For many people, eating healthy is synonymous with getting nutrients. I have many patients that come in with health concerns and say “… but I eat healthy!” To then find out that despite what’s generally considered “healthy”, they’re not getting the nutrients they need. A plate of lettuce alone is not going to cut it!

Many nutritionists suggest varying the colors of your food – strive to have the colors of rainbow! Especially with kids, teach them to think about what colors from the rainbow they’ve got on their plate. It’s actually easier to teach this to kids, but just as important for adults!

Yellow – Squash and bell pepper
Orange – Carrots, sweet potatoes
Red – Tomato, radish, red bell pepper, beets
Purple – Eggplant, purple bell peppers, radicchio
Green – Cucumber, parsley, spinach

Here are a few good pointers to follow:

– Half (50%) of your plate should be vegetables.
– One quarter (25%) should be protein (eggs, lean meat like chicken, fish, or legumes like beans, etc.)
– One quarter (25%) should be grain (oats, rice, quinoa, etc.)
– With fruit, I typically suggest sticking with 1 cup per day – not more because it then becomes sugar overload.
– No fruits after 6pm
– Avoid oversized portions! Eat 5 small meals a day rather than 2 big ones
– Juice does not count as fruit!

Last but not least, drink MORE water! We could all use more of it, myself included!

In great health,
Dr. Sanda

Interested in discussing your nutritional and oral health with an award-winning periodontist and nutritionist? Contact Dr. Sanda Moldovan to schedule a consultation.