole-person wellness. They may also suggest lifestyle changes and prescribe dietary supplements .

You’ll notice I didn’t mention your traditional primary care physician. Sadly, unless they’ve completed additional certifications outside of their medical degree, physicians in the US get an average of less than 20 total hours (not course hours, but total time) on basic nutrition.

Outside of incredibly basic recommendations (cut portion sizes, eat less sugar), most traditional docs will direct you to a dietician if you ask about how to reshape your diet to treat your health conditions.

Your Body Needs 7 Types of Nutrients

The human body requires seven types of nutrients. Not all nutrients provide your body with energy, but they are nevertheless important.

What are the two main types of nutrients? Macronutrient vs. micronutrient — these describe whether your body requires a lot of it (macronutrients) or smaller amounts (micronutrients).

What are the seven elements of nutrition? These are the seven nutrients everyone needs:

Proteins Carbohydrates Fiber Fats Water Vitamins Minerals

Macronutrients: Proteins, Carbs, Fiber, Fat & Water

What a strange grouping — but your body needs relatively large amounts of proteins, carbs, fiber, fats, and fluids to survive.

Proteins, carbs, and fats are energy-providing macronutrients, whereas fiber and water are non-energy-providing macronutrients.

I want to stress that the quality of nutrients are vital and have a huge impact on health. Organic and non-gmo should be chosen over conventional foods. Grass-fed/grass-finished and pastured over conventionally raised animals, high quality fats over trans fats. There are differences in the quality of nutrients that make a difference.

Proteins

Made up of amino acids, dietary proteins provide your body with energy. Although they provide roughly the same energy per gram as carbohydrates, proteins are more complex and take longer to digest, making proteins a longer-lasting source of energy.

There are nine amino acids your body can’t synthesize, called the nine essential amino acids :

Isoleucine Leucine Lysine Methionine Phenylalanine Threonine Tryptophan Valine Histidine (only essential to infants)

Look for the highest quality proteins that contain these amino acids, known as “complete” proteins. It might take a tiny bit of research when you’re shopping, but it’s important to get these essential amino acids in your diet.

Carbs

Carbohydrates, AKA carbs, are sugars and starches. Carbs provide your body with energy when the glucose in carbs is turned into ATP (the currency of energy).

Found most commonly is breads, fruits, vegetables, and milk products, carbs are typically broken up into three categories:

Monosaccharides (sugar) Disaccharides (sugar) Polysaccharides (starch)

Polysaccharides are considered the best to eat because they are the most complex. This means polysaccharides are slowest to digest, so they won’t spike your blood sugar levels as significantly. Organic, non-gmo sources are the superior choice.

Fiber

Fiber does not provide you with energy. It consists mainly of carbs, but it isn’t easily absorbed into the blood and does not spike blood sugar. So most of the sugars and starches stay out of your system.

Dietary fiber is vitally important to your gut bacteria , because fiber is a form of prebiotics!

Fats

Although fats are the slowest form of energy, they are the most energy-efficient. Each gram of fat provides about nine calories, whereas carbs and proteins only provide four calories per gram.

Because it is so energy-efficient, the body will store excess fat in your abdomen and under your skin to use during periods of caloric restriction. Eventually, your body may also store excess fat in your blood vessels and inside your organs, leading to heart disease or other conditions.

However, this is actually not connected closely to the amount of fat you actually consume, as was once the mainstream way of thinking. Quality, healthy fats are a necessity for optimal health.

Fats are usually made up of multiple fatty acids .

Water

Two thirds of your body is water. Drinking fluids is necessary for your body’s vital processes, though water does not directly provide your body with energy. There is no evidence that "the more you drink, the healthier you become" is true. And experts disagree on the right amount of water.

I would argue this is because every human is unique — another reason why functional medicine is so important. Every person needs a different amount of water each day, somewhere between one half and seven liters .

Your water intake goals can depend on BMI, age, medical history, salt consumption, and other factors. In my experience, most people are in a state of mild chronic dehydration and need to consume more water.

Micronutrients: Vitamins & Minerals

Micronutrients are paramount to your body’s overall health. However, micronutrients are needed in smaller amounts than macronutrients.

These micronutrients are vitamins (water-soluble or fat-soluble) and minerals. While it is prefered to get our micronutrients from whole food sources, sometimes that is not enough. We need to supplement because the quality of our food sources today are inferior compared to a century ago and the nutrients in the soil are not what they once were.

