By Jacqueline Buitron/reporter
Students found the answers to their diet questions at the Diet Myths and Misunderstandings presentation on South Campus March 6.
Meridan Zerner, registered licensed dietician with Cooper Clinic, said she wanted to help students square off the curve, to live long, live happy and live strong,
“There is no such thing as a flawless diet,” she said.
The steps to healthier living include exercise, calorie counting and more of the real foods, not man-made foods, and more vegetables, Zerner said.
Zerner described a few diets that are good for people. A little bit of green tea is good to add to the diet because it reduces 50-100 calories, she said. The Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of having a stroke by 30 percent. The Paleo diet, which is based on eating wholesome, contemporary foods, can prevent and control diabetes and heart disease, Zerner said.
Some diets that are not so good include the HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) diet, which Zerner said only sets the person up for failure, the Dukan diet, the gluten-free diet and, most of all, cleansing and detox diets.
“Cleansing and detox diets is like asking your colon to rest,” she said. “And that’s like asking your heart not to beat!”
Zerner also shared tips and strategies for change. The main strategies include lots of water, at least seven-nine hours of sleep, calorie count, consumption of 50-100 fewer calories a day and smart substitutions, she said.
The strategies should be followed by other things people can do to stay healthy, she said. Those include not smoking, taking lower-dose aspirins, watching one’s diet, exercising at least 30 minutes a day to control blood pressure, taking Omega 3 supplements and eating more broccoli, ginger and turmeric.
For cancer prevention, Zerner said people can stay physically active, aim for a healthy weight throughout life and marinate meat, which can reduce cancer by 70 percent.
Zerner also gave a few tips for dining out. To go lean and green, diners can start with salads and try to leave all dressings to the side.
When working out, it is good to eat 30 grams of carbohydrates an hour before and after a workout, Zerner said. People have a 30-minute window to consume carbohydrates and protein.
“People don’t change well,” she said. “Hopefully, students will take something small from the presentation and incorporate it into their diet.”
