Nutrition plays a crucial role in preventing various diseases, including serious ones like cancer, according to experts like Dr. Frank Dumont. He is an internist and the executive medical director at Virta Health, a Colorado organization emphasizing metabolic health through dietary changes.
In a recent interview, Dumont pointed out that over the years, Americans have seen a rising trend in obesity, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and cancer. He suggested that these issues likely stem from lifestyle changes over the decades.
“Food is a significant factor in this,” he said. “Our eating habits have shifted dramatically, and many of our foods are now more processed and richer in simple carbs than before.”
Dumont noted that these highly processed foods can lead to heightened insulin levels and inflammation, increasing the risk of chronic diseases. To help mitigate these risks, he suggests a few straightforward adjustments to our diets.
“It really varies by individual,” he explained. “The more you understand your body, the better equipped you are to make informed decisions.”
#1: Choose Real Fruit Over Fruit Juice
One of his recommendations is to opt for whole fruits instead of drinking processed fruit juices. Dumont believes this can enhance your fiber intake and help you consume more natural products.
While he acknowledges that fruit juices do offer some minerals and vitamins, they are often more processed, which removes much of the beneficial fiber that should accompany the sugars found in fruit.
Dumont expressed that he doesn’t favor demonizing fruits, even though their sugar content is sometimes criticized. “Fruits have significant health benefits,” he stated. However, he cautioned that for individuals with metabolic disorders or high insulin resistance, even healthy fruits could be overwhelming for their bodies.
“But for most folks, especially those without metabolic issues, fruit does a great job of combining sugar with fiber,” he added.
2. Opt Out of Breaded Chicken
Even at fast-food establishments, small changes can have a positive impact on health, Dumont said. He advised people to choose chicken salads rather than breaded chicken sandwiches, which tend to be higher in carbohydrates.
Sticking with grilled chicken is another strong suggestion from him. “If you put a healthy dressing on your salad, that’s a much better grab-and-go option at fast food places,” he noted.
Food as Medicine
Dumont has witnessed firsthand how patients often struggle with chronic diseases when relying solely on medications. “It was disheartening to watch people decline,” he lamented. “Eventually, I discovered just how powerful nutrition and lifestyle changes can be, even if I had been trained to doubt that effectiveness.”
His earlier training instilled a belief that maintaining healthy lifestyle adjustments was challenging for most patients, leading to the quick transition to medication. However, he now feels quite differently.
“That’s not the reality,” he emphasized. “When people receive the correct information, they can adopt changes in ways that feel enjoyable and manageable.” Dumont has observed significant improvements in patients’ conditions when their diet aligns with their individual needs.
Many of these patients once felt as if their health efforts were in vain but have now begun to recognize their bodies and what works for them. “It’s like night and day,” he concluded, expressing newfound optimism for the future.
