My Diet Plan

Until recently my diet was based off the Paleo Diet, which is a modern day "fad diet". It consisted of proteins, fruits, vegetables and some oils. A good practice that was incorporated with this diet was the encouragement to consume unprocessed, mostly raw or sprouted, whole foods. Some ways this diet could be improved upon is to add more variety and balance to its menu. It failed to incorporate whole grains, legumes and dairy products. Moving forward I plan to continue to utilize these additional sorts of nutrients as a part of my daily diet.

The textbook suggests measuring portion sizes at home; which can help train myself to be able to identify what adequate portion sizes should resemble. This tool should help me track my calories and nutrient intake better in the future (Sizer, et al, 2014). I am considering using this method to better analyze my own portion sizes moving forward.

Currently I do not do much to track my calories or nutrient intake other than a meal by meal basis. My future diet plan will make use of nutritional trackers, like this one:

I will also further my education and research, as well as keep myself up to date with the latest scientific findings on nutritional health.  Some sources I will continue to review are the ChooseMyPlate.gov and the latest version of the NutritionalGuidelines for Americans.

References

Diamond, A. (2010). “Advice on Eating for Two Should Go Beyond Pregnancy”. Nursing

Standard, 25(1), 28.. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Sizer, F.,Whitney, E. (2014).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.).  Mason, OH:

Cengage Learning.

Nutrition Over a Lifespan

The amount of nutrients our body’s need changes throughout our life cycle. The amount and types of nutrients we need is based off our age, gender, heredity and geographical location.  Specific nutrients should also be adjusted if any specific deficiencies have been identified with your physician (Sizer, et al, 2014). It is recommended that you have your blood drawn to seek out possible deficiencies.  For a list of common deficiencies click  here.

 

 

Healthy eating habits should start with parents during the planning phase of the pregnancy (pre-pregnancy). A father’s nutrition plan and lifestyle choices may affect his fertility and possibly the fertility of his children. A pregnant woman’s diet feeds not just herself, but her newborn as well. A pregnant woman’s diet feeds both her and her unborn child. Her nutrient intake should increase during the second and third trimesters (Sizer, et al, 2014). While the understanding that her nutrients are being shared by her child, a mother should be cautious of the amount of weight she gains during pregnancy (Diamond, 2010). The below chart gives an idea of what a healthy weight range should look like:

 

Mothers, who lack proper nutrition, are underweight or overweight can endure complications during and after birth. Problems can occur with their infants being born underweight or overweight, both creating health risks for their child, however low birth weight it the number one concern for a child’s mortality. There can also be additional risks to the mother during pregnancy, especially if she is overweight or obese. The added weight gain can accelerate their risks with overweight and obesity related health risks (Sizer, et al, 2014). 

Proper nutrient intake is important throughout your lifespan, but perhaps was the most important during your infancy. A human-beings growth rate is the fastest during the first year of his or her life. This rapid growth rates comes with high nutrient demands, especially vitamin A, vitamin D and Calcium. During the first 6 months of our newborn’s life, all of their nutrients should come from breast milk. As the infant ages, whole foods can be slowly integrated into their diet as their bodies are able to metabolize them (Sizer, et al, 2014) 

Before a child reaches adolescence, it is the responsibility of the parent to feed them. Parents should implement healthy eating habits from the start. The “clean your plate” philosophy is a thing of the past. When a child is full they should be allowed to stop eating and snacking throughout the day should be encouraged rather than discouraged. Healthy, nutrient dense, whole foods should be the child’s main source of nourishment. If while out to eat the kid’s menu does not appear to have these healthy options, a “smarter choice” larger meal can be split with adults or other children (Sizer, et al, 2014).

Keeping track of what your child eats when they start feeding themselves can prove to be a challenge. Hopefully the eating habits you have instilled up to this point have managed to sink in and no bad habits are being developed. It is always encouraged to continue educating them in regards to their nutrition and health. If bad habits are developed, hopefully they will revert to previous learned habits as they age.   

 

Healthy eating habits during our later years become increasingly important. We should understand that our nutrient needs change with our age. Overall calories may need to decrease in while some nutrient consumption should be increased, like vitamin D (Sizer, et al, 2013).  The main take away from this blog should be that best practices need to start early on in life and be maintained throughout the entirety of your life; they should be taught to children as early as possible and their education should continue into adulthood. 

 

References

Diamond, A. (2010). “Advice on Eating for Two Should Go Beyond Pregnancy”. Nursing

Standard, 25(1), 28.. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Sizer, F.,Whitney, E. (2014).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.).  Mason, OH:

Cengage Learning.

Underweight, Overweight and Obesity Oh My

Diet is essential in properly managing a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI). Eating meals that are high in fiber, whole grains, fruits and vegetables will assist with achieving healthy standards.  While eating a healthy diet full of nutrient dense, whole foods is important, there is also one simple nutrition concept that everyone should follow. If we eat less calories or burn off more calories with exercise, then we will lose weight (TED talks, 2008). Of course the opposite is true for gaining weight, although one should consider upping their calories with nutrient dense foods, rather than working out less. 

