What is a Healthy Diet?

We live in an age of information overload, and in no area is this more apparent than diet. Books, magazines, professional journals, newsletters, television shows, radio broadcasts, and the Internet present an abundance of conflicting information on what constitutes a healthy diet.

Should you eat a high-carb diet or one that’s low in carbs? Should you eat meat or become a vegetarian? Are dairy products bad? Are soy products good? Is it best to follow a Mediterranean diet (see article) or to stay in the Zone?

Conflicting information even overwhelms people in the health profession, so we can readily understand how it confuses the average person. But it’s not as difficult to eat wisely as you might think. Basically, a healthy diet is one that:

• Has balanced proportions and types of fats, carbohydrates and proteins to suit your particular needs. Dr. Leah can help you determine your individual needs (see "Services" tab).
  
• Includes a variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to supply a generous amount of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients--health-promoting plant compounds.
• Provides enough protein to maintain muscle mass and support the natural processes that keep your body healthy. Dr. Leah can help you determine the best sources of good quality protein to suite your needs.
  
• Maintains or helps you gradually approach a healthy weight (see also "blog" tab or askdrleah.wordpress.com)