Eating for Optimal Health

You are what you eat, in more ways than one. Subsisting on fat-laden fries, sugar-filled drinks and salt-packed convenience foods can leave you sluggish and weak. You drag all day and hit an afternoon slump, and your body demands more sugar for energy. Enjoying a variety of vitamin-, mineral-, and fiber-packed foods, on the other hand, builds a strong body and lets you power effortlessly through the day. A well-balanced diet can also help you fight off colds, daily stressors and disease.

It's not hard to turn things around. Here's a look at nutrition basics, a practical and delicious sample menu, and a review of ways to put ideas into action.

Nutrition basics

Don't skip meals. Missing meals is a bad idea no matter what your reason. No time? Make time. Trying to lose weight? This won't work. Skipping meals leads to overeating later in the day.

In addition, the body becomes very efficient to prevent starvation. Translation: Your metabolism slows down and stores more fat. Finally, without the continuous energy food supplies, you become run down and more susceptible to sickness.

The solution: During the day try to eat every three to four hours. That means breakfast, perhaps a snack, lunch, a snack, then dinner.
Eat breakfast. Certainly every meal is important, but the first meal after a long night's rest is crucial in many ways. It's the first shot of energy to rev you up and get your day started.

Breakfast is also a great opportunity to eat your first servings of calcium-rich dairy foods, fruits, and whole grains -- common ingredients in morning meals. A good breakfast also helps you steer clear of sugary and high-fat fillers from vending machines.
Eat protein or a little "good" fat with your carbs. No need to avoid carbs altogether, just don't overdo it. Pairing protein-rich foods with your carbs makes this task easier.

Carbohydrates provide much-needed energy to your body; however, they are digested quickly, leaving you feeling hungry soon after eating. Bagels and muffins for breakfast, candy bars for snacks and large portions of pasta and rice at lunch and dinner become an unending cycle resulting in hunger pangs and the need for a pick-me-up. Proteins digest more slowly; therefore you feel satisfied longer.

The solution: Enjoy complex carbs in moderate amounts and along with high-quality protein or "good" fats (monounsaturated or omega-3). Instead of a bagel and cream cheese, try an English muffin with peanut butter. Instead of a candy bar, how about dried cranberries and walnuts or almonds? Instead of a big bowl of pasta, dish out three-quarters a cup of whole-grain pasta along with a grilled chicken breast.
Break down your dish. Chances are your dinner (or lunch) plate looks like this: a pile of meat, chicken or fish and a pile of rice, potatoes or pasta, and on a good day maybe a smidgen of vegetables or a salad on the side.

Well, it's time to put your math skills to work. Divide your plate into three parts. One quarter is for the protein of the meal -- meat, chicken, beans, etc. -- 3 ounces or about the size of the palm of your hand. One quarter is for the starchy foods --rice, potato, corn, etc. -- about a half cup. And the remaining half should be loaded with fruits and vegetables. With the exception of the starchy vegetables such as corn, peas and potatoes, vegetables can be eaten as often as and as much as you want. They help fill you up but contribute few calories.

NEXT PAGE: Sample menu

Sample menu

This menu is based on the needs of a 140-pound, lightly active woman.

Breakfast: One hard-boiled egg, two slices of 100 percent whole-wheat toast with a teaspoon of tub margarine, a half cup of sliced strawberries, 6 ounces of low-fat yogurt and a cup of tea
Lunch: Two cups of salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, carrot, etc.) topped with 2 ounces of sliced turkey, 2 tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese and 3 tablespoons of low-fat balsamic vinaigrette dressing, with six whole-wheat crackers, a plum and an 8-ounce glass of skim milk
Dinner: 4 ounces of salmon sauteed in a tablespoon of olive oil and brushed with 2 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce, a cup of steamed broccoli, a half cup of brown rice and an 8-ounce glass of skim milk
Snacks: 3 tablespoons of cashews mixed with 3 tablespoons of raisins; a fat-free chocolate pudding snack cup

Nutrition information: 1,784 calories, 60 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 95 grams of protein, 237 grams of carbohydrates, 23 grams of fiber, 2,800 milligrams of sodium

NEXT PAGE: Putting ideas into action

Putting ideas into action

Not only is eating every meal important, snacks help prevent the over-hunger that leads to overeating. The sample day on the previous page includes two snacks. When you eat them depends on your mealtimes. For example, if you have an early breakfast and late lunch, a midmorning snack is for you. Not crazy about nuts and dried fruit? How about an apple with peanut butter or cheese and whole-grain crackers? Both give you the needed mix of carbs with protein/fat to satisfy you and tide you over until mealtime.

This day starts with a serving from almost every food group to fill you with fiber, vitamins and minerals. Not into breakfast foods? A turkey sandwich, an orange and a glass of milk give you the same benefits as the more traditional breakfast fare.

Each of these meals provides a balanced mix of protein and carbs, as well as meats, starches and vegetables/fruit. But there are many ways to achieve those goals. Try a slice of pizza and a salad on the side, with some yogurt mixed with a half cup of blueberries. Or, a cup of tuna noodle casserole with steamed carrots and a glass of milk.

More: Get helpful advice from the message boards -- try Ask the Nutritionist, Fitness and Health, The Latest Diets and Workouts and many others.