I feel like diet wise I do pretty okay. I know what I need to be doing but it's often easier said then done.
Strengths- My strengths are that I am aware of what I need to do, what foods are healthy and what foods are not for the most part I carry out what I "should" be doing.
Weaknesses- My biggest weaknesses are that I like a lot of foods that are not very good. I like to eat out and order take out.
I use myfitnesspal to track my meals and according to that for my weight and activity level I should be taking in:
Calories: 1,520
Carbohydrates: 190 grams
Protein: 76 grams
Fat: 51 grams
The key to a healthy diet is eating as few whole and unprocessed foods as possible. When I was going through my account on my fitness pal, I came across a day that was a great balance. It looked like this
Breakfast:
Whole wheat toast- 1 piece
Egg- 1
Greek yogurt
Lunch-
A salad made by me of fresh mozarella, avocado, grape tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.
Dinner-
Chicken breast- 1 cup
Peas- 1 cup
Brown rice- 1/2 cup
Snacks-
Apple- 1
KIND bar (chcoclate cherry cashew)- 1
I came in at:
1,497 Calories
56 grams of fat
97 grams of protein
143 grams of Carbohydrates
I need to increase my fruit and vegetable intake, for sure.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Nutrition in Every Stage of Life
Good nutrition is necessary
at every stage of life from pregnancy to adulthood, but every stage requires
something different.
Pregnancy- Women are told that they
are “eating for two” and while that’s true to an extent, we don’t need as many
extra calories as we probably think. In the first trimester, women don’t
actually “need” any extra calories. In the second trimester a woman needs 340
extra daily calories and in the third trimester a woman needs an extra 450
calories a day. Though, a huge excess of calories are not needed by pregnant
women, many extra vitamins, minerals and nutrients are needed. Extra iron is
especially necessary and it is actually impossible to get enough through diet
alone and iron supplements are recommended for pregnant women. Sometimes
pregnancy can be used as an excuse to eat whatever we want (I did it!), but
really a woman’s increase in calories should be very wisely chosen in the form
of protein, and vitamin and mineral rich food.
Infancy- A baby grows faster in its
first year of life than ever again so good nutrition is a must. One of the most
important nutrients is water. Breast milk or formulas generally provide enough
water to replace fluid loss. An infant’s metabolism is also very high so an
infant needs a high calorie diet in order to grow at the rate they need to.
Breast milk is praised due to its ability to have exactly what an infant needs
to grow healthily. Vitamin D, iron and fluoride are three nutrients in which
supplements should be taken for if an infant doesn’t seem to get enough in their
diet.
Childhood- The average 1 year old
needs about 800 calories a day, the calorie needs double around age 6 and at 10
a child needs about 1800 calories a day. A child needs especially a healthy
amount of protein, fat and fatty acids, vitamin D and iron.
Adolescence- The adolescent growth
spurt brings about a need for good nutrition to support their growing bodies but
also to help them develop healthy habits. Iron is necessary for both boys and
girls; boys to develop lean muscle mass and girls to support their bodies
through menstruation. Calcium is especially necessary due to growing bones and
so is vitamin D to help absorb calcium and proper bone density development.
Adulthood- In adulthood we need to
maintain a diet of protein, whole grains, simple carbohydrates and vitamins and
minerals. Our calorie intake is important to maintain due to our activity
level.
References:
Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013). Nutrition: Concepts and
Controversies (13th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
Underweight, Overweight and Obese
Diet can be the one thing standing between a person and a healthy weight for them. Whether a person be underweight, overweight or obese, it is just as dangerous.
Underweight- defines an
individual with a body weight below a healthy weight and a body mass index (BMI)
below 18.5. Being underweight has many health risks. People with too little body
fat have a lower energy reserve and a lower nutrient status. Many people with
too little body fat die of starvation first in a famine or if they have to fight
disease. The outcome for heart disease is also worse in underweight
people.
Overweight- Is a body weight
above a healthy weight and with a BMI of 25-29.9%.
Obesity is defined as having
a BMI of 30% or higher. Having too much body fat also has health risks. Obesity
related diseases include; diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, gallbladder
stones, liver disease, cancers and stroke. Having excess body fat causes a
strain on the body and the organs.
According to chapter 9 in our
text, premature death risks rates are very high in people with a BMI of 15% then
decline as it goes from 20-25% and then steadily rises as the BMI goes up.
