Archive: March 2008

Reading Labels: It's the only way to make sure you're eating healthy

By Tim Kissman

There is no easy answer on how to eat a healthier diet—there’s just a lot of reading.

That’s the secret to living a healthier lifestyle, according to Dr. Jean-Guy Daigneault, of Rassel-Daigneault Family Chiropractic. He said if you’re going to put anything in your mouth, you better learn as much about the food as you can.

Processed food, meaning food that man alters, continues to cause health problems due to the way it is chemically changed. Our health is affected by how those chemicals break down and react to our bodies.

Food that is natural, organic or whole, is much better for you, Daigneault said. Daigneault made the comments as part of his speech during a presentation about nutrition.

“Before you eat anything, you must read the label,” he said. “Understand what it means. If it grows from a tree, if you can pick it from the ground or if it comes from an animal source it is better for you. If it’s man-made you should avoid it.”

This is just one of the many different guidelines health professionals like Daigneault hope that people start to follow.

While any advice or change in diet should be discussed with your health care professional, here are some suggested guidelines that should have positive results.

Avoid trans-fat
It’s harder than you might think. According to Daigneault, labels can be misleading about the amount of trans-fat present in a food serving. If there is less than 0.5 gram of trans-fat per serving, the label of a food product can boast zero trans-fat. Trans-fats affect the fluidity of the cell membrane, making them more rigid. This, in turn, causes dysfunction and inability for proper chemical reactions of the cells and can lead to a host of other health problems.

Eat quality food
Basically, the more ingredients on a food label, the less value the food offers to you. Daigneault said to eat plenty of protein, vegetables, salads, and fruit and to drink water. Avoid refined grains, which are manufactured to stay on the shelf for a long period of time without spoiling. “Always try to eat the best quality food that you can.”

Take supplements
Jean-Guy believes that our soil is so depleted that supplements should be a part of a person’s daily routine. Supplements do work, Daigneault said, but will work even better if you make a change in your eating habits. He suggests the following: Omega-3 (think wild fish or pharmaceutical grade fish oil capsules), and cook with extra virgin olive or coconut oil. Make sure to eat whole foods too, as well as plenty of fruits for antioxidants.