Resource Center: Nutrition

Maintaining a healthy diet includes eating the right balance of carbohydrates, protein, and good fats — doing so can have a big affect on the way we feel mentally and physically. Our cells need a variety of nutrients, including vitamin A, the B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E; healthy unsaturated fats like omega-3s in fish oil and omega-6s in nuts and seeds; and fruits and vegetables that contain powerful antioxidants like flavonoids. All these, including whole grains are found in the Mediterranean diet, fast becoming the gold standard in nutrition. Low-carb and low-fat is good; but no-fat, no-carb is not. Our rising rates of obesity and high BMIs are mostly due to eating too much of the wrong kind of food and exercising too little.

Nutrition needs change as we age. Babies need fat to build their growing brains and nervous systems; seniors need the B vitamins that protect the brain from shrinking. Feeding the body well is especially important when it is healing from acute and chronic illness or disease. Vegetarians, people with dietary restrictions, or whose diets are limited by geography or income are at risk for deficiencies and need to understand what the body needs. Remember, what we eat now can prevent and protect against health problems in the future, from cancer to blood pressure, strokes and heart disease; from Alzheimer’s to obesity.