Basically, a person with a balanced diet can help prevent being at an unhealthy weight. Consistently following the dietary guidelines can help keep us at a healthy weight. If a person is underweight, they need to up their calorie intake, but still make sure that the calories are from a good source and not just empty calories from sugar because thin does not necessarily equal healthy. A person who is overweight or obese should not severely restrict their calories because their body can go into starvation mode which will make them hold onto the stored fat. Making sure the calories consumed come from a healthy place will help a person lose weight.
References:
Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013). Nutrition: Concepts and
Controversies (13th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
Macro and Micro Nutrients
Nutrients are divided into two classes; micronutrients and macronutrients. Macronutrients consist of Carbohydrates, Protein and Fat. Macronutrients are usually measured in grams.
Carbohydrates- There are complex carbs which are made up of starch and fiber and simple carbs which consist of sugar. It is definitely not a good idea to avoid carbs altogether because carbohydrates are one of the ideal nutrients needed to meet your body’s energy needs, to feed your brain and nervous system, to keep your digestive system fit and to keep your body lean (Sizer, 2013). It is not healthy to eliminate anything completely from your diet and carbohydrates are no exception. The current recommendation for carbohydrates are 130 grams a day at minimum. You want 45-65 percent of your calories to come from carbohydrates.
Protein- Proteins also help build enzymes and hormones, maintain the acid-base balance in your body, transport various substances throughout your cells and help keep your immune system healthy. In the absence of carbohydrates, proteins can provide your body with energy (Boyer, 2010). Calories from protein should make up about 20% of your diet.
Fats- Although fat is often associated with negative health implications, fat is essential for a healthy diet. Fat helps cushion your organs, provides insulation to help you maintain body temperature and allows you to absorb fat-soluble vitamins (Boyer, 2010).
Micronurients are called "micro" because they are needed in smaller amounts then macronutrients. They are more commonly referred to as "vitamins and minerals." Micronutrients are vital to the proper functioning of all of your body's systems. Sodium, for instance, is responsible for maintaining the proper fluid balance in your body; it helps fluids pass through cell walls and helps regulate appropriate pH levels in your blood (Fitday.com, 2013). Most macronutrients are water soluble which means that is your body has an excess of one of the macronutrients it flushes it out in urine. It is easy to get the macronutients you need as long as you eat a good amount of colorful fruits and vegetables, however if you are concerned you can always take a daily multivitamin.
Boyer, L. (2010).
Fitdaily.com. (2013). Micronutrients: What They Are and Why They're Essential. Retreived from http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/vitamins-minerals/micronutrients-what-they-are-and-why-theyre-essential.html#b
Carbohydrates- There are complex carbs which are made up of starch and fiber and simple carbs which consist of sugar. It is definitely not a good idea to avoid carbs altogether because carbohydrates are one of the ideal nutrients needed to meet your body’s energy needs, to feed your brain and nervous system, to keep your digestive system fit and to keep your body lean (Sizer, 2013). It is not healthy to eliminate anything completely from your diet and carbohydrates are no exception. The current recommendation for carbohydrates are 130 grams a day at minimum. You want 45-65 percent of your calories to come from carbohydrates.
Protein- Proteins also help build enzymes and hormones, maintain the acid-base balance in your body, transport various substances throughout your cells and help keep your immune system healthy. In the absence of carbohydrates, proteins can provide your body with energy (Boyer, 2010). Calories from protein should make up about 20% of your diet.
Fats- Although fat is often associated with negative health implications, fat is essential for a healthy diet. Fat helps cushion your organs, provides insulation to help you maintain body temperature and allows you to absorb fat-soluble vitamins (Boyer, 2010).
Micronurients are called "micro" because they are needed in smaller amounts then macronutrients. They are more commonly referred to as "vitamins and minerals." Micronutrients are vital to the proper functioning of all of your body's systems. Sodium, for instance, is responsible for maintaining the proper fluid balance in your body; it helps fluids pass through cell walls and helps regulate appropriate pH levels in your blood (Fitday.com, 2013). Most macronutrients are water soluble which means that is your body has an excess of one of the macronutrients it flushes it out in urine. It is easy to get the macronutients you need as long as you eat a good amount of colorful fruits and vegetables, however if you are concerned you can always take a daily multivitamin.
