Diet is an important component of staying healthy and aging well. As an acupuncturist, I have studied diet and nutritional therapy from the perspective of Chinese medicine. Chinese medicine views the food as you eat three (and sometimes more!) Once a day. Beyond good digestion and eating certain foods for particular conditions, a number of my patients have asked us what constitutes a “good diet.

My first response is always to eat for your specific body type or health condition. For example, if you have digestive problems, it is important to eat cooked, easily digested foods such as soups, stews and stir fries. If you tend to get hot much of the time, eat foods that are cooling energy, such as bananas, melons, cucumbers, tomatoes and mint are appropriate. If you’re chronically cold, warming foods such as lamb, ginger and cinnemon can be useful. Eating for your particular condition is best done with the consultation of a qualified acupuncture or Chinese medicine.

A general guideline for eating according to Chinese medicine, is to include in your diet:

“Many baked dark

whole grains

‘A bit of fruit

small amounts of protein

“A great variety of local foods

Avoid cold foods and drinks, concentrated juices, saturated fats, sugar and sweeteners

Eating according to the principles of Chinese dietary therapy is only one way to improve health, however. There are several theories about what constitutes the optimal diet.

Some aspects of current research on Diet Mediterranean Diet as an excellent way of eating for good health. The Mediterranean diet includes foods from countries bordering the Mediterranean, and its benefits include improved cardiovascular health, weight maintenance, risk of some cancers, reduces inflammation and decreased cognitive decline. The good news is that very modest lifestyle changes, such as the integration of only one or two components of the diet, or start later in life changes can bring significant benefits to health.

So what is the Mediterranean diet? While there are a number of versions, key components include:

“The olives and olive oil products along with lots of fruit and vegetables

red wine (up to three glasses a day!)

deep sea fish

whole grains

“Legumes (beans), nuts and seeds

Fermented milk products low in fat (yogurt, kefir, etc.)

Limited-red meat, sweets and whole milk products

Although it is always better to incorporate the changes early in life, the message is here off the diet is important, regardless of when you start, small changes can affect your health.

Bon appetit!