The nutritionist drew attention to the popular diet: it only benefits a very small group of people ”.

By eating irregularly in the long term we can not only gain weight, but also contract cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis. So what are the principles of a healthy diet to follow, and when to see a dietitian, the press release asks.

Food protects or preserves

Dietitian D. Pipiraitė-Lazarevičienė, a doctor working at the RVUL Consultation Center, says that the number of Lithuanians interested in healthy eating is increasing and the relationship of the younger generation with food is changing. Most of them know the basics of proper eating, but they often find excuses and just don’t follow them.

Asked what awaits people who look at food with indifference, the dietitian identifies obesity as one of the most acute problems. Although this may seem like a cosmetic problem, D. Pipiraitė-Lazarevičienė says that obesity increases the risk of getting sick.

Also, many different diseases are caused by altered metabolism and metabolism is affected by malnutrition. In this way, malnutrition becomes an important risk factor for diabetes, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, various heart and brain diseases, oncological diseases. And proper nutrition helps reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, even those that seem to have little to do with nutrition, such as depression or Alzheimer’s, ”says the specialist.

Of course, malnutrition is accompanied by directly related ailments: stomach pains, indigestion, bloating, constipation, reflux, etc. These conditions can be prevented or delayed by following a few simple tips from your dietitian.

Intermittent fasting required for minority

One of the most important principles of a healthy diet is eating. RVUL’s nutritionist doctor D. Pipiraitė-Lazarevičienė emphasizes that you should not force yourself into tight frames and advises discovering an individual eating regimen. According to her, it is very important not to eat late at night and to eat at least 12 hours between meals; If you dined at 7pm, you must have breakfast at 7am.

“You will have enough time to starve. If you do not have breakfast in the morning because you are not hungry, then dinner was too late and abundant,” says the specialist.

The nutritionist highlights the recent popularity of intermittent eating: “For some reason, people believe that a healthy diet is inseparable from intermittent eating when taking a 14-hour or even 16-hour break. However, the health effects of such a regimen are still under investigation, making it difficult to draw conclusions and recommend intermittent feeding at this time. It is important to remember that intermittent feeding is not equivalent to a healthy diet, it is a type of starvation that is only necessary for a very small group of people.

When asked how many times a day to eat, the specialist answers that it is an individual choice for each person. However, he recommends consuming it every 3-4 hours, 3-4 times a day: for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and you can also include a snack based on fruits, nuts or similar products.

More colors, more health

A healthy diet must be balanced and varied, the human body must obtain proteins, carbohydrates, fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals, food must be of both plant and animal origin.

However, according to D. Pipiraitė-Lazarevičienė, one of the biggest problems of these times is extremely high-calorie foods. The calories in these foods are obtained in the form of “bad” (refined) carbohydrates and fats (sugar, starch, palm fat, etc.). “We must choose vegetable fats, whole grains, whole wheat bread enriched with seeds, cracked grains to obtain the highest amount of fiber possible, along with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Two thirds of the food must be of plant origin and the remaining third or less of animal origin ”, warns the interlocutor.

The dietitian recommends eating as many vegetables as possible every day: white, red, orange, purple, dark blue, green, etc., because the polyphenols that determine the color of vegetables have an antioxidant effect, protect the human body from various chronic diseases, help balance microorganisms. Polyphenols are found not only in fruits and vegetables, but also in tea, cocoa, high-quality olive oil, and spices.

Seasonality is also very important. “In fall and winter, I recommend choosing local seasonal vegetables and fruits: carrots, multi-colored onions, beets, fresh and sauerkraut, pickles, garlic, apples. I’m not saying you shouldn’t eat tomatoes like you in winter, but the base should be made with local products. And potatoes should definitely not dominate the diet, it will be enough to put them in a little soup or, on occasions, serve as a garnish ”, says the specialist.

Good news for coffee lovers

The adult body contains about 70 percent. water, without which vital processes could not take place, so to eat healthily, you should not forget water. Depending on the air temperature, the amount of water consumed varies, therefore RVUL doctor nutritionist D. Pipiraitė-Lazarevičienė recommends trusting your intuition.

“Of course, sometimes the feeling of thirst atrophies, a person does not have it. Then it is possible to guide by the color of the urine; It should be light yellow. If the color is bright, dark, then a person is lacking in water. The amount of water required can also be calculated as follows: 1 cm of human height requires 1 ml of water.

For example, if a person is 170 cm tall, they should consume about 1.7 liters of water a day with liquids and sugar-free foods. There are other formulas: 30 ml of water per kilogram of body weight or 1 ml of water per kilocalorie consumed ”, calculates the dietician. The specialist also remembers that we obtain water from tea, coffee, soup and other products.

When asked if coffee is compatible with a healthy diet, the interviewee does not hesitate to confirm that coffee and a healthy diet are perfectly compatible, unless a doctor indicates otherwise.

“There are diseases for which the doctor recommends giving up coffee. However, for a healthy person, 2-3 cups of coffee a day are not harmful. On the contrary, polyphenols in coffee have positive properties, and coffee without sugar and cream is low in calories, – D. Pipiraitė-Lazarevičienė refutes the myths about coffee and adds – if you sweeten the coffee, add cream or milk, consider it as a snack or dessert.

It is worth relying only on specialists.

Although many nutrition-related tips can be found on the Internet and social media, D. Pipiraitė-Lazarevičienė encourages you to look at them critically and, first, to assess the competence of the people sharing the tips. You will definitely not go wrong if you consult a dietitian who will professionally help you adjust your diet in a safe way for health.

A diet plan and recommendations are made not only to correct weight, but also in case of indigestion and other correctable disorders. A consultation with a dietitian can be obtained by referring to a specialist or family doctor or by requesting it on your own.

The dietitian gives advice during the consultation, can develop a diet plan, prescribe a specific diet based on the type of disease, such as lowering cholesterol, gluten-free, pre or postoperative, FODMAP (FODMAP is a type of carbohydrate resistant to carbohydrates ) that reduces or increases weight. others.

It is important to remember that having a diet plan and implementing it are two different things. Changing eating habits is an intervention in the metabolism, the body and its activities. This intervention must be done in a professional manner. Sometimes people face psychological problems, so nutritionists can give really specific recommendations on how to change habits, distinguish emotional hunger from physical, how to help yourself.

We also monitor compliance with the recommendations by the patient, schedule appointments, monitor progress and evaluate the results achieved together ”, says the specialist.

RVUL doctor nutritionist D. Pipiraitė-Lazarevičienė reminds us that food is not a medicine, but it has a significant impact on our long-term health. Also, to live a healthy life, one should not forget about physical activity and psychological health.