We are constantly bombarded with new health information and it is easy to be attacted to new ideas about eating and exercising that promise to be the magic elixir to good health. While a quick and easy fix can be extremely appealing, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This morning I was reading about the term “neophilia“, a word used to describe our fascination with novel ideas and how it applies to nutrition. It is this love for novel ideas that sometimes compels us to try ridiculous fad diets and products such as green kale smoothies, protein bliss balls, fat blasters and paleo diets. The equivalents in the 70’s and 80’s may have been the now defunct “grapefruit diet”, “egg diet” and the “Israeli Army Diet”.
In fact the science behind good health hasn’t changed much at all. The basic messages remain the same:
- Eat mostly plant foods – fruit, vegetables, legumes, seeds & nuts
- Base bread and cereal choices on wholegrain products such as brown rice, barley, wholegrain bread and rolled oats
- Choose smaller amounts of animal foods such as chicken, fish, red meat, eggs and dairy products
- Limit your intake of junk snack foods such as chips, biscuits, chocolates, lollies, takeaway fast foods
- Drink mostly water
- Minimise the time you spend sitting in front of screens including TV, computer and smartphones
- Get active every day and include some strength exercises
- Take time to rest and get enough sleep
- Take time out to manage your stress levels
For individualised and expert advice, book an appointment with a dietitian.