Espacio de Ana Lucia

In most people's minds, nutrition is a core principal of good health. However, it doesn't matter how nutritious the food is if you aren't eating - and digesting - properly.

Here are some mealtime methods to ensure you are getting optimal benefits from your food.

Less Food is More Years
In my extensive research on the diets of centenarians, I found something that almost all of them had in common: they tended to eat less. Because many of the centenarians lived on a very modest budget, they were eating less than average and even fasting during especially lean times.

They largely followed the "three-quarters rule" which means that they stopped eating once they were three-quarters full. Many studies have shown that a reduction in caloric intake increased the life expectancy in animals, so it follows that the same would be true for humans. Take a hint from the centenarians and listen when your stomach tells you have eaten to the three-quarters mark.

Be Kind to Your Insides
I often tell my patients that their stomachs do not have teeth. By this, I mean that your stomach breaks down food with nothing more than gastric juice and acid. Keep this in mind when you are eating. For every bite of food, chew at least thirty times before swallowing.

This way, your stomach doesn't have to work as hard because your food is predigested in your mouth by the enzyme ptyalin that is in your saliva. As a result, you are able to more readily absorb the important vitamins and nutrients from your food. Another thing to consider is that eating too quickly leads to an increased production of acid, the result of which is the common problem of heartburn.

Try 5 Small Meals a Day
It is a cultural habit to eat three times a day. However, it is much better to eat smaller meals more frequently to give your digestive system the opportunity for optimal absorption. When you eat smaller portions four or five times a day, you are delivering a steady stream of nutrients, blood sugar, and energy to your body throughout the day.

Eating this way is also much less taxing on the digestive and metabolic systems. And take this into consideration: eating throughout the day keeps you from becoming famished and overeating at your next meal.

You Are When You Eat
That's right. It is true that "you are what you eat," as the famous saying goes, but also, when you eat is an important factor. The human body follows a circadian rhythm, and because of this, the same foods eaten at breakfast and lunch are processed differently than when they are eaten at dinner.

Studies have shown that when you eat your daily protein and fat at breakfast you tend to lose weight and have more energy; however, eating the same things at dinner tend to increase tendencies toward weight gain, increased blood pressure, and heart disease.

As a general rule, I suggest eating your last meal of the day by 7 p.m., and to end with another pertinent phrase: "eat late to gain weight."

Get in on the vegetable fest for summer. Read on to make a dish with all your favorites!

Eat for a Reason, Eat for the Season
Nature has the perfect plan in providing the perfect foods for the given season. For instance, summer foods tend to be on the cooling side - you would naturally want and need to eat foods that are more cooling because these foods prevent overheating.

Some cooling vegetables that should be readily available right now are arugala, beets, carrots, celery, collards, corn, cucumbers, okra, snow peas, squash, Swiss chard, and zucchini.

Tomatoes: the Antioxidant Connection
No vegetable better marks the summer season than the juicy, vine-ripened tomato. The red pigment in tomato, called lycopene, is an antioxidant that has been extensively studied for its cancer prevention properties. When eaten in high quantities, tomatoes help to lower the risk of colon, prostate, rectal, and stomach cancer.

Lycopene has also been found to inhibit the development of cancer cells in the breasts, lungs, and uterus. The health benefits of tomatoes don't stop here. Rich in beta-carotene and vitamins A and C, tomatoes are also known to reduce heart disease, as well as prevent cataracts. Just one note of caution: people with arthritis and other autoimmune disease symptoms may experience temporary aggravation by eating tomatoes due to solanine, an alkaloid in the tomato.

Here is a recipe where the cooling vegetables of summer take center stage:

Summer Vegetable Soup
Soups are full of life-giving properties year-round. Although in the summer heat, it feels natural to cook with raw produce and items from the freezer, traditional Chinese cooking rarely calls for chilled or raw food because it puts out the digestive fire and causes stomach distress. One way to enjoy chilled soup and not put the digestive fire out is to add warming spices such garlic and onions to counter balance.  

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 handful green beans, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 cup fresh corn
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• Herb salt
• Tamari
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives, for garnish

Directions:
1. Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a stockpot over moderately high heat.
2. Add all ingredients, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until tender, about 30 minutes. Add tomato sauce and heat until warm.
3. Season with herb salt and tamari, to taste. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with cilantro and chives, if desired.

I hope you explore all the possibilities of summer vegetables!