Boyer, L. (2010).
Fitdaily.com. (2013). Micronutrients: What They Are and Why They're Essential. Retreived from http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/vitamins-minerals/micronutrients-what-they-are-and-why-theyre-essential.html#b
Food Choice Factors
There are many different factors that effect our food choices. Social, psychological and environmental are some factors that drive our food choices. Social factors are when a social situation might drive you to eat (or drink) something you normally wouldn't if you were not in that social situation. For instance, I don't normally drink alcohol when I'm alone or at home with my family, but if I were to go to a party and was offered a drink I will likely take it if I'm not driving.
Psychological food choice factors are examined in a study that was done in Psychology and Health. It cites the questions "How much control do you have over what you/your family eat? Do you think much about your own & family’s health when you plan/prepare/eat food? Do you sometimes eat when you’re not really hungry, to cheer yourself up,
as a treat or reward?" (Lawrence, Skinner, Haslam, Robinson, Inskip, Barker & Barker, 2009). Many times we not only reward ourselves with food but our children as well which creates the cycle because then they associate food with being rewarded and will continue of with their kids and so on.
Environmental factors come into play when a person makes choices based on their environment. Within my immediate 5 mile vicinity there is a pizza place, a Subway and a Tim Hortons (coffee shop). When I need to make a dinner decision I am likely to choose one of these options because it is quick, easy and within my immediate reach.
Psychological food choice factors are examined in a study that was done in Psychology and Health. It cites the questions "How much control do you have over what you/your family eat? Do you think much about your own & family’s health when you plan/prepare/eat food? Do you sometimes eat when you’re not really hungry, to cheer yourself up,
as a treat or reward?" (Lawrence, Skinner, Haslam, Robinson, Inskip, Barker & Barker, 2009). Many times we not only reward ourselves with food but our children as well which creates the cycle because then they associate food with being rewarded and will continue of with their kids and so on.
Environmental factors come into play when a person makes choices based on their environment. Within my immediate 5 mile vicinity there is a pizza place, a Subway and a Tim Hortons (coffee shop). When I need to make a dinner decision I am likely to choose one of these options because it is quick, easy and within my immediate reach.
Lawrence, W., Skinner, C., Haslam, C., Robinson, S., Inskip, H., Barker, D., & ... Barker, M. (2009). Why women of lower educational attainment struggle to make healthier food choices: The importance of psychological and social factors. Psychology & Health, 24(9), 1003-1020. doi:10.1080/08870440802460426
Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013). Nutrition: Concepts and
Controversies (13th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
The trials and tribulations of choosing a healthy diet
Choosing to eat a healthy diet isn't always easy. All around us there is temptation to eat things that are bad for us. Characteristics of a healthy diet include: low in fat, sodium and cholesterol. A healthy diet is high in vitamins, whole grains, lean proteins and has a variety of fruits and vegetables. The ideal diet also includes low fat or no fat dairy. Reading food labels is extremely important to having a healthy, well balanced diet. Food labels must include; the name of the product, the name and address of the
manufacturer, distributer or packer, the net contents, the nutrient contents,
the ingredients and essential warnings. The nutrition facts panel contains;
serving size ( A single serving that provides the calorie and nutrient amounts
listed), servings per container (the number of servings per box), calories/
calories from fat (the total food energy per serving and energy from fat), and
nutrient amounts and percentages of daily values. The nutrient amounts include;
total fat, milligrams of cholesterol, milligrams of sodium, total grams of
carbohydrates and grams of protein.
As I stated above, healthy choices can be hard to make. On a daily basis we are surrounded by unhealthy choices that are made to look appealing. I'm going to take Olive Garden for an example because that's one of my personal favorites. Let me show you what a typical olive garden meal looks like for me:
I start with some chicken and gnocci soup....
Then I usually have some raviloi di portobello....
That's not including dessert or drinks but lets tally up what I just ate....
The chicken and gnocci soup has 250 calories, 8 grams of fat, 3 of which are saturated, 1180 mgs of sodium, 29 grams of carbs and 16 grams of protein. The ravioli has 450 calories, 19 grams of fat 11 of which are saturated, 960 mg of sodium, 56 grams of carbs and 18 grams of protein.
