| Make Room for Balance—and Your Favorites! |
| Ultra-processed foods were back in the headlines this fall. New research again linked them to higher rates of diabetes, heart disease, and early death. One study found the risk rose even with modest increases. The average American gets more than half of their calories from these foods. The goal isn’t perfection, especially in a season built around food. The goal is your ratio. |
| A functional medicine approach to the holidays: | The 80/20 plate. Fill most of it with real food (turkey, roasted vegetables, sweet potatoes) and enjoy the rest without guilt. Protein first, then everything else. It blunts the blood sugar spike. A 10-minute walk after the meal. It’s one of the simplest ways to lower glucose after eating. Swap what you bring. Bring one dish made from whole ingredients and you control at least part of the table. Read the label. A long ingredient list you can’t pronounce usually means ultra-processed. |
Want to see how your body actually handles your diet?
Fasting insulin, A1c, and an advanced lipid panel tell that story better than any food rule.
Marisse Herrera, D.O./ Upper Echelon Medical
