Nutrition and Health

I feel like whether I am talking to a client, posting on Facebook or writing a blog post, I am always emphasizing nutrition. Of course there are other many aspects of living healthy, but nutrition is just such a big one! And it is one that for the most part we can control! There is just no escaping the fact that what we put into our bodies is going to effect our health.

So here is the challenge: EAT A FRUIT OR VEGETABLE FIRST EVERY TIME YOU EAT A SNACK OR MEAL.

Not very long ago I had an opportunity to work with a team and market a healthy eating campaign to college freshman living in dormitories. Before my team and I got to all the fun parts of logos, slogans, commercials, posters, surveys, and the like; we had to do A LOT of research. In the professional world this is referred to as a literature review and situational analysis and accounted for about 50% of our entire campaign. However it was exciting to see in quantifiable numbers that the information we found was correct. I am going to summarize what we emphasized in our campaign and what the outcomes were now...

Sadly our diets are more habitual than anything. Your eating habits can either work for you or against you. It takes real, honest effort to make meaningful changes if your current diet is lacking in nutrition.

Poor nutritional habits can lead to serious health effects on the body. Not only does poor nutrition cause long-term, chronic conditions, but it can also immediately affect the body adversely. Poor nutrition can impair your ability to think and work effectively. In addition, it can cause depression and cause permanent damage to tissues and organs if not addressed.


Unhealthful diets may provide energy by calories and sugar, but they are nutrient-poor; lacking the minerals and vitamins the body needs to function properly. Poor diets are often low in antioxidants and vitamins that help to boost the immune system and prevent diseases. This results in being more susceptible to illness and increased number of sick days. Likewise, eating unhealthy foods robs the body of energy leaving the body feeling run-down and tired.

The effects of a poor diet range from minor to severe and the consequences range from immediate to long-term. It is vital to eat a wide variety of foods when possible for optimal absorption of essential vitamins as well as proper digestion. Nutrients play crucial roles in longevity and health, preventing sickness, disease and chronic-illness.

So knowing all of this, we asked our test-subjects (college freshman living in the dormitories) to make an effort to eat a fruit or vegetable every time they ate. Ideally you will eat 4-6 time a day. Some people find this very intimidating, but you don't have to have a huge, sit-down meal 4-6 times a day. Having a snack of apples with nut-butter or cheese can count as a "meal." So, the diet plan, or nutritional habit we wanted our subjects to make was to eat a fruit or vegetable as either the main part of their meal or before their meal.

By doing this you are doing two things for your body. First of all you are giving it a nutrient rich food, full of vitamins and minerals that will boost your immune system and feed your vital organs. Second of all, fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber which will help you feel full sooner (not to mention help you avoid constipation and colon cancer) while eating less calories- so you will probably eat a smaller portion of your main meal.

My team and I tested our subjects before beginning and again about four months into the diet. We compared those with nutrient rich diets to those with nutrient poor diets. What we found was that those who made an honest effort to apply nutritional eating to their diets had either maintained or lost weight, reported less "sick" days, more energy, more able to focus on important tasks, and "feel better overall."

That is a HUGE payout in my mind. And comparatively, it is an easy diet! You still get to eat what you want- but you are feeding your body the important things first! If you do this enough then it becomes habit and your body will no longer be starving for nutrients! If you get bored with your regular choices, then you get the fun and excitement of picking out a new one to try. I have to admit that I recently purchased, prepared and tasted eggplant for the first time in my life. I hated it (which is saying a lot for me. I don't say no to very many foods). However, I am not going to write it off. It can take 20 tries of a new food before you develop any kind of taste for it- let alone like it. So I will try it again sometime.

Also, I find it much easier to eat the fruits and vegetables in my house if they are visible and prepared. I leave anything that can be left at room temperature out on my counter in a wide shallow dish. I love this for my kids as well because if they get hungry the first food they notice is my produce bowl! More often than not, that is what they go for.  The other thing I do is take a few minutes after I get home from produce shopping to prepare any of the vegetables that I need to. I will cut up all my cucumbers, broccoli, carrots, celery, lettuce, etc. Then they are easy to grab and toss together in a salad or just snack on when I need something quick.

Another option I am going to try this spring is Bountiful Baskets. It is a co-op organization that allows you to purchase a variety of produce cheap and it is almost always local. Everybody gets a variety box that you didn't pick and choose your produce, yet I like this idea because it will force me to try new things! Variety is so important in getting all the nutrients you need.

Good luck and good eating!