by RYAN MILEJCZAK
Sponsored by Central Florida Health Care
As the adage goes, you are what you eat. In other words, eating a healthy, balanced diet that provides adequate nutrition is essential for good health.
“Nutrition has a lot of impacts on your overall health, both mental and physical,” explains Ronald Lund, a registered dietician nutritionist with Central Florida Health Care. “It affects things like the risk of chronic disease, weight management, sleep, and energy levels.”
As important as good nutrition is, Lund says it’s something many Americans struggle with.
“On a macro level, just as a generalization, a lot of people struggle with ultra processed foods. These increase the risk for becoming overweight or obese, which in turn increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, among other issues,” he explains.
These issues are widespread, with nearly two in three adults overweight or obese. Another major issue facing many Americans is the prevalence of nutrient deficiencies.
“When it comes to nutrient deficiencies, protein is the one I always focus on, as it’s very commonly underconsumed,” says Lund. “Other common deficiencies include magnesium, potassium, vitamin B, vitamin C, zinc, and iron.”
With providers like Lund who are well-versed in nutrition, Central Florida Health Care has the ability to educate patients so they can improve their diet and overall well-being.
“Once I see a new patient, the most important thing is working on creating new habits. That’s the hardest part,” Lund says. “To make things easier, we’ll help the patient break down and simplify that process with just one or two things they want to make changes with. Then we do followups, adding new things to work on. And over time, we see that change as these people improve their habits.”
Many of these goals often involve cutting down on sugar, eating more fruits and vegetables, and controlling portion size. But they also may be focused on improving health in ways that synergize with better nutrition, like increased exercise.
“The goals don’t have to be exclusively focused on nutrition,” Lund says. “We may also focus on exercise or on identifying and managing sources of stress and anxiety. We’ll look at influences in your environment and how they affect your lifestyle.”
The most important aspect to remember is that regardless of circumstances or goals, Central Florida Health Care can tailor care to your needs.
“With each patient, it’s an individualized approach,” Lund explains. “Each person is different. One may want to focus on nutrition while another may focus on exercise. The important thing is building that momentum of healthy changes, and then you can start building on top of that. And it’s also important to recognize anybody who’s making progress, to reinforce that with the patient and give them that positive feedback.”
That encouragement is something Lund says he and other medical providers at Central Florida Health Care prioritize.
“We’re all part of a team.”
Those who take the leap and work to improve their nutrition and overall health can see considerable benefits, including reductions in glucose levels, weight loss, improvements in cholesterol levels, and even better sleep and higher energy levels.
“In some cases, patients may even see a reduced need for medications or insulin,” Lund says.
He adds that patience and perseverance are key to the journey.
“It takes several follow-ups before we start to see changes. Some people are quick but, for most, it takes time. But if you stick with it, you’ll be amazed at your journey.”