“Eat a turkey sandwich!”
This was a great piece of advice I received from Dr. Howard Eisenson, when I first starting learning about managing my weight and type 2 diabetes. I was at the Duke Diet & Fitness Center, discussing how I needed a more substantial breakfast, prior to going on a morning run and he suggested the turkey sandwich. Our exchange went as follows:
Me: I can’t eat a turkey sandwich for breakfast!
Dr. Eisenson: Why? Is it written somewhere?
Dr. Eisenson’s logic was simple. If the eggs and oatmeal I’d been eating for breakfast weren’t sufficient, perhaps something more substantial would sustain my energy over a 5-mile run. It was then that Dr. Eisenson suggested a turkey sandwich (on multi-grain bread) as an alternative. Convention may dictate that we can only eat certain foods at specific meals, but diet and health regimens are changing dramatically and – most importantly — if it works for you, then do it.
“If I could lose weight as easily as I gain it I’d be thin as toothpick.”
Dr. Eisenson also had me employ his turkey sandwich theory as a “snack” before weddings, parties and functions where an abundance of food and drinks are served. I found that a sandwich prior to a big soirée curbed my appetite because I would usually go overboard on hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, usually not the best foods and beverages for an empty stomach.
In all my columns, what I stress more than anything is to serve the individual (you) rather than any group or abstraction. Like any important endeavor, learning about your health and body takes some time and effort, but the results will be worth the work.
So, before the next holiday party, try a turkey sandwich. It works!