Regardless of your dietary intake, there is no question that getting the proper nutrition daily is important to health, wellness and longevity specifically a healthy, happy sort of longevity. But there have long been questions on what sort of benefits or detriments various standard diets can have, whether that is a standard omnivorous intake, vegetarianism or veganism.
With recent findings, advances in nutritional studies and a fresh eye on intake needs, Americans are finding entirely new ways to live healthy and regardless of your diet, what you put in your body is supremely important.
Julie Hersey is a nutritionist for Stop & Shop New England. She is a registered dietitian, and is passionate about healthy eating and nutritional intake, and her day-today life is never quite the same. Whether she is in-store working with customers to maximize their health through dietary intake, or out on the road working on events or at hospitals, she always has her mind set on healthy lives through healthy diets.
I grew up in a big Greek family and weve always loved food, said Hersey. Thats the center of my family. We always had gardens as kids, and wed be in the kitchen making a salad together. I grew up surrounded by home cooking. In high school I was an athlete, and realized the impact of not eating correctly, how that would affect me playing soccer and running for 90 minutes. I learned to make that connection. I took one bio chem class in high school and really loved the idea of how food impacts your body.
Hersey went on to attend Syracuse University, where she received her bachelors of science in dietetics and clinical nutrition services before an internship at the University of Connecticut led to her masters of science at the same school. While nutrition at the time wasnt as popular an interest as it would become, it was something she said she always felt passionate about, and landing in her current role as nutritionist at Stop & Shop was a dream come true.
This was my dream job, Hersey said. I had gotten to work at supermarkets when I was an intern. I wanted to work in the super markets. After I finished my masters I saw the job posting and I was so excited. I knew after a two-hour interview it went well. Most dietitians in a supermarket say its their dream job. Its a little bit of everything. You get to do counseling one one one, get out in the community and teaching people what to do with things.
On any given day, Hersey will teach nutrition classes to children, talk to kids and adults at hospitals, or work with customers within her home store. She also works with the media team doing events, and has worked in the past with the Patriots, Red Sox and more. While vegetarianism and veganism have existed for as long as humans had the ability to make decisions on their intake, rather than what they could forage or hunt around them, the past decades have seen an uptick in individuals classifying themselves as each.
For those unaware, vegetarians do not eat meat, while vegans dont eat meat or any other animal product, such as eggs and dairy. There are myths surrounding each. That it is impossible to maintain healthy nutrition as either is a common belief, and while that can be true without proper intake, vegetarianism, veganism and being omnivorous can all be healthy or unhealthy lifestyles.
You kind of have to sit down and talk to a dietitian to figure out what youre getting and what you might be missing out on, explained Hersey. Are you lacto-ovo? Do you have dairy? You might be OK with calcium and vitamin D. Are you eating eggs? You can be OK with B12. Not only vegetarians are deficient in vitamin D. Calcium is always a controversial one. A lot of dark veggies have calcium. Tofu is fortified in calcium. There are ways to get calcium in those diets, but also exercising is a good way to maintain your bone health.
The issue isnt whether or not any of these options can be healthy they can it is tailoring your intake to match your nutritional needs. For instance, vegetarians and vegans can get iron from plants, but that iron intake should be paired with vitamin C to be properly absorbed. Omega 3 Fatty acids are another area vegetarians and vegans may need help with, but they are not alone in that.
Vegans and vegetarians arent alone in needing omega 3 fatty acids, said Hersey. If you arent eating fish, you are getting it from plant-based sources like flax seeds and tofu and walnuts. The plant-based versions are a little tougher to convert. Fats are making a big comeback, picking the anti-inflammatory fats. Theyre really good for digestion and your joints.
While an omnivorous diet is the most versatile, and from a convenience perspective offers the most straightforward path to proper nutrition, there are difficulties inherent in that diet as well.
Were trying to get people to be more conscious of the portion sizes of meat and also the quality, explained Hersey. Thinking of protein more as a topping rather than the bulk of the dish. Think about the vegetables first. Breakfast is an occasion that most omnivores are not getting enough protein in the morning. Were a carbohydrate-heavy nation at breakfast. Bagels, waffles, bread, cereal. Protein in the morning helps your blood sugar not spike so high. We need to get more protein in that breakfast, whether thats eggs, or Greek yogurt or nuts.
Regardless of your diet, the choices you make in what you put in your body are still the most crucial components, and according to Hersey, that is the number one thing those looking to enhance their nutrition must come to terms with.
I think really, getting back in touch with the fact that food is your fuel, said Hersey. You are what you eat. Really understanding that. If you dont put good gas in your car, it doesnt run well. If you dont put any in, it wont run at all. Your mood, your organs and your skin, everything is affected. I think, mostly, I try to teach people just to live a better life, longer. Not just living long, but living healthy in that long life. You really want to be generally healthy your whole life.
Reporter Joshua Lyford can be reached at 508-749-3166, ext. 325, or by email at Jlyford@worcestermagazine.com. Follow Josh on Twitter @Joshachusetts and on Instagram @Joshualyford.
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Vegetarian, vegan or omnivore: Staying healthy, longer - Worcester Mag
