What is a Healthy Diet?

Full of processed foods, added sugar, and saturated fats, the typical Western diet is far from healthy. Rising obesity and other health concerns, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cognitive impairment, and others, seem to be spurred by the unhealthy eating pattern of the Western diet. Research also finds that dementia risk, mental illness, gut health, and immune function are all connected to your diet. So, whether you are considering how your body feels today or how it will feel later in life, you are placing your health at risk by loading your grocery cart with bagels, chips, sugary drinks, and pre-made meals. More people are aware of the problem of an unhealthy diet, but what is the solution? What does it mean to follow a healthy diet? And is it feasible for the average American to resist the aisles of processed foods and endless variety of sit-down and fast-food restaurants?

Healthy Eating Plans

There’s a lot of discussion around what diet approach is the healthiest. Today, there are several diets that show a lot of potential for helping people achieve health goals. Some are easier to maintain long term than others, so consider a diet that you can live with for a long time.

Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan

Rising in popularity and recognition, the Mediterranean diet is a prime option for a healthy diet. It is based on the eating patterns of people living in countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. While these
countries do not follow identical diets, similarities exist. Research shows that following this eating pattern has the potential to both prevent and manage certain health conditions, such as cardiovascular
disease, cognitive impairment, obesity, and diabetes. This diet is low on saturated fats and processed, refined foods. Its distinguishing feature is an emphasis on vegetables – particularly leafy greens – fruits, whole grains, and extra virgin olive oil. These are the primary foods of this region. On this diet, you will also consistently eat fish, poultry, legumes, nuts, and eggs. Drinking red wine in moderation is another key component. But red meat, dairy, and sugar are limited, and processed and refined foods are essentially cut out of the diet.

Paleo Diet Ideas

Another diet popular today is the Paleo diet. Named for its aim of mimicking the foods eaten by humans
in the Paleolithic or Stone Age, this diet also focuses on plants as a significant portion of daily foods. However, foods are excluded that humans began eating with the invention of tools, growing of crops, or domestication of animals. Two major food groups this eliminates are grains and dairy products. This diet is a healthy alternative to the typical Western diet, encouraging a high amount of vegetables and fruits, lean meats, and fish. It also has been linked to lowering risks of heart disease, certain cancers, and inflammation.

Keto Diet

The Keto diet is a contrast to many of today’s popular diets. This high-fat, low-carb diet can be an effective weight loss tool, especially initially. The goal is to jumpstart and maintain a state of ketosis in your body, burning fat instead of carbohydrates. This means that this diet heavily restricts carbs and encourages eating fats. Some experts question its sweeping advocacy of both unsaturated fats and saturated fats, promoting high amounts of butter, coconut oil, and lard. The Keto diet allows for limited
protein and does not distinguish what types of protein you may eat. Because of their high carb count, fruits are limited on the keto diet, as well. You may eat a lot of vegetables that are low in carbs, like leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables. Grains are restricted. The main emphasis of this diet is to use fat as your main energy source, spurring your body to burn fat. With proper dietary balancing, this diet has led to a lowered risk for heart disease, better management of diabetes, and weight loss.

diet can result in mineral and vitamin deficiencies. Some vegetarians may replace meat with a lot of carbs, trying to find a new way to get full without meat. All these pitfalls can be very unhealthy. Weakened immune systems, low levels of vitamin D and B12, and mental illnesses have been tied to
imbalanced vegetarian or vegan diets. So, be careful to find high protein foods, like beans, nuts, and seeds to keep your body fueled without a lot of carbs. If necessary, consider taking vitamins that may be missing in your diet.

Gluten Free Diet

For some, going gluten free is a necessary health measure because of an allergy and or health condition.
Some nutritional experts encourage gluten-free diets to help manage stomach issues, inflammation, or other conditions like “brain fog.” Some who follow gluten-free diets lose weight by cutting refined, processed carbs typical of the Western diet. Being careful to choose gluten-free products that are not heavily processed and high in sugar and sodium is key to making this a truly effective healthy diet. Many potato chips or ice creams are gluten free, but they aren’t healthy or nutritious.

