OH! Magazine - Australian Version August 2014 (Australian Version) | Page 16

DITCH THE DIET WARS

TAP HERE

to read the full
article online, at
drjoanna.com.au

DR
JOANNA

Dr Joanna explains her take on optimum eating for optimum health.
utrition is a science. And like any
other science new discoveries are
being made all of the time. The thing is
that there is not one healthy diet – there
are many. But what suits you may not
suit me, and vice versa. The optimum
diet for you depends on a whole host of
factors from your culture (and
upbringing), your genetics, your likes
and dislikes, any allergies and
intolerances, your activity level, your
age, your body type, your health, the
time of year, the weather and your moral/
ethical beliefs. The job of the dietitian is
to take all of these factors into account
and ensure you find a diet that meets
your nutritional requirements.

relationship with food where it
holds it’s rightful place as
something important, but it is not
the centre of your life. Be
interested
and
enthusiastic,
without becoming obsessed.

N

What we do know from research is that
there are key foundation stones to lay, to
ensure you achieve the best possible
diet. Many of the diets above have just
as many similarities as they have
differences so in a nutshell, here are
some of my basic philosophies:
•

16

Develop and maintain a healthy

AUGUST 2014 ( OH! MAGAZINE )

•

Develop and maintain a healthy
body image, whatever your size,
where you want to nourish your body
to be as healthy as you can be,
rather than to look a certain way.

•

Eat more plant food, especially
vegies of all colours (I don’t count
potatoes here). At most meals,
half of your plate should be made
up of vegies.

•

Eat nuts and seeds every day –
unless you suffer from allergies. Eat
them as whole foods and not as the
extracted refined oils.

•

For omnivores, choose best quality
meats,
taking
nutrition,
environmental concerns and animal

welfare into account. I favour free
range or organic (if possible), wild
game meats and diversity of meats
from animals and birds.
•

Tea, coffee and vegie-based juices
can have valuable benefits but drink
water as your main beverage.

•

Use extra virgin olive oil as your
major added fat for dressings and
cooking. A little butter and/or
coconut oil are fine, but they lack
the same benefits and there is no
need to have them as supplements.
The whole foods have more to
offer. Avocado oil is a great
alternative too.

Finally these should be part and parcel
of a lifestyle that embraces exercise and
activity, stress management, good sleep
and, above all, be underpinned by joy. If
you want to live this way, then you’ll do
it. Because, essentially, if I or someone
else tells you that you should live this
way, you almost certainly won’t!

www.drjoanna.com.au

( Nutrition )