AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2019 - 26

FLY WELL

BY DR. JONATHAN M. SACKIER

Food facts
If we are what we eat, what are you?
IN 1826 JEAN ANTHELME BRILLAT-SAVARIN STATED,

"Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are."
Most people eat too much, and the wrong stuff. Once
obese, they try fad diets. I am sure I will offend some
people, but anyone not offended, please be patient-I will
get to you shortly. Poor food choices affect every organ,
diminishing lifespan and health span. There's lots of fake
food news, so be cautious. Unless you hear it from me!
America is sadly among the fattest countries on
Earth, affecting health and life expectancy. No excuse,
my fellow Americans, Brillat-Savarin nailed it. You eat
too much.
The term "fast food" is anathema; eating should be
enjoyed mindfully, meals planned with focus, ingredients purchased carefully, tastes relished; then luxuriate

Focus on what you should eat, not on what you
shouldn't-positive behaviors are easier
to imprint.

DR. JONATHAN
SACKIER helps

members through
the AOPA Pilot
Protection Services
program.

26 | AOPA PILOT August 2019

in post-prandial pleasure. While eating a healthful diet
is ideal, don't punish yourself for having the occasional
special treat. Aiming to shed excess cargo? Rather than
alternate from diet, to binge, to diet, make conscious
eating part of your life and avoid the rhythm method
of girth control.
Mediterranean and Blue Zone eating habits ("Fly
Well: Off We Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder," October
2016 AOPA Pilot) confer doubtless advantages. But
so do a low-stress life, meaningful exercise, and close
human connectivity, elements less common in our frenetic society. So, try adopting the lifestyle, as well as the
nourishment regime.
Focus on what you should eat, not on what you
shouldn't-positive behaviors are easier to imprint.
Consume eight, eight-ounce glasses of water daily;
simple tap water in a reusable bottle is fine. Consume
the three macronutrients-protein, fat, and carbohydrates-in sensible ratios depending on sex, co-existent
health conditions, age, and pregnancy. Start daily with
a robust, relaxed, fiber-rich breakfast to ensure a
healthy bowel habit and protein to suppress hunger.

Mid-morning, raw vegetables and unsalted nuts should
be consumed when hungry.
For lunch, salad with protein provided by a lower
fat source-maybe tuna, chicken, or tofu. For dinner a
steak is fine, but have two-thirds of each meal consist
of bright natural colors-not from a chemistry lab. Aim
for a spectrum of colors; if all white (potatoes or bread)
or brown (fried foods), think again.
The microbiome-critters that live in and on us-
grabs many headlines. These microorganisms influence
how we behave; consume sugar and the sugar-supping
species will flourish. When they want more sugar, they
will let your brain know. Certain foods encourage bugs
to initiate inflammatory disorders. Eating more fruits
and vegetables helps, but microbiome science is in its
early stages, so look out for misleading pseudoscience.
Some conditions merit specific diets, including diabetes; heart, kidney, or liver failure; attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder; celiac disease; food allergies; or
inflammatory bowel disease. Certain medications also
impose limitations; if taking warfarin for atrial fibrillation, vitamin K-rich foods should be limited (spinach
and Brussels sprouts, for example), as they disrupt drug
efficacy. Or if prescribed a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) for depression-not allowed by the FAA for
operations requiring a medical certificate, by the way-
avoid tyramine-rich items such as processed meats or
fish, cheeses, yeast, and certain alcohol to prevent blood
pressure problems.
For those of us who take charge of our steeds,
there are some flying food facts you may want to know.
Avoid carbonated beverages before flight as ingested
gas bubbles expand with altitude, causing stomach
or chest pain or exhaust discharges that breach the
Clean Air Act. Bean-rich dishes or sulfurous snacks
such as eggs have a similar antisocial effect. Avoid
salted snacks in flight as they serve to further the
dehydrating effects of flight. Pack some celery with
peanut butter, almonds, or granola to nosh on. And
drink plenty of water.
What do you get if you eat 3.142 cakes? Fat. You
get fat. And you thought I was going to make a pi
joke!
AOPA
EMAIL DrJonathanSackier@gmail.com

AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2019