by Audrey Anderson
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The affable David Wheeler led a lighthearted discussion on principles of healthy eating in his talk, “Delicious Diabetic Cooking,” at the Dover Town Library (DTL) on Saturday, March 9. He shared his knowledge of nutrition, took questions, and offered recipes and tips for making healthy and tasty food.
According to Wheeler, a person’s chances of developing diabetes is a “combination of diet and genetics.” Making healthy food choices can lead to improvements in health. The National Institutes of Health’s Recommended Dietary Allowance of sugar, for instance, is 0: sugar is not needed in your diet to maintain your health. The maximum daily recommendation is for women to eat no more than 6 teaspoons (100 calories) of sugar, and the recommendation for men is to eat no more than 9 teaspoons (150 calories) of sugar. However, the average woman eats 17 teaspoons per day, and the average man eats 22 teaspoons per day. Reducing your consumption of sugar and switching from refined sugar to natural sugars, such as Stevia or the natural sugars in fruits, would be a sound step in improving your health.
Wheeler counseled attendees to focus on plant-based meals, eat different foods in moderation, and choose whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. He also stressed avoiding processed foods and “liquid sugars,” such as soda and fruit juices. Foods that are especially beneficial are beans, lentils, whole grain oats, ancient grains such as quinoa and farro, and pita bread.
Wheeler suggests checking the health.harvard.edu site for health information backed by references to specific research studies. He recommends visiting mayoclinic.org for great healthy recipes.
Wheeler’s company, Therapy Gardens, “collaborates with libraries, senior community centers, private clubs, and living facilities to bring education and wellness closer to the public.” www.therapygardens.com also offers free healthy recipes.