DASH Diet

Another healthy eating option is the DASH diet, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. As the name suggests, this diet was created to address high blood pressure. Following this diet can both treat and prevent high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. You’re allowed the equivalent of about 1 teaspoon of table salt on this diet. You should focus on foods full of potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and protein and stay away from unhealthy fats and added sugars, too. Like many of the other diets listed above, the DASH diet emphasizes eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Whole grains and unprocessed foods make up a significant portion, as well. Lean protein and healthy fats from fish and olive oil are also major components of this diet, too. However, this diet differs from others with its strict salt limits and low-fat dairy requirements. Following this diet has been shown to
lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other serious diseases.

Healthy Eating Patterns v. Diets

Following a particular diet can be too restricting and challenging in the long run. Other options exist that can help you get or stay healthy without a strict set of foods to eat or avoid. Doctors and dieticians warn that falling into a rhythm of dieting, giving up on your diet, returning to a diet, and falling off it again can create unhealthy food behaviors and patterns that can be damaging to your long-term health. So, rather than trying to stick to a diet that is only going to lead to a diet yo-yo, try one of these eating patterns.

Intermittent Fasting

Unlike a traditional diet, intermittent fasting focuses on eating windows and certain times of going without food. You can fast intermittently in many different ways, but each eating schedule restricts eating for a part of your day or week. The idea is that you can only eat during a certain portion of the day and must fast for the rest of the day. Or you can choose to eat normally for most of the week, and fast
completely or eat a moderate meal two days a week. This popular eating plan can be a very effective way to lose weight, support your immune system, lower inflammation, strengthen your heart, and improve brain function. This eating plan is gaining attention because of the many potential benefits it offers.
However, it is crucial to choose healthy meals for your eating window, rather than gorging on processed food or sugars as soon as your eating window opens. Fasting for a certain amount of time each day or week can encourage your body to clean out dead cells and use fat for energy, but when you eat you also need to fuel your body well to achieve the health benefits of this eating plan. This plan may be something
you should discuss with your doctor, especially if you have certain health conditions, and those with a history of eating disorders should stay away from intermittent fasting.

80/20 Diet Plan

Many people have initial success with diets or weight loss goals. As time goes on, though, many find themselves slipping, returning to familiar habits, weights, and foods. To avoid this, a better approach to nutrition could be to follow the 80/20 guideline. For 80 percent of the time, you follow your healthy eating plan, making choices known to fuel your body and brain and lower your risk of disease. Then, you can eat your favorite less-healthy foods 20 percent of the time. The idea behind 80/20 diet is that you can still see significant positive outcomes in your health by eating healthily 80 percent of the time. Research shows that you can see benefits of a healthy diet when you eat healthily part of the time. Strictly following the Mediterranean diet will reap the greatest levels of health benefits. But following it 80 percent of the time will still yield significant health benefits. It is easier to eat healthily in the long run if you can indulge in your favorites some of the time.

What happens when I fall off?

Very few people follow their diets without interruption or slip ups. If you find yourself staring in
disbelief at an empty bag of chips or succumbing to the lure of your favorite donuts, don’t give up on
your healthy eating. Avoid compensating by starting a more restrictive diet that will likely mean more frequent and disheartening indulgences. Instead, focus on the positive. Recognize the healthy choices you do make. Consider every vegetable eaten as a success. This will help build a positive mindset towards
healthy eating. During the holiday season or on vacation when the temptation to make unhealthy eating choices is greater, plan ahead. Think about small indulgences and ways to enjoy some of the foods you love without resorting to bingeing or completely giving up. Autonomy is important for sticking with a diet. Working to find ways that you enjoy eating healthily will help you keep it up. So, find vegetables you like. Try out recipes until you land upon delicious and healthy options. If you find ways to enjoy healthy foods, you will be less likely to slip up and more likely to return to healthy eating when you do indulge a little too much.

Conclusion

If you are thinking about making some changes to your diet, eating healthily doesn’t have to be overwhelming or vague. Adding a vegetable and a fruit to each meal or swapping your processed grains for whole grains is a simple step you can take to begin the journey to healthy eating. Or you can step right into a healthy diet like those listed above. You may see benefits from these steps immediately, like a happier gut or feeling more energetic, or the advantages may not appear until later. However, the research shows that your short-term and long-term health heavily depends on the foods you eat.