I always advocate preparing your own meals whenever you can. Making your own meals saves you time and money, plus you know exactly what goes into everything you prepare.
Today when you take a trip, you have to take real food with you. It's not your fault that you can't find real food in the average American town. The food industry conspires to keep real food off the shelves. Why? It's simply not as profitable to sell vegetables, fruits, and nuts as it is to sell Twinkies, candy bars, and chips.
While numerous culprits -- namely, the introduction of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) into the food supply -- contribute to our obesity epidemic, so too do increased portion sizes and eating more than half our meals in restaurants, on the go, and at fast-food restaurants.
Especially around the holidays, you'll probably attend numerous luncheons, dinner parties, and other social events that restaurants will cater. If you're traveling, you will probably also eat out at sometimes less-than-stellar choices. Dining out can be a pleasurable experience and a welcome deviation from cooking, but you want to be especially prepared during these situations.
Even if you choose farm-to-table restaurants or fine dining, you can never know exactly what will go into your food. Gluten and other food sensitivities as well as inflammatory vegetable oils are among the many problem ingredients you'll face in restaurants.
You needn't abandon logic when you eat out. Keeping a few core principles in mind and remaining flexible will allow you to eat well in any occasion.
- Be very clear about your needs. Asking your server questions before you order can save confusion and frustration once your entrée arrives. Most restaurants are set up to accommodate food sensitivities and special requests, so don't let the menu dictate what you order.
Choose the restaurant when you can. Research your options online and suggest a few options to your party. Most people are happy when someone else makes the decision, and choosing puts you in the driver's seat to find healthy options. Most places have online menus. Look for those with high-quality foods like grass-fed beef, wild-caught fish, and organic produce. Request a "crudités platter," fresh fruit, or olives as a starter or appetizer instead of the bread basket. Bread and alcohol at the beginning of a meal increase your hunger and alcohol decreases your inhibitions, making it more likely you'll make a play for the cheesecake. Drink water before your meals. Water helps curb your appetite. Be very specific about gluten and dairy intolerances. These two slip into even innocuous-sounding dishes. Again, always ask your servers. More restaurants now offer gluten-free menus. Make it simple. Ask for a grilled fish or chicken dish with a large plate of vegetables steamed in olive oil. Anything glazed, breaded, or otherwise comes drowning in sugary sauce is a red flag to stay away. Careful with the dressings. Dumping sugary, creamy dressing becomes a surefire way to ruin a perfectly healthy salad. Ask for olive oil and vinegar. Double up. If your wild-caught salmon comes with asparagus and couscous, simply substitute another green vegetable for the starch. Stop when you're 80 percent full. The Okinawans are among the longest-lived people on the planet. They have a simple saying: "harihachibu," or 80 percent full. You'll be pleasantly satisfied and you might even bring another meal home. Ask for berries for dessert. Berries provide sweetness without the sugar overload. While everyone else dives into some 2,000-calorie dessert monstrosity, you can enjoy your nutrient-rich berries guilt-free. Discover some "slow food " restaurants. These restaurants, where the atmosphere and ambience are soothing to your senses, are popping up more and more in big but also smaller cities. Many use the highest-quality farm-to-table ingredients. Our eating environment influences how much we end up eating. Slowing down and savoring your food helps you better enjoy your meals and also helps you eat less. Enjoy ethnic cuisine. Those include Indian, Japanese, Thai, Mediterranean (Italian, Greek, and Spanish), and Middle Eastern. You will reap different nutritional benefits from traditional ingredients such as lemongrass in Thai dishes, sea vegetables in Japanese dishes, curry in Indian dishes, and great greens such as escarole and broccoli rabe in Mediterranean dishes.Eating out often leads to eating too much and too much of the wrong things. But as awareness grows and the needs of health-conscious diners are met, menu options are changing and nutritionally-intelligent choices are now available. Even some chain restaurants now offer healthy options.
Every voice counts, so speak up and let your favorite restaurants know you want organic produce, high-quality oils, wild-caught fish, and grass-fed beef.
If you dine out, do terms like "organic" or "free-range" determine whether you will select a restaurant? Share your thoughts below or on my Facebook fan page.
Wishing you health and happiness,
Mark Hyman, M.D.
Mark Hyman, M.D. believes that we all deserve a life of vitality -- and that we have the potential to create it for ourselves. That's why he is dedicated to tackling the root causes of chronic disease by harnessing the power of Functional Medicine to transform healthcare. He is a practicing family physician, an eight-time #1 New York Times bestselling author, and an internationally recognized leader, speaker, educator, and advocate in his field. He is the Director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine. He is also the founder and medical director of The UltraWellness Center, chairman of the board of the Institute for Functional Medicine, a medical editor of The Huffington Post, and has been a regular medical contributor on many television shows including CBS This Morning, the Today Show, CNN, The View, the Katie Couric show and The Dr. Oz Show.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.