After A 40-Year Career In Nutrition, This Is The Cardiocentric Diet My Mentor Follows

Did you know that the trajectory of your bone health is mostly determined by age 20? In fact, 90% of peak bone mass is accrued by late adolescence. This means that investment in your bones must start early on.

That fact is what inspired Richard Lewis, Ph.D., R.D., to invest the past four decades researching the impact of key modifiable lifestyle factors (nutrition, physical activity, and body composition) on childhood bone health for the prevention of osteoporosis later in life.

I had the honor of recently catching up with Lewis, my mentor, to understand what this year's National Nutrition Month theme means to him after his 40-plus-year career in nutrition.

Lewis is one of the University of Georgia's most beloved nutrition professors and prolific researchers. He was my doctoral adviser at UGA, where I received my Ph.D. in foods and nutrition. After making invaluable research, teaching, service, and public health and sports nutrition contributions, Lewis retired in 2020, now holding the distinguished title of UGA Foundation professor emeritus.

During his career, Lewis received $10 million in research grant funding and published over 100 peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters. In addition to key contributions to childhood obesity prevention, Lewis's research focused on the impact of micro- and macronutrients (specifically vitamin D, zinc, and protein) and exercise on pediatric bone development for osteoporosis mitigation in adulthood. Through the decades, Lewis also spearheaded a variety of outreach activities focused on osteoporosis and obesity prevention.

When I first started in the field of nutrition 43 years ago, I quickly learned that for clients to be successful over the long term, nutrition care plans needed to be tailored to their specific needs and cultural preferences. Before my career in academic research and teaching, I worked in rural Appalachia as a public health nutritionist. 

The typical diet of this Appalachian region in North Carolina included foods such as pinto beans ("soup beans"), potatoes, cornbread, dairy, and vegetables. My clients ate little meat but did incorporate some pork into the "soup beans."

I do not follow a specific plan, but my diet is most reflective of a heart-healthy DASH dietary pattern, with an emphasis on vegetables (especially leafy greens), fruits, low-fat dairy foods, whole grains, protein (e.g., fish, poultry, pork, and legumes), nuts, seeds, and healthy oils. 

"MVP" foods that are an essential part of my daily diet include key probiotic foods, specifically nonfat Greek yogurt and kefir. Equally important are greens. This season, leafy greens like kale, mustard greens, and collard greens are complementing several of my meals each week. 

I live near a rural farming community, and one family offers a self-serve fruit and vegetable stand. Every week I purchase fresh greens, and they are so inherently tasteful that all I need to do is steam them.