Conway McLean, DPM, Journal columnist
The Western diet is a joke, but the joke is on us. The foods promoted on the billboards and tv commercials are making us sick, if only because you’re being deprived of nutrients. And we all know the kind of foods we are talking about. The pop tarts and tv dinners, microwaved pizzas and soda pop. Foods prepared long ago somewhere far away. These foods are served everywhere and that means globally. That which has come to be known as the “Western diet,” fast foods and sugary drinks, is now consumed almost worldwide.
When asked, many Americans will admit to some confusion about what constitutes a healthy diet. There have been many bad recommendations made by the authorities over the years. It’s understandable the public is dubious, suspicious. Anyone remember the old food pyramid from the 50’s and 60’s? That was widely touted, promoted nationwide. Thousands of Americans changed their diet as a result of these instructions. And the pounds gained as a result… incalculable.
The consequences of the obesity-diabetes (equals diabesity, a newly coined term) epidemic threatens to overwhelm our health care system. Estimates claim nearly 70% of Americans are overweight or obese. Most agree about 10% of the US population has diabetes and the numbers are growing. Heart disease is also greatly encouraged by eating the wrong diet, although our thinking on the role of fats has changed dramatically in the last few years.
In the past, good nutritional research was lacking. But that has changed and the results are in. At least, we know enough to draw some conclusions about diet and health. And who are the winners, you may ask? What nutritional plan best encourages physical health? Before diving into the labels, let’s start by recognizing a low-saturated fat, high-fiber, high plant diet can substantially reduce the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and many other chronic diseases, all while promoting well-being.
A diet based on the cultures of Greece, Italy and Spain was found to decrease the incidence of most of the major chronic diseases, and so this diet was aptly named the Mediterranean diet. Although there are no concrete rules for how to follow this plan, there are many guidelines. The Mediterranean diet encourages the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and heart-healthy fats. Processed foods, those with added sugar, and refined grains are to be greatly restricted. Numerous studies have now shown that it can help prevent heart attacks, strokes, type 2 diabetes, and premature death. Perhaps its greatest popularity comes from its recommendation as a method of weight loss.
Although there are similarities, the DASH diet has some important differences. This system developed from efforts to reduce high blood pressure, hence the name “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.” The DASH diet is based on minimizing saturated fats and dietary cholesterol; it’s rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, and fiber; with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. Proteins include fish, poultry, nuts, and seeds, with limited intake of red meat, sweets, and sugary beverages. This diet did successfully do what it set out to do: lowered blood pressure via the dietary changes outlined above.
Another diet plan growing in popularity is the Flexitarian diet, with the word coming from a combination of “flexible” and “vegetarian.” In essence, the flexitarian diet is essentially a flexible alternative to being a vegetarian. It can be viewed as a cross between full vegan and vegetarian with the ability to enjoy animal products every so often. This plan provides for all the health benefits of a vegetarian diet while resolving any concerns of getting the essential amino acids. Because it’s a simple, straight-forward way of eating, it has found great success.
Rather than get caught up in the pros and cons of a specific plan, perhaps some general guidelines for healthy nutrition should be mentioned. For one, fats are essential for good health and weight loss. Some examples include fats from eggs, nuts like macadamia nuts & walnuts, seeds like flax seeds, avocado, olives, and cold-pressed oils like coconut oil and olive oil. Sources of protein include chicken, turkey, fish, salmon & trout, almonds and walnuts, seeds like pumpkin seeds & chia seeds, legumes like chickpeas & black beans, and, of course, eggs.
For many Americans, this topic revolves solely around weight loss. But there are benefits from improving the quality of one’s diet without losing weight. Recent clinical trials have demonstrated clearly that by improving what you eat, you can improve numerous cardiovascular risk factors, like high blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and triglycerides, improving your overall health in the process.
Obviously, there are numerous factors affecting our health and the onset of various diseases besides our nutritional intake. But we now know, beyond any doubt, diet is one of profound importance. And it’s one we can have power over, although it takes self-control. And it takes consistency since it is the result of what you consume over time, over the months and years.
Modern-day foods can cause all manner of health issues, whether the result of all the additives to our processed foods (man-made substances that have no analog in nature, but are used to improve shelf life), to good ole sugar, all wrapped in fancy packaging. Glucose is sugar, regardless of how the molecules are arranged. High fructose corn syrup to cane sugar, even carbohydrates like doughnuts and bread are composed primarily of sugar molecules chained together.
Overall health and well-being should be the goal of your food consumption, not changing your weight. This is why it’s healthier not to “diet” but simply to eat healthy. Eating should be a joy, one of the great pleasures of life. If you primarily eat unhealthy food (fast food, processed food, sugary foods) then you won’t feel healthy or be healthy. Unfortunately, because these foods only give us empty calories but no nutrients, many of us are eating too much, but malnourished at the same time. .
Reducing these “foods” (if they actually qualify as food) in your diet can be difficult, and often inconvenient. After all, these are generally referred to as convenience foods. But how healthy can a food be if it has the ability to sit on a shelf for years? We now know the long term effects of a bad diet; what you eat can kill you. But change is difficult, especially with something so established over the years. Make small, single changes rather than trying dramatic, wholesale change. Be mindful of what you are buying when food shopping. After all, as the saying quite accurately goes, you are what you eat!
Editor’s note: Dr. Conway McLean is a physician practicing foot and ankle medicine in the Upper Peninsula. Dr. McLean’s practice, Superior Foot and Ankle Centers, has offices in Marquette and Escanaba, and now the Keweenaw following the recent addition of an office in L’Anse. McLean has lectured internationally, and written dozens of articles on wound care, surgery, and diabetic foot medicine. He is board certified in surgery, wound care, and lower extremity biomechanics.
