Foundations of a Good Diet

The key to good health and longevity is simple: eat a wholesome diet.

What is a wholesome diet?

A wholesome diet is comprised of fresh vegetables, fruits, proteins, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. You can’t go wrong when you are eating as close to nature as possible while avoiding processed foods, additives, hydrogenated and saturated fats. Whole foods contain just one ingredient.

The idea is to eat the most nutrient-dense foods.

Nutrient density is a measure of the number of nutrients a food contains in comparison to the number of calories.

Food is more nutrient-dense when the level of nutrients is high in relationship to the number of calories the food contains.

You want to ensure that you are getting the highest levels of essential nutrients needed for excellent health, including vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, essential fatty acids and fibre; for the least amount of calories possible.

Nutrients and ageing

Getting enough nutrients through the diet becomes increasingly more challenging with age. As the body ages, it does not absorb nutrients as well as it once did, and to add to the challenge, you tend to need fewer calories and less food in your older years to maintain health and balanced weight. This makes it very important to get the most out of the foods you do eat.    

Where is your food coming from? 

It is also important to know where your food comes from. A good rule of thumb is to choose food grown as close to home as possible, preferably organic. By doing this you are ensuring the freshest and most nutrient-rich food possible while supporting your local farmers.

Food that travels hundreds, even thousands of miles is already days to a week old by the time it lands in your local supermarket.

How was your food grown?

If you are choosing non-organic foods, chances are that it has been treated with any combination of insecticides, fungicides, and/or herbicides. It is also very possible that the food you are consuming has been genetically modified.