Vitamins

Vitamins are organic compounds that your body cannot synthesize at all or cannot synthesize enough of.

As far as humans are concerned, there are nine water-soluble vitamins (vitamin C and the eight B vitamins) and four fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K).

Water-soluble vitamins are harder to store and eliminated in urine more quickly than their fat-soluble counterparts. So you need to consume water-soluble vitamins more consistently.

Minerals

Dietary minerals are the elements you need besides hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen. A well-balanced diet will often include all needed minerals.

Sometimes, food is fortified with minerals. A great example is iodized salt, which is fortified with iodine, a mineral some two billion people are deficient in.

Necessary minerals include:

Iodine, iron (The World Health Organization deems these two minerals the most in need of immediate attention) Chloride Sodium Potassium Calcium Magnesium Manganese Phosphorus Copper Zinc Selenium Molybdenum

“Antinutrients”: What They Are & Why to Avoid Them

Antinutrients are natural or synthetic compounds that are bad for your overall health — limiting your body’s capacity to take in healthy nutrients . For some antinutrients, the negative effects come with high levels of consumption. Others should be avoided altogether. The highest concentration of antinutrients is in grains and legumes.

Here is a list of seven harmful antinutrients to cut out of your diet:

Gluten is a protein found in all wheat, rye, and barley plants. Gluten causes inflammation, is famously hard for your body to digest, and stops certain enzymes from functioning properly. Gluten can lead to leaky gut and autoimmune disease, not to mention allergic reactions. Phytic acid , AKA phytate, is a plant’s way of storing phosphorus. When it is used as a preservative in food (because of its antioxidant properties), phytate unfortunately inhibits your absorption of phosphorus, zinc, and magnesium. Cut out phytate, and you will more easily absorb these essential minerals. Lectins are present in beans and wheat. Lectins’ ability to survive digestion leads to damaged gut lining cells. This can trigger leaky gut, which leads to autoimmune disorders. Saponins also affect the gastrointestinal lining, which leads to leaky gut. Saponins resist digestion and enter the bloodstream to mess with your immune system. Legumes (including soy) are the primary saponin-containing food. Trypsin inhibitors are found in most cereals, breads, and baby foods. Although broken down by heating processes, trypsin inhibitors can still lead to health issues in most infants or adults with pancreatic disorders. Solanine is found in nightshade vegetables (eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, etc.) and can be a useful nutrient. However, high levels of solanine can lead to headaches, nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. Some people are intolerant of solaine. Chaconine is good in small amounts, but high levels of chaconine (found in corn and potatoes) can lead to gastrointestinal issues.

How To Eat Healthy

How to eat healthy seems like a huge idea. But think of these principles as simple changes, one step at a time.

What are the basic principles of nutrition?

Eat nutrient-dense foods Go organic, non-gmo, and grass-fed Avoid processed foods Eat reasonable portion sizes Check nutritional info Beware of fads

And always work with your functional practitioner on dietary changes and lifestyle adjustments.

My goal is to help you know how to choose foods wisely.

Nutrient-Dense Foods

What foods are part of a healthy diet? The answer is nutrient-dense foods.

Nutrient-dense foods are high in nutrients, but typically low in calories (the opposite of empty calories). Examples include:

Organic vegetables and fruits Grain like substances or pseudograins and limited whole grains, wild caught seafood, pastured eggs, ethically sustainably produced meats that are hormone and antibiotic free and grass fed, and raw grass fed milk products are all very nutrient-dense.

Organic Meats & Produce

Organic meats ensure animals weren’t fed harmful chemicals or antibiotics. Choosing grass fed, ethically and sustainably raised animals ensures we limit greenhouse gasses and damage to the environment — plus, we consume the healthiest meat possible.

Organic fruits and vegetables will not have been sprayed with chemicals found in pesticides, fertilizers, or herbicides. Often organic varieties are heritage seed produced and have a higher nutritional profile.

Consuming organic foods can even lead to decreased risk of cancer!

Prioritize replacing your meats with organic options, as hormones and antibiotics given to non-organically raised animals are especially problematic. Replacing produce can come more gradually.

If you can’t go 100% organic with your produce, check out the EWG’s dirty dozen . EWG explains which products likely contain the most and least amount of pesticides.

