Mama Always Said: You Are What You Eat

Maybe mom really did know best when it came to nutrition. As research has shown, what we eat can actually impact our health profoundly. Over the years, we have learned that our dietary choices can influence our risk of disease. And some have made it a profitable business to teach us new ways to look at food (anti-inflammatory diet, Keto, heart healthy, etc.). 

And so, in some instances, food is now looked at as medicinal. While taking supplements can be beneficial, there is no substitute for eating whole, nutritious foods. Why? Because the nutrients found in certain foods can promote health and protect our bodies from disease.

Lacking in the Basics

Our Western diets, high in processed foods and low in whole foods like fresh vegetables, keep our bodies from getting the vitamins and minerals we need to thrive. Deficiencies can then increase our risk of disease. Heart disease, certain types of cancer, and immune dysfunction can all be impacted by a lack of certain vitamins and nutrients.

Plant Power

In addition to protein and carbohydrates, it’s important to include vegetables, fruit, beans, and grains as part of a well-rounded diet. Many of these foods, also known as superfoods, include antioxidants which can protect our cells from damage.

Fiber is also part of the building blocks of a healthy diet. High fiber foods include the same list just mentioned and can help protect us from disease and decrease inflammation. Fiber promotes healthy digestion and elimination and also feeds the good bacteria in our guts.

Healthy Fats

Protein and fat are not the enemy when they come from whole, nutritious foods and they can play a critical role in keeping our bodies operating efficiently. Omega-3 fatty acids, mainly found in fish, help to regulate inflammation and have been linked through much research to improved heart health and proper immune function. And the amino acids found in protein can aid in muscle health and regulating metabolism.

Everything in Moderation

We all know that doing anything to excess isn’t healthy, and that includes what and how much we eat. Diets high in soda and other sugar-filled drinks, fast food, processed food, and refined grains are the main culprits to health issues like heart disease, diabetes, and all the complications that come from unhealthy weight gain and obesity.

A lifetime of poor choices can lead to all kinds of health problems like insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, high cholesterol, and heart disease. On the other side of the coin is the research that points to the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, for example.

A Thoughtful Approach to Food

While the jury might still be out on whether we really are what we eat, we all know enough now to understand that our dietary choices can have long-term effects on our health and quality of life. Abiding by the rule of moderation can help us build healthy habits so we make smart choices. And those choices could have a generational impact on those in our family who look to us as an example.

If you are looking to improve your diet and get your health on track, talk to me, an FUNCTIONAL NUTRITIONIST for the past 30 years!  about a course of treatment that can help you get back into balance with your diet. It’s never too late to start making progress in the right direction.

info@drmindyboxer.com

310. 450. 9711

Dr. Mindy Boxer is a holistic practitioner who has grown into her specialties in an organic way. Understanding a range of disciplines allows her to integrate the wisdom of Ancient healing in combination with the most recent innovations in Scientific research. This dynamic blend has enabled Dr. Boxer to help patients in the prevention and treatment of disease for over 25 years.

At age 15, Dr. Boxer began her lifelong practice of Yoga & Meditation, read many Nutrition books, began Juicing her Vegetables, and explored and all Raw Diet.  Recognizing the importance of Nutrition in overall health, she earned her Ph.D. in 1986 in Nutrition and Human Behavior, providing her with a solid foundation to counsel and educate patients on how to attain health and vitality.

Her informative Lectures and appetizing Cooking Classes were the perfect forum to educate the community about the effects of food on Mood and Behavior, as well as in innovative ways to balance Body Chemistry in order to achieve overall well being.

Sensing a need to expand her training and understanding of the human body as a whole system, Dr. Boxer continued her studies in Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine,  and in 1993 earned a Masters Degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine. She is licensed by the Medical Board of the State of California in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine and is also licensed by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine.

These diverse disciplines give Dr. Boxer a unique view of the human body and how to keep it functioning in an optimal manner. Her practice of Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs and Functional Nutrition have a profound effect on Hormonal balance, Rejuvenation, and Immune system enhancement.

Dr. Boxer has a particularly keen understanding of Women’s Health issues including Gynecological irregularity, PMS, Fertility, IUI & UVF support, Healthy Pregnancy & Delivery, and Menopausal issues. Her interest in the human body as a dynamic system has given her the understanding to deal with such problems as improper Digestion and elimination, Cancer Support, Allergies, back pain, tight neck and shoulders, carpal tunnel syndrome, respiratory distress, chronic fatigue, Insomnia, Stress, Anxiety and Depression.

She has also studied the art and science of Homeopathy, earning her Diplomate in Homeopathy from the Hahnemann College of Homeopathy in 1995. This allows her to treat the whole person — physically, mentally, emotionally.