Boost Your Health One Meal at a Time

By Mary L. Peppers

Whether you’re battling a chronic health problem or just feeling a little low, it’s a good idea to check the healthfulness of your diet. Try these dietary strategies for coping with common health issues.

Fight Fatigue

It’s normal to have a lack of energy now and then, but some people feel tired most of the time. When fatigue isn’t due to a medical problem or lack of sleep, diet may be to blame. If you have trouble staying alert during the day, try these steps:

Start the day with a healthy breakfast. Your body needs a metabolism boost in the morning. Brain cells prefer glucose for energy, so include healthy carbohydrates such as whole-grain cereal, whole wheat bread and fresh fruit.
Don’t skip meals. Missing breakfast or lunch can lead to a drop in blood sugar. Try to eat at regular intervals and consume reasonable portions.
Avoid large, fat-laden meals. To prevent an afternoon slump, eat fewer fatty foods at lunch and try to choose a meal that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains or lean protein.

Chase the Blues Away

People with low blood levels of vitamins B12 and folate are more likely to suffer from depression and other mood disorders. The type of fat in your diet can also affect mood. A recent study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute found that people with fewer omega-3 fats in their blood had symptoms of depression more often. To see whether food can improve your mood, consider these steps:

Get your B’s. Vitamin B12 is found naturally in foods that come from animals, so try to include some meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk or other dairy products in your diet.
Up your folate intake. Make sure you’re getting enough folate by including certain healthy foods in your diet, such as leafy green vegetables, asparagus, fortified breakfast cereals and breads, strawberries, oranges, melon, whole grains, and legumes.
Go fish. Eating fish regularly can help ensure you’re getting healthy doses of omega-3 fats. Fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel and tuna, have the most omega-3s. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish twice a week. However, nursing mothers, women who are pregnant or might be pregnant, and young children should avoid fish that may be high in mercury, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish.

Head Off Headaches

Although headaches can be caused by a wide range of factors, including stress or hormones, some headaches are linked to eating habits. For some people, consuming foods that contain tyramine, such as aged cheese, chocolate, wine, beer, nuts and pickled herring, can trigger a migraine headache. Even cutting back on caffeinated beverages can lead to caffeine-withdrawal headaches. If you’re prone to headaches, try these tips:

Eat at regular intervals. This can help prevent low blood sugar. Keep nutritious snack foods such as fruit, low-fat yogurt or whole-grain crackers handy at your desk or on the kitchen counter.
Keep a food diary. When you get a headache, write down what you ate or drank before the headache started. If certain foods seem to trigger a migraine or headache, stop consuming them to see whether it helps prevent problems.
Wean yourself from caffeine. If you decide to cut back on coffee, tea, soft drinks or other sources of caffeine, gradually reduce your intake over several days to help avoid caffeinewithdrawal headaches.

Get Expert Help

For additional help, consider talking with a registered dietitian. He or she can help make sure you’re getting the nutrition you need. This can be especially helpful for people with medical conditions, such as heart diease, that are affected by diet.

Build a Healthy Meal

Although hyped-up headlines can make diet choices seem confusing, eating well doesn’t need to be complicated. Build your meals around these healthy foods:

A wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, including starchy and dark green leafy vegetables
Whole-grain breads and cereals
Foods with protein, such as lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and legumes
Low-fat or nonfat milk and milk products, such as yogurt

To further improve your diet, try to cut out foods high in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol; and avoid foods with added salt, sugars and other caloric sweeteners.