An Apple A Day

We’ve heard the old saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” and it really is true.  When we eat real, whole foods like apples, we are feeding our bodies genuine replacement parts.  Our bodies can take these nutrients and repair our bodies so they can continue to function at their best.

Try to aim for veggies, meats, seafood, nuts and seeds, fruits, and dairy (in moderation).  Add in clean water each day; usually about ½ your body weight in ounces.  Try to avoid processed foods.  You can recognize these by their labels.  Products usually have really long labels!  Asking yourself if you could have found this item 100 years ago is another trick to finding out if it is processed.

While “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” it only does so if you eat it!  Remember that this real food is likely to spoil faster than product foods so you’ll want to remember they are in the refrigerator and eat them while they are fresh.  Experiment with different recipes and learn what you like and how you like it fixed. 

As with most things in life, when you start to change your diet it needs to be done gradually.  Don’t expect to change it completely overnight.  The purpose of changing your diet should be for improved health and function of your body and not a temporary change.  Because this is a life-long change, it must be done in such a way that you can maintain the changes.  This is the reason for making smaller changes gradually.

It may be helpful to set realistic goals while you are improving your diet.  You may want to set both short term and long term goals.  If, or when, you “fall off the wagon,” don’t let that stop you in your quest to regain your health.  Don’t expect yourself to be perfect.  Each moment is a conscious decision to be healthier so just keep making that conscious decision.

Improving your diet isn’t simply for decreasing your waistline.  Other benefits include decreased pain, better digestion, increased energy, and generally better health overall.  An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but adding more green veggies and other whole foods helps even more!


Did you like this article?  Do you have a question or topic that you would like to have Dr. Smith cover? Please let her know! 

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