My meal just cost me 700 calories, 27 grams of fat and 72 grams of carbs. Yikes. The fact of the matter is though, that it tastes good and even knowing the nutritional content won't stop me from eating this every once in awhile.
References:
http://media.olivegarden.com/en_us/images/product/d-chicken-and-gnocchi-soup-dpv.jpg
http://media.olivegarden.com/en_us/images/product/OG_RaviolidiPortobello_Lunch_detail.jpg
Olive Garden, 2014. Nutrition Guide. Retrieved from http://media.olivegarden.com/en_us/pdf/olive_garden_nutrition.pdf
Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
As I stated above, healthy choices can be hard to make. On a daily basis we are surrounded by unhealthy choices that are made to look appealing. I'm going to take Olive Garden for an example because that's one of my personal favorites. Let me show you what a typical olive garden meal looks like for me:
I start with some chicken and gnocci soup....Then I usually have some raviloi di portobello....
That's not including dessert or drinks but lets tally up what I just ate....
The chicken and gnocci soup has 250 calories, 8 grams of fat, 3 of which are saturated, 1180 mgs of sodium, 29 grams of carbs and 16 grams of protein. The ravioli has 450 calories, 19 grams of fat 11 of which are saturated, 960 mg of sodium, 56 grams of carbs and 18 grams of protein.
My meal just cost me 700 calories, 27 grams of fat and 72 grams of carbs. Yikes. The fact of the matter is though, that it tastes good and even knowing the nutritional content won't stop me from eating this every once in awhile.
References:
http://media.olivegarden.com/en_us/images/product/d-chicken-and-gnocchi-soup-dpv.jpg
http://media.olivegarden.com/en_us/images/product/OG_RaviolidiPortobello_Lunch_detail.jpg
Olive Garden, 2014. Nutrition Guide. Retrieved from http://media.olivegarden.com/en_us/pdf/olive_garden_nutrition.pdf
Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Nutition and Disease
Nutrition can impact our lives in many ways we never thought possible or maybe just never thought about at all. The truth is that nutrition and diease have a lot in common. There are some diseases that are caused by poor nutrition and there are some diseases that may be improved by good nutrition or a certain diet.
In a chart put out by heathyliving.org, it shows that the mortality rate of people with nutrition related deaths is at an all time high.
This means that many of these deaths were preventable. Lets take heart disease. The leading cause of nutrition related death. A diet filled with saturated fats can contribute to cardiovascular disease by clogging the arteries and restricting blood flow to the heart. Regular exercise and a healthy balanced diet low in trans and saturated fat, calories, salt and cholesterol can prevent cardiovascular disease. Think about fats such as butter or oil. The more saturated fat something has, the more solid it is at room temperature....that saturated fat clogs your arteries restricting blood flow and causing major heart problems.
Now, lets take a quick look at a disease that is not caused by nutrition but may be impoved by a certain diet. I'm going to take Multilple Sclerosis as an example because my husband has it and I have researched it in full. Aregular low fat, high fiber diet is cited to be the best one for MS patients but new studies are talking about the importance of Vitamin D in correlation with MS. This video clip gives more information:
References:
http://healthy-living.org/assets/images/Imagesdiseasechart.gif
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Living-Well-With-MS/Health-Wellness/Nutrition
Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
In a chart put out by heathyliving.org, it shows that the mortality rate of people with nutrition related deaths is at an all time high.
This means that many of these deaths were preventable. Lets take heart disease. The leading cause of nutrition related death. A diet filled with saturated fats can contribute to cardiovascular disease by clogging the arteries and restricting blood flow to the heart. Regular exercise and a healthy balanced diet low in trans and saturated fat, calories, salt and cholesterol can prevent cardiovascular disease. Think about fats such as butter or oil. The more saturated fat something has, the more solid it is at room temperature....that saturated fat clogs your arteries restricting blood flow and causing major heart problems.
Now, lets take a quick look at a disease that is not caused by nutrition but may be impoved by a certain diet. I'm going to take Multilple Sclerosis as an example because my husband has it and I have researched it in full. Aregular low fat, high fiber diet is cited to be the best one for MS patients but new studies are talking about the importance of Vitamin D in correlation with MS. This video clip gives more information:
References:
http://healthy-living.org/assets/images/Imagesdiseasechart.gif
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Living-Well-With-MS/Health-Wellness/Nutrition
Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
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