A fluctuation in a diet or exercise program of plus or minus 3,500 calories should result in 1 pound of fat being lost or gained. The recommended weight gain or loss for an individual is typically 1-2 pounds per week.  Anymore should be directed by a dietician or physician (Anspaugh, et al, 2011). So how do you know your BMI if your BMI is too high or too low?

You can use the formula: (Weight (in pounds) X 703) / Height (in²). Once you identify your number you can find where you fall on the above chart.  A BMI of less than 18.5 is classified as underweight, a BMI of 25 – 29.9 is overweight, and a BMI of more than 30 is classified as obese (Sizer, et al, 2013).  It is important to acknowledge that body weight alone cannot determine fat from lean mass. Individuals with high muscle mass content, for instance, may find themselves in the overweight category when in fact they are actually have a healthier Body Fat Content (BFC) than most. If you feel that you may fall in this category, I would suggest seeking our an air/water displacement test, calipar test, or some other means of identifying your if your BFC falls within a healthy range. Which for men is at least 3-5 percent body fat and women at least 8-12 percent (United States, 2013).

References

Anspaugh, D. J., Hamrik, M. H., & Rosato, F. D. (2011). Wellness Concepts and Applications.

(8th ed.). New York: NY, McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Sizer, F.,Whitney, E. (2013). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.). Mason, OH:

Cengage Learning.

TEDTalks (Producer). (2008) Dean Ornish: Healing and Other Natural Wonders [Video file].

Retrieved from the Films On Demand database

United States. (2013). “The Army Body Composition Program (ABCP)”. Army Regulation 600-

9, Washington, DC: Headquarters, Dept. of the Army.

We are What we Eat

We have all heard the saying, “we are what we eat". Before I took HCS 208 at Ashford University I never fully understood how true this saying really was. The food we eat and the human body are both made up of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and minerals; they are just arranged in different ways. Every aspect of our body uses these nutrients to function. Nutrients can be broken down into six different classes which fall under two categories; macronutrients and micronutrients.  Macronutrients include: carbohydrates, protein, fats, and water.  Micronutrients include: vitamins and minerals (Sizer, et al, 2014). 

The most often depleted nutrient is water and therefore has the highest recommended replenishment rate. Water helps out every function in the body, but like any other nutrient you are capable of consuming too much.  To learn more about proper water consumption and how to prevent over consumption visit here. 

The three nutrients that yield energy are carbohydrates, protein, and fat.  This energy is essential to allow us to live, work, and keep moving. While protein can be made available for energy, our body tends to us carbohydrates and fats first.  Protein's primary function is to assist with building material used to repair and develop working parts of body tissue (Sizer, 2014).  

Vitamins and minerals are other essential nutrients our bodies need to properly function. Vitamins and minerals can be found in the foods we eat (exception vitamin D can also come from sunlight), not just in the supplement isle of the grocery store. Supplements should only be taken if a physician has identified that you suffer from a deficiency. Vitamins and minerals assist with digestion, moving and repairing muscles, healing injuries and every other vital function of the body (Sizer, 2013). 

Our digestive tract has evolved to support our specific diet.  It was designed to breakdown and process essential nutrients and energy the human body needs to function (The Digestive System, 2014).  Human beings are omnivores and our digestion process supports this diet type, allowing it to maximize the amount of nutrient absorption our body consumes (Martin, 2006).  Our digestive tract starts with the mouth, our salivary gland coats consumed nutrients as our teeth are grind it down to portion sizes easy to swallow. Different enzymes are used that match the type of nutrients we consume, assisting with their proper breakdown. Swallowed nutrients pass through the esophagus and enter into the stomach, which is a very effective breakdown machine.  It uses acid, enzymes and fluid to mix and break down nutrients into a liquid mass. After the nutrients passes through two stomach chambers it is slowly process through the small intestine.  Here additional enzymes help digest the carbohydrates, fat and protein, while the cell lining absorbs essential nutrients into our blood. Next stop for our consumed meal is the large intestine or colon; here is where water and minerals are reabsorbed. What is left is passed through the rectum and out the anus as waste (Sizer, et al, 2014). 

Throughout this process other important parts of the body aid in the digestive process.  The liver creates bile that aids with the digestion of fats, the gallbladder then stores and moves this bile and the pancreatic duct helps to neutralize stomach acid and breakdown the energy yielding nutrients (Sizer, et al, 2014).  

References

Martin, B. (2006).  How Digestion Works. Total Health, 28(3), 44-51. Retrieved from

EBSCOhost

Sizer, F.,Whitney, E. (2013).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.).  Mason, OH:

Cengage Learning.

The Digestive System. Viewed (14 April, 2014). YouTube. Retrieved from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s06XzaKqELk

Choosing the Right Foods

For many people, eating healthy can pose a challenge.  To start, why do sugary and fatty foods have to taste and smell so good?   Unfortunately, this is by design.  We have to understand where we came from.  For centuries human beings had to struggle to find food and survive.  Only within the last 100 years has food become so plentiful.  For this reason, our bodies have adapted to seek or “sniff” out foods that are high in energy, to ensure our bodies receive enough calories to keep moving.  Thanks to the brilliance of marketing, agriculture, and science we have managed to “perfect” these energy dense food, only in an unnatural state. 