Avoid Processed Foods

You also want to look for foods that are as unprocessed as possible. Whenever companies process foods, nutrients are harder to find, and unnatural chemicals are more common.

A good rule is to stick to the edges of the grocery store. In the aisles are where most food is packaged. The edges are where fresh food generally dwells. Choose foods that are in the closest form to that which they are initially harvested in — a potato not a potato chip.

Watch Portion Sizes

Many health advocates suggest smaller portions. This works for a lot of people who aren’t motivated to completely cut out processed foods and added sugars.

Snacking leads to more stored fat, which can lead to heart disease. In fact, benefits have been demonstrated in intermittent fasting, sometimes less is better and can give the body a chance to clean house and repair damage.

On the flip side, there is evidence that eating six meals a day but still consuming the average amount of daily calories is associated with lower levels of bad cholesterol in your blood vessels.

Especially useful for patients with type 2 diabetes, six half-sized meals a day better regulate blood sugar levels.

Check Nutritional Information

Despite the FDA’s recent and problematic changes , there are many helpful nutrition facts to find on the food you purchase.

Total fat is not bad. Trans fats, however, should be avoided. Fat can be beneficial to brain health. Dietary cholesterol is fine. There is no reliable evidence dietary cholesterol translates to cholesterol in your blood vessels. Watch your sodium intake, especially if you’re at risk of heart disease. Within the carbohydrates section, fiber is good because the sugars in fiber hardly absorb into your bloodstream. Added sugars and high glycemic carbs are what you want to avoid.

The nutrition information is also beneficial for controlling portion sizes — make sure you’re sticking to single servings of foods, which may actually be smaller OR larger than you expect.

MyPlate

MyPlate is the United States government’s answer to healthy eating. It is the successor to the popular Food Pyramid, which had its own problems.

However, some have criticized the MyPlate for its over simplicity and the influence of lobbyists. I believe its most glaring issue is the absence of healthy oils/fats and its reliance on dairy.

Healthy Eating Plate

While I am not in complete agreement, I do prefer Harvard’s response to the MyPlate — the Healthy Eating Plate. Harvard saw the USDA’s MyPlate as a lobbying tool, so Harvard focused on the science behind nutrition and came up with the Healthy Eating Plate.

Some key takeaways from the Healthy Eating Plate:

Avoid trans fat. Potatoes (and french fries) should not make up the majority of your veggies. Limit refined grains, like white bread and white rice. Avoid sugary drinks. Limit cheeses and milk. Never eat processed meats, like cold cuts. Make sure your diet includes healthy oils, like olive oil and grass-fed butter.

Beware Fad Diets

Fad diets are never one size fits all. Some diets are beneficial to some, and some are good for no one. The most popular diets are not always the best.

There is no magical weight loss diet. Coupling the above steps with 30 minutes of physical activity a day is the way to maintain healthy weight. The best way to do this is working alongside your functional health provider, who can give you helpful advice and feedback as you improve your nutritional habits.

Your functional medicine provider can determine what diet best suits your current health, genetics, and digestive abilities.

In Summary

Nutrition is what you put in your body. You need to fill your body with required nutrients. Eating habits and lifestyle choices determine overall health . Unhealthy diet can contribute to heart disease, Alzheimer’s, rheumatism, and autoimmune disease. Western diets contain too much salt , added sugar , and saturated/trans fats . Dietitian vs. nutritionist vs. functional medicine provider:

A dietitian (RD or RDN) is certified and has completed a formal education. A nutritionist studied through self-research or through formal education, who may or may not have a degree or certification. A functional medicine provider is concerned with the whole patient, and nutrition is a huge part of that. With lifestyle changes and dietary supplements, nutrition is one of a functional practitioner’s primary means of disease prevention.

Your body needs large amounts of macronutrients (carbs, proteins, fats, fiber, water) and smaller amounts of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). There are also “antinutrients” that you want to avoid or manage closely:

Gluten Phytic acid Lectins, found in legumes Saponins, found in legumes Trypsin inhibitors Solanine, found in nightshade vegetables Chaconine, found in corn or potatoes

But there are simple ways to eat healthy :

Eat nutrient-dense foods. Go organic, non-gmo, ethical & sustainable — meats first, then produce. Avoid processed foods. Watch portion sizes. Check nutritional facts. Beware of fads. Always consult your healthcare provider and remember you are a unique being and most likely require a unique nutritional plan.

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