Good Nutrition is Prevention

Nutritional counseling has become an important part of my acupuncture practice. The fact is, no matter how often you get acupuncture, you will never experience real healing unless you also nourish your body with the right foods.

A healthy diet can go a long way in preventing cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and other health problems.  It can also reduce chronic inflammation.  Inflammation is the body’s natural immune response, and under the right circumstances promotes the healing process.  But a diet that includes too much sugar, saturated fats and unhealthy oils, chemicals and preservatives can send this inflammation response out of control.  This same chemical reaction that used to help heal infection and injury becomes overstimulated and starts to attack healthy cells, which over time leads to chronic health problems.

Some of the symptoms related to chronic inflammation include body aches and pains, congestion, allergies, frequent infections, skin outbreaks, joint pain and stiffness, weight gain and obesity.  And of course it stands to reason that many years of an unhealthy diet and chronic inflammation will increase the chances of developing cancer.

Studies have shown that many cancers can be avoided. According to The Cancer Project, one-third of all cancer deaths in this country are due to a poor diet. Yet many Americans remain unaware of the strong connection between diet and cancer. In fact, more people are concerned about the link between genetics and cancer. In reality, there are many other factors involved in the actual development of cancer besides simply the genetic predisposition. Environment, diet, and lifestyle play a huge role in whether or not a person with the gene for cancer actually develops it.

Old habits can be hard to change. The way we eat is often closely intertwined with family, culture, tradition, and emotion, and change can seem impossible. Start simple. Increase your dietary fiber each day, add more fruits and vegetables, and try decreasing fat consumption. A powerful way to immediately improve your diet is to eliminate all processed foods, even if you do nothing else! Discover ways to makeover your favorite recipes by substituting healthy ingredients to reduce fat and calories without sacrificing taste.

Americans are relying more and more on medications and even surgery for conditions that can be managed or even avoided simply by eating a nutritious diet and becoming more physically active. There are easy ways that you can start eating healthier by making small changes. For help getting started, click here.