Q: I find much nutritional advice confusing. Can you give me some simple guidelines to follow?
A: Eating a healthy diet does not have to be complicated. Here are some simple tips:
1. Look at your full plate. If it is only brown and white, you have a problem. The more colorful your plate of food (green, yellow, orange, red, purple, blue), the healthier it is. These colors reflect fruits and vegetables with fiber, vitamins and antioxidants.
2. Treat the following as a condiment or side dish: potatoes, bread, pasta, rice and most cereals.
3. Trim all visible fat, including chicken skin, and limit red meat consumption.
4. Eliminate soft drinks, including diet drinks. Drink more water and add a lime or lemon for taste.
5. Try a small handful of peanuts or almonds as a snack.
6. Red vinegar and olive oil is a healthy salad dressing.
— Dr. Thomas A. Cable,
Optimal Health Institute,
member, Chattanooga-Hamilton
County Medical Society
Readers: To submit an obesity-related question for a medical doctor, e-mail it to Clint Cooper at ccooper@timesfreepress.com. See this space each week for answers.