Over the past few years, my husband and I have both consulted with nutritionists about managing our chronic health conditions. I was seeking advice on how to manage my high cholesterol naturally. I was hoping to avoid medication for my hereditary high cholesterol (Familial hypercholesterolemia) with diet and exercise if possible. My husband was seeking advice on how to manage his Type 2 Diabetes with diet and exercise as well, to hopefully get into remission at some point and reverse his diabetes. I was shocked when we both came home with pretty much the exact same advice! This made me curious to do more research. What I discovered was that pretty much every person will benefit from eating this way. The basic advice was to limit saturated fats to less than 10 grams per day (we were both encouraged to limit meat consumption) and increase fiber with whole grains, beans/legumes, and fruits and veggies. Eating this way lowers inflammation in our bodies, which is the root of most forms of chronic illnesses including cancer. I am excited to share with you what we learned, as well as some awesome resources for even more information on this topic.

Lowering our saturated fat intake was the #1 piece of advice for both of our conditions. I feel like I know a decent amount about nutrition since it is a topic I’ve been interested in all of my adult life, but this was a factor I had surprisingly overlooked in my diet. We live in a society that is so obsessed with low-carb diets, that you almost forget that fat is something that needs to be monitored. It seems to be accepted among most of the medical community that whole food plant-based eating is the healthiest way to go. It requires knowledge of nutrition and/or the help of a nutritionist to make sure you are getting enough protein and all of the vitamins and minerals that you need, but if you stick to actual whole foods and not processed foods that happen to be vegan, this seems to be the healthiest diet out there.

I have attempted a vegan diet on several occasions and have not succeeded. I really admire people who stick to it, especially for the environmental benefits and obviously saving the lives of animals, but every time I’ve tried it I have had negative physical and surprisingly even mental side effects. So I was excited to learn that it’s not necessary to be vegan to help manage our conditions. Instead, we choose lean meats like boneless skinless chicken breasts and lean ground turkey. We also include fish in our diet 1-2x per week as recommended to us for the healthy Omega-3 fats. I do try to eat vegetarian dinners 1-2 times per week, and I also don’t eat any meat at breakfast or lunch, since we were both advised to only have one serving of meat per day at most. We also limit red meat to 1-2 times per month. I’ve tried different ways of eating, and this seems to be what works best for both me and my family.

Adding more fiber to our diet was another important recommendation we both received. Fruits and veggies are a great source of fiber, especially cruciferous veggies such as broccoli and brussels sprouts (we try to eat each of these once per week) and fruits such as apples and citrus. Oats are another great source of fiber that we include in our diet every day. Everyone knows oats are great for lowering cholesterol, but I was surprised to learn that they are helpful in managing blood sugar as well. I know a lot of people with diabetes are counting carbs, but we’ve learned that carbohydrates with soluble fiber are so great for our bodies, and oats are a great way to get this type of fiber. We love to start our day with a bowl of oatmeal or a green smoothie.

Whole grains are another great source of fiber. These are also low in fat and contain protein, making them great for both of our conditions. We eat whole grain bread often (I love Nature’s Own brand), either in a sandwich or as a side of toast with eggs or even a piece of bread with some soup. I love to have bread with my lunch, especially on my gym days since it is more filling. We also have brown rice with our dinner a few times per week as well as whole grain pasta, and even whole wheat tortillas. I am so happy that we discovered this healthier way of eating because I honestly enjoy what we eat so much more now that we are not counting carbs, and the fact that it’s also healthier for me and my family is obviously a huge bonus!

Seeds were another highly recommended food for both of our conditions and are an ingredient many people are missing from their diets. Seeds are a great source of fiber and healthy fat and can help manage blood sugar and lower cholesterol levels. We love to include flax and/or chia seeds in our breakfasts. Nuts and nut butter are other excellent sources of plant-based protein and healthy fats that were recommended to both of us. Green tea was also highly suggested for its powerful antioxidants.

Another “superfood” suggested by our nutritionists was beans and legumes. It seems the word is out that beans are THE superfood for a long and healthy life. They are packed with fiber and plant-based protein and they also contain antioxidants to help keep our cells healthy, which is key for a long and healthy life. My husband absolutely hates beans, but I have found ways to incorporate them into his diet without too much of a fight. The easiest way is chickpea pasta. We eat Banza pasta once or twice a week (it was recommended to us to eat beans at least 3 times per week). This is also a great way to have a plant-based dinner while still getting lots of protein. One 3.5 oz serving of Banza pasta has 20 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber! Using edamame instead of chicken or shrimp in a veggie-packed stir-fry is another plant-based dinner that I love. Another way I love to incorporate beans and lentils into my diet is with soup. I absolutely love Amy’s brand soups and eat them at least 2 days per week for lunch. It makes it so easy for me to include these healthy ingredients in my lunches. Black bean brownies are another easy way to sneak beans into your diet. Beans, beans, the magical fruit, the more you eat the… LONGER YOU LIVE! :)

Preventing and/or managing chronic disease, including high cholesterol and diabetes, can be positively impacted by a diet full of plant-based whole foods such as fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds, and whole grains such as oats, and beans/legumes. When eating meat and fish (which should be limited to once per day at most), lean cuts low in saturated fats are best. We were also directed that it is fine to eat eggs (a great source of protein and does not seem to negatively impact cholesterol) and low-fat dairy (we mainly choose greek yogurt and light string cheese). Following these guidelines, along with staying hydrated, getting plenty of exercise (we strive for 3-4 one-hour workouts per week), getting enough sleep, managing stress, getting out in nature, etc…are key factors in living a long and healthy life.

As parents, keeping up with our doctor appointments and keeping our bodies healthy is even more important to us now that we have two little ones counting on us. I am grateful to have this information on nutrition to keep us on track in day-to-day life and wanted to share it with you, especially after realizing this is such a healthy way for anyone to be eating. If you’d like to research these topics further, some of my favorite resources are Dr. Mark Hyman, Head of Functional Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic (functional medicine is another topic I’m super interested in! This focuses on treating the whole person instead of symptoms) https://drhyman.com/, Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones (He studies centenarians and their lifestyles to help people live longer, healthier lives) https://www.bluezones.com/#section-4, and the health website mindbodygreen (I always learn such interesting things about Health & Wellness from them) https://www.mindbodygreen.com/. I will caution you, some of the things they suggest are a little intense. I could probably never eat exactly the way they suggest, but in general, I find their guidelines helpful and interesting.

I hope you find this information useful. All of these sites offer further tips on this way of eating and advice on healthy living in general. For ideas on how to incorporate these foods into your own routine, check out my Meal Planning/Recipes section of the blog! I hope you are inspired to incorporate some new healthy habits into your lifestyle such as limiting meat consumption (this is a great first step!), increasing fiber, or getting in 5-7 servings of fruits and veggies every day. Which will you choose?