Strategies for a healthy diet
Here are some tips
for how to choose foods that improve your health and avoid foods that raise
your risk for illnesses while creating a diet plan that works for you.
Big picture strategies for healthy eating
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Eat enough
calories but not too many. Maintain a balance between your calorie
intake and calorie expenditure—that is, don't eat more food than your body
uses. The average recommended daily allowance is 2,000 calories, but this
depends on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity.
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Eat a wide variety of foods. Healthy eating is an opportunity to
expand your range of choices by trying foods—especially vegetables, whole
grains, or fruits—that you don't normally eat.
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Keep portions moderate, especially high-calorie foods. In
recent years serving sizes have ballooned, particularly in restaurants.
Choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t
order supersized anything.
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Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, and
legumes—foods
high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, low in fat, and
free of cholesterol. Try to get fresh, local produce
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Drink more water. Our bodies are about 75% water. It is a
vital part of a healthy diet. Water helps flush our systems, especially the
kidneys and bladder, of waste products and toxins. A majority of Americans go
through life dehydrated.
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Limit sugary
foods, salt, and refined-grain products. Sugar is added to a vast array of foods.
In a year, just one daily 12-ounce can of soda (160 calories) can increase
your weight by 16 pounds. See suggestions below for limiting salt and
substituting whole grains for refined grains.
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Don’t be the
food police. You
can enjoy your favorite sweets and fried foods in moderation, as long as they
are an occasional part of your overall healthy diet. Food is a great source
of pleasure, and pleasure is good for the heart – even if those French fries
aren’t!
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Get moving. A healthy diet improves your energy and
feelings of well-being while reducing your risk of many diseases. Adding
regular physical activity and exercise will make any healthy eating plan work
even better.
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One step at a
time. Establishing new food habits is much easier if you focus on and
take action on one food group or food fact at a time
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Eating smart: A
keystep towards healthy eating
Healthy eating begins with
learning how to “eat smart”. It's not just what
you eat, but how you eat.
Paying attention to what you eat and choosing foods that are both nourishing
and enjoyable helps support an overall healthy diet.
Take time to chew
your food: Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush
though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the
textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
Avoid stress while
eating:
When we are
stressed, our digestion can be compromised, causing problems like colitis and
heartburn. Avoid eating while working, driving, arguing, or watching TV
(especially disturbing programs or the news). Try taking some deep breaths
prior to beginning your meal, or light candles and play soothing music to
create a relaxing atmosphere.
Listen to your
body: Ask
yourself if you are really hungry. You may really be thirsty, so try drinking a
glass of water first. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It
actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had
enough food, so eat slowly. Eating just enough to satisfy your hunger will help
you remain alert, relaxed and feeling your best, rather than stuffing yourself
into a “food coma”!
Eat early, eat
often: Starting your day with a healthy breakfast can jumpstart
your metabolism, and eating the majority of your daily caloric allotment early
in the day gives your body time to work those calories off. Also, eating small,
healthy meals throughout the day, rather than the standard three large meals,
can help keep your metabolism going and ward off snack attacks.
Healthy eating simplified
Despite what certain fad diets
would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat,
fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body. But what exactly does
that mean? What are good carb, protein, and fat choices for developing your own
healthy eating plan? Below you will find more details on each of these topics.
Carbohydrates clarified
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates –
food composed of some combination of starches, sugar and fiber - provide the
body with fuel it needs for physical activity by breaking down into glucose, a
type of sugar our cells use as a universal energy source.
Bad carbs are foods
that have been “stripped” of all bran, fiber, and nutrients. They have been
processed in order to make cooking fast and easy. Examples are white flour,
refined sugar, and white rice. They digest so quickly that they cause dramatic
elevations in blood sugar, which over time can lead to weight gain,
hypoglycemia or even diabetes.
Good carbs are digested more slowly. This keeps your blood sugar and
insulin levels from rising and falling too quickly, helping you get full
quicker and feel fuller longer. Good sources of carbs include whole grains,
beans, fruits, and vegetables, which also offer lots of additional health
benefits, including heart disease and cancer prevention.
Whole Grains for long-lasting,
healthy carbohydrate energy
In
addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in
phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart
disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more
whole grains tend to have a healthier heart. Make whole grains an important
part of every meal.