These modified foods have been designed to trick our senses into believing that these foods work will help us to survive; through the number one food choice factor, taste.  Most people chose their foods based on whether or not they think they taste good.  This factor is followed closely by convenience.  These first two factors alone can lead to bad choices, when considering whether or not to swing by the local fast food joint or to go home and carefully weighing out and prepare a balanced and healthy meal. Other factors include: culture, psychological, physiological, physical and social (Sizer, et al, 2014). 

It is one thing to have the knowledge of what healthy eating is and how to choose the right foods it is another altogether to implement it.  Surprisingly, this knowledge is actually far easier to obtain than many people realize. Often times the trouble comes from false hope and “get thin quick” fad diets.  Sadly Americans often look for shortcuts in life and when it comes to their health they tend to get their dieting advice from fashion magazines rather than practiced proved nutritional science. So here is the good news, there is a diet that works.  In fact, the most up-to-date literature on a proper diet, backed up by the latest nutrition science comes at the low, low price of…free.  Crazy as it may sound the American government has identified that our diet is a fact for concern and has spent tax dollars on identifying a solution that they have released to the public.  The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 can be found right here (Achterberg, et al, 2010).  Eating nutrient dense whole foods, ensuring that our meals are balanced with plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables; while lowering our intake of foods with added sugar and foods high in trans and saturated fat will do more for our waistlines in the long run, than any fad diet you might pull out of a fashion magazine.  

In many parts of the world eating is no longer just a means of replacing our bodies depleting nutrients, but can be a full blown social affair.  Family settings can take place around dinner tables, many dates take place a restaurants and many of us enjoy outings with friends or coworkers on our lunch breaks.  Once you start down a path of a healthful diet, eating out at a restaurant might prove to be difficult, especially if the restaurant venue wasn't your choice.  For some good tips on healthy eating click here.  While social factors play a role in eating, many of us have to break through bad habits before we can even begin to eat healthy. Additional major factors that guide us toward our diets are the foods we were raised with, culturally, religiously or whatever mom's "home-cooked" meal might have been.   If you were born in America, this meal might have often taken place underneath some golden arches.  Some tips I have developed is to make healthier substitutions, rather than avoid foods altogether.  I have found that I prefer baked sweet potato fries to regular deep fried potatoes.  I actually prefer non-fat milk to whole milk.  I also don't mind substituting out refined breads with delicious whole grain bread.  Then of course there are those sugary soft drinks and mocha-chino-double-fudge-caramel-frappe-latte-whatevers that we all love to drink.  Substituting this style of "coffee" for  a coffee with non-fat milk doesn't have the same reward.  So when it comes to sugary treats, to include desserts, I tend to live my life by an 80/20 rule.  80% of the time I exercise like an athlete and eat like a nutritionist, while 20% of the time I eat and workout like your average American. With this philosophy in mind, I have managed to keep myself fit and healthy for going on 3 years now.  With a little knowledge and application, most anyone can too.

References

Achterberg, C. PhD, Appel, L. MD, Clemens, R. PhD, Fukagawa, N. MD, Nelson, M. PhD,

Nickols-Richardson, S. PhD,  Pearson, T. MD, Pérez- Escamilla, R. PhD; Pi-Sunyer, X. MD, MPH; Rimm, E. ScD; Slavin, J. PhD, Williams, C. MD, Van Horn, L. PhD. (2010). U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th Edition, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, December 2010. Retrieved from www.dietaryguidelines.gov

Sizer, F.,Whitney, E. (2014).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.).  Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

Nutrition and Disease

Four out of the top ten leading causes of death have can be directly linked to dietary intake; these include heart disease, some types of cancer, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Specific data reports can be found here (Hoyert, et al, 2011). Obesity is right behind smoking with regards to the leading preventable causes of death (Sizer, et al, 2014).  It is no secret that the greatest weapon against obesity is a healthy well-balanced diet of nutrient dense, whole foods. It is also important to stay away from saturated and trans fatty acids and to learn and understand nutrition labels.  

Learning how to interpret nutrition labels, like the one in the picture above, can help you track the amount of essential nutrients your body is receiving.  Consuming too much or too little of any essential nutrient can put your body at risk for various health risks. It is important to understand the serious threat malnutrition poses and realize that it encompasses both over nutrition and under nutrition (Sizer, et al, 2014). The more we educate ourselves and our children about the role nutrition plays in our health, the more likely we will be able to assist future generations build the knowledge they need to maintain a healthy body and improve their quality and length of life. 

References

Hoyert, D., Ph.D., and Xu, J., M.D. “Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2011”. National Vital

Statistics Reports. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov

Sizer, F.,Whitney, E. (2014).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.).  Mason, OH:

Cengage Learning.