It’s always tempting to turn to the quickest fix, especially when it’s as simple as popping a pill for a specific health condition. But this approach often ignores the cause of the problem, so the issue doesn’t really get resolved.
That’s why Dr. Terry L. Franklin takes a close look at nutrition when working with people at his family medicine practice in downtown Monterey, California.
Dr. Franklin pioneered the Appreciative Medicine™ strategy, which views health as a continuum of physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychological being. A key foundation of this whole-body approach includes proper nutrition.
Are you looking to improve your health and wellness? Here’s why it’s time to rethink your diet.
In modern life, a healthy diet often gets overlooked for the sake of speed and convenience. In many cases, we grab things on the go, choose pre-made options ready with the push of a button, or skip meals altogether.
But this strategy often overlooks the most critical part of eating: It provides the essential nutrients your body needs to heal and thrive.
Food contains two major classes of nutrients: macronutrients and micronutrients.
Macronutrients are things like protein, carbohydrates, and fat. They give you energy and provide the building blocks for your tissue and muscles.
Micronutrients are all of those crucial minerals and vitamins. They’re as essential for living as water and air. Why? Because they keep your body healthy and functioning while protecting you from diseases.
When a diet lacks these nutrients, the body can’t work properly on a cellular level, which increases your chances of illness and disease. Worse yet, an unhealthy diet raises inflammation and decreases immune function — issues that also compromise your health and wellness.
When you make good nutrition a priority, you often live longer. It also reduces your chances of serious medical problems like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and even certain cancers.
Generally speaking, a healthy diet includes a combination of whole, minimally processed foods, such as:
A healthy diet also limits salt, sugar, and saturated or industry-produced trans fats, like partially hydrogenated oil. This substance comes in commercial baked goods, frozen pizza, refrigerated doughs, nondairy coffee creamers, and fried foods.
Unfortunately, most Americans consume too much sugar, saturated fat, and sodium. And less than 1 in 10 eat enough fruits or vegetables.
Changing your diet can seem difficult, but Dr. Franklin has the experience and expertise to help simplify the process. He also tailors his recommendations on a case-by-case basis, so you get precisely the help you need to heal your body.
To start, Dr. Franklin evaluates your health and discusses your existing symptoms or concerns. Then he asks questions about your diet, lifestyle, and overall goals moving forward.
If Dr. Franklin suspects a specific medical condition or nutritional deficiency, he could also recommend some blood tests.
After Dr. Franklin has a good sense of your health and wellness, he works with you to identify wellness care strategies to make dietary changes that can last a lifetime.
For instance, if you have high blood pressure, Dr. Franklin could suggest ways to lower the sodium in your diet with simple whole-food meals you make yourself. More than 70% of salt in an American diet comes from eating processed, store-bought, packaged, or restaurant foods.
When you make better nutrition part of your daily routine, you can expect to improve your physical, emotional, and mental health. It can even reduce your need for many prescription medications and reduce your risk of disease at the same time.
If you want to learn more about healing your body with nutrition, Dr. Franklin can help. Contact our office in downtown Monterey, California, to schedule a consultation today.