Make sure you're really getting whole grains. Focus on including
grains that are in their whole form, such as whole grain brown rice, millet,
quinoa, and barley in your meals. When you want to eat healthy grains in the
form of breads or cereals be aware that the words stone-ground, multi-grain,
100% wheat, or bran, don’t necessarily mean that a product is whole grain. Look
for the new Whole Grain Stamp from the Whole Grains Council. If there
is no stamp look for the words “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat,” and check
the ingredients to make sure each grain listed is specified as whole grain.
Some good sources are dark breads and toasted wheat cereals.
Avoid: Refined grains such as
breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain.
Fiber
Dietary fiber is found in
plant foods (fruit, vegetables and whole grains) and is essential for
maintaining a healthy digestive system. Fiber helps support a healthy diet by:
Helping you feel
fuller faster and longer, which can help prevent overeating.
Keeping blood sugar
levels even, by slowing digestion and absorption so that glucose
(sugar) enters the bloodstream slowly and steadily.
Maintaining a healthy
colon - the simple organic acids produced when fiber is broken
down in the digestive process helps to nourish the lining of the colon.
The two types of fiber are soluble and
insoluble:
Soluble fiber can dissolve in water and can also help
to lower blood fats and maintain blood sugar. Primary sources are beans, fruit
and oat products.
Insoluble
fiber cannot
dissolve in water, so it passes directly through the digestive system. It’s
found in whole grain products and vegetables.
A healthy diet should contain
approximately 20 to 30 grams of fiber a day, but most of us only get about half
of that amount.
Vegetables and Fruits:
Vitamin, antioxidant and fiber powerhouses
Fruits and vegetables are low in calories and are packed
with vitamins, minerals, protective plant compounds and fiber. They are a great
source of nutrients and vital for a healthy diet.
Fruits and vegetables should
be part of every meal, and be your first choice for a snack. Eat a minimum of
five portions each day. The antioxidants and other nutrients in these foods
help protect against developing certain types of cancer and other diseases.
Greens: Dark leafy green vegetables are a vital
part of a healthy diet since they are packed with nutrients such as calcium, magnesium,
iron, potassium, zinc, and Vitamins A, C, E and K. Greens help to strengthen
the blood and respiratory systems. They are currently the most lacking food in
the American diet. Be adventurous in your choice of greens: kale, mustard
greens, broccoli, Chinese cabbage are just a few of the many options.
Sweet Vegetables: Naturally sweet
vegetables are an excellent way to add healthy sweetness to your meals and
reduce your cravings for other sweets. Some examples of sweet vegetables are
corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes or yams, winter squash, and onions.
Fruit:
Eating a wide
variety of fruit is another very healthy part of any diet. They provide us with
beneficial properties such as natural sugars, fiber, Vitamins and antioxidants.
Choose fresh or frozen, and focus on variety. Berries are cancer-fighting,
apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.
Go for the brights: The brighter, deeper
colored fruits and vegetables contain higher
concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Avoid: Fruit juices can contain up to 10 teaspoons of sugar per cup;
avoid or dilute with water. Canned fruit often contains sugary syrup, and dried
fruit, while an excellent source of fiber, can be high in calories. Avoid fried
veggies or ones smothered in dressings or sauces – you may still get the
vitamins, but you’ll be getting a lot of unhealthy fat and extra calories as
well.
Support your health and the
environment by eating locally-grown food
Eating fresh food is an
important part of a healthy diet. It has become standard practice for fruits
and vegetables to be shipped across the country or even across the world before
they arrive on our supermarket shelves. Locally-grown food is fresher than what
you'll find in the supermarket, which means that is tastier and more
nutritious. And since the food travels a shorter distance to get to you, it is
better for the environment and helps us reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
Following are some ideas on easy ways to increase your consumption of fresh
local foods.
Visit a local farmer’s market. Farmer’s markets are
springing up all over the U.S.
They usually offer a wide variety of products such as fruits, vegetables,
flowers, baked goods, eggs, and meat. Small farmers care about their land and
the health of their farms, so even if they are not “certified organic” the food
they produce is of a very high quality.
Join a Community Supported Agriculture group (CSA). A CSA is partnership
between a local farm and its members who sign up
and pay in advance for a box of goods that they will receive on a regular basis
(typically once a week). These partnerships help farms receive a better price
for their products while giving you a wide variety of fresh local produce.
By supporting your local
farmers you are also supporting the local economy. To find local growers,
farmer's markets, and CSAs in your area, visit Local Harvest.
