By diane schlindwein
copley news service
Most of us have heard the adage, “You are what you eat.”
That may seem like an overstatement, but many experts agree that what a person eats — or in some cases what he or she avoids consuming — can make a difference when it comes to some diseases.
Susan McKenzie, a registered dietitian who works with outpatients at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, Ill., sees individuals with a number of ailments who are generally referred to her by area physicians.
“Sometimes I see those who simply want to avoid an illness, because there is a family history of a problem,” McKenzie says. Others may be facing a number of ailments.
It may seem like a doctor could simply prescribe a diet. Unfortunately, it’s not always that simple, and a consultation with a dietitian can make a big difference.
“You really can’t just give them a ‘paper diet’ because that diet may not have anything a person wants to or can eat,” McKenzie says. “When I meet with them, we can talk about what they want to change and think about changes they could make to meet those goals.”
McKenzie, who is also a certified diabetes educator, often sees people with diabetes, who require a specific diet. Less regularly, she consults with individuals suffering from high blood pressure.
“The DASH diet — which stands for dietary approaches to stop hypertension — is really helpful,” she says. “That diet requires eating a lot of fiber, a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables and lots of low-fat milk products for calcium. If people do not tolerate milk, we use a calcium substitute instead of dairy.”
In this low-sodium diet, poultry, fish and lean meats are also emphasized. Once in a while, McKenzie will work with a person suffering from celiac disease, which damages the small intestines and interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food.
A person with celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley, according to the National Institutes of Health. Gluten is found in many foods and some drinks (beer, for example) and in stamp and envelope adhesives, some medicines and vitamins.
“Celiac disease can take awhile to diagnose, but the proper diet really helps,” McKenzie says.
The correct diet not only combats illnesses, but will generally make you feel more energetic.
“For example, the American Heart Association recommends eating cold-water fish like tuna, salmon and mackerel two or three times a week, and working good healthy fats into your diet,” McKenzie says. “People who eat a healthier diet are less tired. You need to eat lots of proteins and carbohydrates. If you eat a diet with empty energy calories, you will just feel more tired.”
Most people have heard of someone having a “sugar high” that comes from eating candy and drinking regular sodas. Those kinds of foods and drinks are not healthy and can cause problems in the long run, she adds.
In general, McKenzie says people who want to feel better need to eat a balanced diet with more lean meats, cold-water fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, and fibers. They need to avoid saturated fats and trans fats, as well as foods and drinks that are high in sugar.
It’s important to know that restaurants — not just fast-food ones — often give out large portions. “So it becomes a volume issue. That’s why I encourage people to eat healthier foods. For example, fresh fruits, vegetables and fibers take longer to eat [and digest] so we feel more satisfied. Therefore you don’t eat as many empty calories.”
Although many physicians recommend a one-on-one visit with a dietitian, there are several Web sites that can also help. McKenzie recommends:
n The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at www.nhlbi.nih.gov.
n The National Institute of Health at www.nih.gov.
n The American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org.
n The American Heart Association at www.americanheart.org.
These sites contain information on eating to restore or maintain good health, and offer healthful recipes as well.
CopyrightJ, the Jewish news weekly of Northern California