There is an English proverb, “Don’t dig your grave with your own knife and fork.”

During my sixty-plus years, behaviors relating to nutrition have changed considerably. While medical science has triumphed over many infectious diseases such as polio, chronic nutrition-related diseases including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer have increased.

Caregivers can make a difference by promoting healthy eating for their self, the person for whom they provide care and other family members. Last week I introduced you to my acronym for good nutrition – BLESS – as in “bless this food to our use.” The first letter stands for (eat) BETTER. There are hundreds of ways, both big and small, that you can improve your daily nutrition. Today I will suggest some broad guidelines that you can adapt to your individual needs.

1. Read nutritional labels and ingredients before purchasing food. I cannot tell you how many times I have put an item back on the shelf after reading this information. Take note of the calories. Remember, the count is for each serving which is probably a smaller amount than most people actually eat. Avoid foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar – three main culprits. Many processed foods provide these in abundance but little actual nutrition.
2. Make water your beverage of choice. It seems everyone is carrying a water bottle today, and that is a good thing. Just replacing most sodas and sugar-sweetened beverages with water can make a big difference. Why consume drinks that have no nutritional value but lots of calories and sugar?
3. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Buy fruits and vegetables in-season and local when available. Eat raw, and skip the fat-filled salad dressings that can have more calories, salt and fat than a hamburger and defeats the purpose. There are many recipes for salad dressings that are tasty and healthy and do not include the mysterious ingredients found in commercial dressings.
4. Switch from white bread to whole-grain. Again, it is important to read the label and make sure “whole-grain” is the first ingredient – and that sugar is not the second. I am sure you have heard the phrase, “The whiter your bread, the sooner you’re dead.” Enough said.
5. Eat less red meats and dairy products, which are high in calories and fat. Trim the fat from meats and choose low-fat dairy products.
6. Increase your intake of high fiber foods such as nuts, seeds, beans, whole-grains, fruits and vegetables. These will help you feel more satisfied as you decrease unhealthy food choices and they have other health benefits.
7. Eat out less. I know, this is a favorite pastime in our town, but most restaurants prepare food to be delicious rather than healthy. Some eateries are seeking to serve healthier fare and I expect this will be a future trend. On our anniversary, we went to a favorite restaurant, and at first, I was distraught to see calorie counts on the menu. However, seeing the numbers convinced me to choose an entrée with fewer calories than “my usual” and I skipped dessert – I just couldn’t justify 1,200 calories for a petite slice of cheesecake. But we shared a piece of rich, dark chocolate when we got home (100 calories)!

These guidelines just skim the surface of choices we can make to eat BETTER. I encourage you to do your own reading and research, and please share what works for you. Next: eat LESS.