Putting protein into
perspective
During digestion, protein in
food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the basic building blocks
our bodies use to create its own protein. Our bodies need protein to
maintain our cells, tissues and organs. A lack of protein in our diets can
result in slow growth, reduced muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the
heart and respiratory system. Protein gives us the energy to get up and go –and
keep going. Keep in mind that it is vital to eat healthy protein that is free
of hormones and antibiotics. Also, the majority of people in the U.S. eat more
protein than is necessary. So focus more on getting higher quality versus more
quantity. Each person is individual and may need different amounts of protein
depending on their body and activity level.
A complete
protein source is one that provides all of the essential amino acids.
Examples are animal-based foods such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, and
cheese.
An incomplete
protein source is one that is low in one or more of the essential amino
acids.
Complementary proteins are two or more incomplete
protein sources that together provide adequate amounts of all the essential
amino acids. For example, rice and dry beans. Similarly, dry beans each are
incomplete proteins, but together, these two foods can provide adequate amounts
of all the essential amino acids your body needs.
Do complementary proteins need to be eaten in the
same meal? Research shows that your body can combine
complementary proteins that are eaten within the same day.
Nuts, Seeds, Beans, and Tofu:
alternative sources for healthy proteins
Beans, nuts, nut butters, peas, and soy products are good
sources of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Many of the foods in this
group provide iron, which is better absorbed when a source of vitamin C is
consumed with the meal
Choose: Black beans, navy beans,
garbanzos, lentils, and other beans. Nuts like almonds, walnuts and pecans. Soy
products like tofu, soymilk, tempeh and veggie burgers. All of these are great
sources of protein for vegetarians.
Avoid: Salted or sugary nuts; refried beans.
Dairy products and other
sources for calcium and vitamin D
Dairy products provide a rich source of calcium,
necessary for bone health. Most are fortified with vitamin D, which helps the
small intestine absorb calcium. Calcium can also be found in dark green, leafy
vegetables, such as kale and collard greens, as well as in dried beans and
legumes.
Recommended calcium levels are
1000 mg per day, 1200 mg if you are over 50 years old. Take a vitamin D and
calcium supplement if you don’t get enough of these nutrients from your diet.
Choose non-fat or low-fat dairy
products that do not contain rBST (bovine growth hormone). If you're
lactose-intolerant, choose lactose-free and lower-lactose products, such as
lactose free milk, hard cheeses and yogurt.
Avoid full-fat dairy products
or products from cows treated with rBST.
Fats: avoid the bad fats and enjoy the good
fats
Fats are another vital
part to a healthy diet. Good fats are needed to nourish your brain, heart,
nerves, hormones and all your cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails. Fat
also satisfies us and makes us feel full. It’s the type of fat that matters in addition to how much you
consume.
Saturated fats, primarily found in animal sources
including red meat and whole milk dairy products, raise the low-density
lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol that increases your risk of
coronary heart disease (CHD). Substitute lean meats, skinless poultry, and
low-fat or nonfat dairy products, fish and nuts. Other saturated fat sources
include vegetable oils such as coconut oil, palm oil and foods made with these
oils.
Trans fat raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL or
"bad") cholesterol that increases your risk of coronary heart disease
(CHD), as well as lowering HDL, or good cholesterol. Trans fats are created by
heating liquid vegetable oils in the presence of hydrogen gas, a process called
hydrogenation. Primary sources
of trans fat are vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies,
cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made
with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Monounsaturated fats - People following
traditional Mediterranean diets, which are very high in foods containing
monounsaturated fats like olive oil, tend to have lower risk of cardiovascular
disease, Primary sources are plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive
oil. Other good sources are avocados; nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, and
pecans; and seeds such as pumpkin and sesame seeds.
Polyunsaturated fats – These includes the
Omega-3 and Omega-6 groups of fatty acids which your body can’t make. Omega-3
fatty acids are found in very few foods – primarily cold water fatty fish and
fish oils. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA can reduce cardiovascular
disease, improve your mood and help prevent dementia. See below for more on Omega-3. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats
are sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and walnuts. It is important
to know that these oils become unhealthy when heated due to the formation of
free radicals, which can lead to disease.
