Welcome to the Middle Aged Diet

You are not a kid any more and becoming a senior is just around the corner. By now, you are monitoring, at least, one of the following: Blood pressure, blood sugar, or cholesterol levels. If not, you are using a prescription, or an herbal remedy, to deal with being borderline or worse.

Your doctor has told you to make some lifestyle adjustments, that don't fit. You don't like the diet options, don't want to be on a prescription, and don't have the time to stop working, to make healthy meals.

Remember when, we had time to park and eat at the local A&W drive-in. Now, everything is a drive-thru, and most of us have seen one drive-thru too many. Those days are gone, and if we want to live a quality life to the end, fast food is limited to salads. Fast food restaurants are not at fault for serving what is in demand. Fat, salt, and butter, are very popular ingredients to add, resulting in massive sales and consumption of food.

We can bring back the good old days by getting back to the basics. Our parents did consume fresh vegetables, fruit, hot cereal, cold cereal, and homemade soups. The biggest problem is our diets were compromised, for the convenience, and to save time. Our parents didn't eat out nearly as much as we do.

Let's say you have no choice, for lunch, and you must go out to eat. Your best option, instead of the local fast food restaurant, is the supermarket salad bar. Usually, there are a wide variety of prepared fruits and vegetables to choose from. This is also a great way to lower your eating expenses.

The local deli might seem like your next best option, but you should be eating grainy breads, if you order a sandwich. Lunchmeat is no longer a wise choice with nitrates and triglycerides, so vegetables, eggplant, or salmon are your best sandwich options. Turkey might be fine, if it is fresh and roasted by the deli. Tuna should only be consumed once a week due to the amount of mercury, within a serving. Some delis do have healthy specials, salads, and hot meals worth considering.

When eating at local restaurants, proceed with caution. With extra preparation there is more of a chance that salt, butter, and fat will be hidden in your food. If you feel you can trust the establishment, ask them about the item you want to order.

Lastly, read all your labels. Consume sodium, saturated fat, trans fats, and sugars with extreme caution. Make food at home, when possible, and drink plenty of water.

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html