What you should know about what you eat

Everyone has probably heard that it’s good to eat “healthy,” but healthy can be different for everyone – everyone’s bodies are different.  

Especially for those with the chronic disease of obesity, it’s important to understand what’s in your food. The type of nutrients you’re taking in is more important than the total amount of food you eat. 

Macronutrients include proteins, carbohydrates and fat, which all have roles in helping your body function as it needs to, though you can take in too much. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals.  

It can be helpful for anyone to understand macronutrients, but it’s more important for people who have polycystic ovary syndrome, diabetes, prediabetes and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Also, people who have had bariatric surgery can only eat a certain amount, so they need to make sure what they are eating is valuable to their body. Knowing this information can also be important for those who are pregnant, as well as for children, who are growing.  

The macro amounts each person needs is individualized to each person, so if you have obesity and are looking to learn more, you can connect with our team at TidalHealth Medical Weight Loss & Bariatric Nutrition.  

As far as what foods may be healthy, some people have neuroendocrine disorders that can impact chemical reactions and the way food impacts the body. Others have allergies – so, of course, a food that someone is allergic to would not be healthy for them.  

Without knowing anything about a patient’s specifics, my general advice for people who want to lose weight is to reduce sugar intake and increase protein intake. Once you’re full, don’t eat past that point.  

It’s also important to know what you’re eating. For example, even if you’re avoiding sugar, diet products, such as diet sodas, are not good for the body and should be limited.  

Logging meals is another way to understand and track what you’re eating.