You Are What You Eat

You Are What You Eat

Most people know that eating a diet with too much sugar, too few vegetables, and a lot of fast food can cause an increased risk of diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Processed foods, sodas, candy, and commercial baked goods don’t have any nutritional value, so even though they fill you up, they don’t give your body the essential nutrition required. You may have noticed that when you eat a lot of sweets or too much food, you experience bloating, feel tired, or get indigestion. Healthy foods like nuts, fresh vegetables, good quality meats, and whole grains provide the necessary nutrition.

Your body requires nutrients to function, and a diet that includes fresh vegetables, high-quality meats, fruits, and nuts provides the body with protein, fiber, essential omega-3s, vitamins, and minerals. Good quality food helps give the body energy and helps the body stay healthy. The food you eat should make you feel good, so you must be aware of what you consume.

More Energy

When you consume processed and junk foods, your digestion can be slowed, which may decrease energy. You may feel sluggish and tired, and while eating sugar and caffeine may give you a temporary boost of energy, it will leave you with less energy when your blood sugar crashes later. Consuming protein, fats, and carbohydrates with meals or snacks can help balance your glucose levels and provide you with sustained energy.

Proteins and fats keep you full, while carbohydrates help lend energy to the body. Eating a balanced meal with a protein source like chicken, a baked sweet potato, and salad can help prevent blood sugar from crashing. You’ll feel much better when you include protein with every meal or snack. 

Less Digestive Issues

Gas, bloating, constipation, and heartburn are all symptoms of overeating junk food and insufficient nutritious food. You should feel satisfied but not too full when you eat snacks and meals. You may have consumed too much food if you notice yourself feeling sick or overstuffed. Consuming more good quality healthful foods can reduce or eliminate these symptoms.

The way you eat can also impact your digestion. Sit at a table, use real plates and utensils, slowly chew your food, and enjoy the meal. These things can all put the body into the parasympathetic system, where the body releases digestive enzymes to digest the food. It may also help prevent overeating! 

Better Sleep and Mood

When you’re fueling yourself with caffeine and sugar, it’s not only going to impact your energy but will also affect your sleep. If your body is busy digesting junk food or you still feel the effects of caffeine and sugar, you will have difficulty sleeping. Not only can it be difficult to fall asleep, but you may experience interrupted sleep, where you wake up a lot.

When this happens, you may feel groggy the next day. It’s a vicious cycle, and you may find that because you’re not getting good sleep, you may want to consume caffeine and sugar to make yourself feel better and more awake. Make sure to drink your coffee after you’ve eaten a healthy breakfast, and don’t consume caffeine after 2 pm. If you’re a person who likes dessert, eating it after lunch is better, so your body isn’t dealing with elevated blood sugar when trying to sleep.

Let Us Help You Optimize Your Nutrition 

If you’re unsure whether you are eating an optimal diet, working with a doctor like Dr. Leo may be very helpful. We can review your health history and any health concerns and develop a healthy eating plan. Give us a call to schedule your first appointment. We are located at 6321 Executive Blvd, Rockville, MD 20852, in the Executive office park. We look forward to helping you optimize your diet.

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Picture of Dr. L. J. Leo

Dr. L. J. Leo

Dr. Leo began his education at the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, Virginia, where he earned his doctorate in osteopathy. He completed his internal medicine residency through the U.S. Army and had the honor of serving multiple overseas tours before retirement.

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