Why is it so hard to eat healthy?

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Why is it so hard to eat healthy? Over the last year, it’s become more and more clear to me how important eating real food is. I have been very fortunate and have avoided getting the CoronaVirus. I’ve managed to stay healthy.

Now… I know a lot of people who have done everything right, wore their masks, socially distanced, stayed home and used hand sanitizer like crazy, and still got Covid. It doesn’t seem to make sense.

My work takes me in hospitals and physicians offices, and most of them have been closed to outside vendors for the last year. I have been able to go into some, but have always been required to wear masks and I have not been allowed in patient areas.

I have also been around my family (with the exception of my mom and my mother in law) numerous times without a mask. However, I always wear my mask when I’m out in public, and I also use hand sanitizer after I’ve been somewhere with germies. I have still gone to stores to shop, but I’m not one who likes large crowds, so staying away from that hasn’t been hard for me.

How have I avoided getting the “Rona”?

My Theory

I have a theory.

Food.

I know I sound like a broken record when it comes to food and nutrition. But I’m serious, food is everything!

Soon after the pandemic was in full swing, I decided to commit to eating real food again. (When we first went into quarantine, it was like that scene in “Airplane” where everyone is running around the plane freaking out! I completely went crazy for several weeks, and stress ate like the world was ending!) Most of last year, I ate too much of that healthy food and gained weight. The Covid-12. However, I was still eating fruits, vegetables, lean protein and nuts and seeds on a daily basis. I have managed to lose most of what I gained last year in the last two months while still eating the same food. I cut down to the right amount of calories that I should be eating to get rid of the excess weight. It’s working. I’m following my eating plan in my book, Feeding the change.

Another thing that has been contributing to my health is my vitamin regimen. In the last part of the year, I started taking a few supplements a day that were recommended to me by an infectious disease doctor at one of my offices. Here they are:

SUPPLEMENTS TO HELP YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

Vitamin C

  • Vitamin C is critical to the immune system and there is plenty of studies to show that it is effective against viruses, although there is no proof that it is effective towards COVID-19, it should be considered.
  • 1000-2000 mg is the usual dosage of Vitamin C, but please remember that fresh fruits can provide you with a significant amount of Vitamin C.
  • Reference: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-coronavirus#bottom-line

Vitamin D

N-Acetyl Cysteine ​​(NAC)

  • It is another powerful antioxidant that attenuates respiratory viruses reducing the severity of the disease. It does this by helping the liver get rid of toxins.
  • 600 mg taken twice a day.
  • Reference: European Respiratory Journal 1997 July 10th (7): 1535-41

Quercetin

  • Quercetin is a substance that is found in the pigment of many common fruits and vegetables such as apples, grapes, berries, and onions.  It is also available as an over-the-counter supplement.  Quercetin is an antioxidant that plays an important role in helping your body combat free radical damage.  It can prevent viruses from entering the host cells and reduce the incidence of acute respiratory diseases. 
  • 500 mg twice a day is the usual dose
  • Reference: Viruses. 2016 Jan 8 (1):6.

Zinc

*I didn’t start this regimen until the last few months of last year, however, I believe it did help, and might help others.

Vaccine

Recently, I received my vaccine and I’m hopeful that we can get to herd immunity soon so we can all get back to the things we enjoy. What’s weird is that since I got my vaccine, my mental health is much better. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Some people have gotten sick after their vaccines. This didn’t happen to me and I believe it’s because of the food I eat. I definitely eat a lot of oranges and apples. I also enjoy carrots, broccoli and celery sticks for snacks throughout the day. I’m not saying my diet was the only reason I’ve not gotten sick, but I think it plays a big role.

The only side effect I had from the vacinne was a sore arm. It felt like someone punched me really hard. It lasted for a few days.

It’s Food!

So, it dawned on me that as hard as it is to eat healthy, it’s so worth it in the end! Food is medicine. We have to treat it as such.

As I was writing this blog, a news feed article came across my cell phone on how important fruits and vegetables are in our diets. The article, based on a study that was published in the journal, Circulation, stated that eating fruits and vegetables can increase your lifespan and decrease you chances of death from heart disease by 12%, death from cancer by 10% and death by respiratory disease by 35%. Covid attacks the respiratory system and eating fruits and vegetables can help reduce that. Eating a couple fruits and vegetables a day can help so much. So why is it so hard to eat healthy?

Its hard for many reasons: With cell phones, computers, T.V., etc., we are constantly inundated with images of food. More times than not, these are not healthy food images. We want everything fast, we eat for self gratification and not as its intended, as fuel, medicine and nutrition for our bodies. Remember, the food we eat, gives our bodies the information and materials they need to function properly.

Fruits and vegetables are higher in nutrients and lower in calories. Why do people forget about how important those nutrients are? There is no comparison in nutrients from real food. Real is real! The way God and Nature intended it. I’m not saying to not supplement if you need to, however real food is the best first option!

I have a lot of valuable information on my website and in my book, Feeding the Change, that can help you to put your health back on track. If you have the book, reread it! If you don’t have it, get it! In the book there are simple suggestions and recommendations on how to get your nutrition in check. It straightforwardly explains how to eat for you symptoms of menopause, and can help incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your nutritional program.

Take care of yourself Ladies! This is the only body you’ve got! Make sure you are taking care of it!

Be Kind,

Diana

One comment on “Why is it so hard to eat healthy?”

  1. Kathleen

    March 4, 2021 at 1:15 pm

    Excellent article Diana. The struggle with the proper foods for our individual metabolisms is a tough one. Healthy calories.. Everything in moderation. Great advice.

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