How much fat is too much? It
depends on your lifestyle, your weight, your age and most importantly the state
of your health. Focus on including Monounsaturated fats and Polyunsaturated
fats in your diet, decreasing Saturated fats, and avoiding Trans fats as much
as possible. The USDA recommends that the average individual:
Keep total fat intake to
20-35% of calories
Limit saturated fats to less
than 10% of your calories (200 calories for a 2000 calorie diet)
Limit trans fats to 1% of
calories (2 grams per day for a 2000 calorie diet)
Limit cholesterol to 300 mg
per day, less if you have diabetes.
Managing all fats in your diet
Dietary cholesterol is also is
a very important form of fat that has its own set of considerations.
Healthy Fats and Oils to
support brain and body functions
Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA can
reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood and
help prevent dementia. The best sources for the EPA and DHA omega-3 fats are fatty fish
such salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish
oil supplements. Canned albacore tuna and lake trout can also be good
sources depending on how the fish were raised and processed.
You may hear a lot about
getting your omega-3’s from foods rich in ALA fatty acids. Main sources are vegetable
oils and nuts (especially walnuts), flax, soybeans, and tofu. Be aware that our
bodies generally convert very little ALA
into EPA and DHA, so you may not get as big of a benefit from these foods.
Some people avoid seafood
because they worry about mercury or other possible toxins. But most experts
agree that the benefits of eating 2 servings a week of cold water fatty fish
outweigh the risks.
The role
of sugar and salt in a healthy diet
Sugary Drinks and Sweets
It is natural to like sweets. And it is okay to enjoy
them as an occasional treat, but it is vital to keep consumption to a minimum.
Refined sugar is one of the bad carbs mentioned above. Not only does it cause
problems with our blood sugar level, but it also uses up stored resources
within our body (such as minerals and enzymes) in order to process the sugar.
In addition there are many negative health effects that sugar contributes to
including: hypoglycemia, suppression of the immune system, arthritis, diabetes,
osteoporosis, headaches, and depression.
Choose sweet treats that are
home made or have naturally occurring sugar, such as fruits. Try making your
favorite dessert with half or one-third less sugar than usual. Make dessert a
special event once a week. Many foods have naturally occurring sugars, such as
fruits, vegetables, grains and beans. Incorporate naturally sweet foods into
your diet to help crowd out unhealthy sweets. Strawberries, apples, sweet
potatoes or winter squash are all great options.
Avoid or severely limit sugary
drinks – they are an easy way to pack calories and chemicals into your diet
without even noticing it. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it!
And just because a soda is sugar-free doesn’t make it healthy. Recent studies
have shown that the artificial sugar substitutes used in soft drinks may interfere
with your body's natural regulation system and result in your overindulging in
other sweet foods and beverages. Try water with a squeeze of lemon or water
with a splash of 100% fruit juice.
Salt
Once again the problem with
salt comes with the over-use and over consumption of processed salt most
commonly used. It is best to limit sodium to 2,300 mg per day – the equivalent
to one teaspoon of salt. Most of the salt in our diets comes from processed,
packaged, restaurant, and fast food. Processed foods like canned soups or
frozen meals can contain hidden sodium that can quickly surpass this
recommended amount. Many of us are unaware of how much sodium we are consuming
in one day.
Salt itself is not bad. A high
quality sea salt can have up to 90 minerals, which are healthy for our body.
Look for sea salt that has a reddish or brownish tint, has no coloring,
additives, chemicals and has not been bleached.
The following table lists the
sodium of common foods, versus their lower-sodium versions:
Regular vs. Low Sodium
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Adapted from University of Wisconsin’s
Online Fact Sheet: Sodium
(PDF)
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Regular
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Sodium (mg)
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Low sodium
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Sodium (mg)
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Bouillon, 1 cube
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960
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Bouillon, unsalted
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3
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Peanuts, salted, ¼ cup
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246
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Peanuts, unsalted
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2
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Corn, canned, salted, ½ cup
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192
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Corn, unsalted, fresh
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1
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Pickle, large
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1425
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Cucumber
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1
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Tomato juice, 1 cup
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878
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Tomato juice, unsalted
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14
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Garlic salt, 1 teaspoon
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1480
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Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon
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1
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You can see how quickly you
could consume the 2300 mg recommendation – maybe even before dinner! Cooking
with sea salt at home and substitute lower-sodium versions of your favorite
foods to ensure a healthy diet.
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For more details,
visit:
1)
http://www.localharvest.org
2)
http://www.uhs.wisc.edu/docs/uwhealth_sodium_180.pdf
In : Home made Healthy tips
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