Nutrition

Did you know? Our eating habits have changed over many generations.

THEN: Early humans ate a large variety of plant foods (fruits, berries, nuts, tubers, buds, flowers), eggs and small animals. Their diet included lots of fiber.

NOW: Modern diets are often low in fiber. Fiber is important because it lowers blood cholesterol, aids in digestion, and slows down sugar absorption.

THEN: Humans first scavenged their meals from leftovers from other predators. They probably used early stone tools to break open bones to get at the rich, fatty marrow. When humans became hunters, they hunted herd animals that grazed on grass. Their meat was lean and high in "good fats."

NOW: Modern diets are often low in good fats. However, we can supplement our diets with flax seed oil and fish oil capsules.

Healthy Habits:

• Avoid foods high in calories but low in nutrition such as soda, candy, chips and cookies. Our bodies are not built to handle large amounts of these empty calories.

• Make your calories count! Choose nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, beans, nuts and eggs.

• Avoid foods high in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt and added sugars.

Resources:

For more information on nutrition from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services, visit www.nutrition.gov.

The Natural History of Health: By understanding our past,
we can improve our future.