My Personal Plan

 

 

 

Now, it is time for me to make better choices.  Currently, I eat vegetables with every meal, never have dairy, seldom have meat and beans, have fruits twice a day and only eat whole wheat and grains but no starched products.  My plate does not look like the recommendations from MyPyramid and Choose MyPlate.  I vow today to "keep the doctor away" and combat the diseases that have already shown up in my family's history by creating balanced meals with EVERY food group recommended.  I have always been a stickler for my son to have this balance but never took on the responsibility for my personal intake.  Today is a NEW DAY!!! I'm ready for the NEW WAY!!!

 

 

 

What Drives Our Food Choices?

So, you may be wondering we make the choices we do.  Majority of the responsibility falls on us but we are "assisted" by different factors.  Physically, we feel when our body needs food.  Sometimes, we wait for so long that our bodies have begun to slow down in metabolism and they get used to starvation as well.  This makes is hard for our bodies to function properly.  We also go for taste over quality and fast food over slowly prepared foods. Our upbringing plays a role in our food choices.  We choose what we are used to eating whether through cultural or trends.  Some people make food choices based on belief or religion.  There are many factors but we must base everything on what will help our bodily function.  Here's a chart that can help: 

Defining a Healthy Diet

The Dietary guidelines are vast but the guidelines for each individual are different. 
Overall, we must consume more of nutrient dense foods and beverages and avoid trans fat cholesterol, added sugars, salt and alcoholic beverage.  We need lots of fruits and vegetables, fish, whole grains, and fat free or low-fat dairy.  Many articles contradict and say that whole grains are no good anymore or that red wine is beneficial but if consumers have self-control and do not enough research to find out exactly what the details are concerning the findings.  The nutrition science is growing and alive so new findings must be fully examined and configured to the conditions of the individual. The realities of the actual U.S. diet are obsolete.  People intake pleasure over health and sometimes find it extremely difficult to make a heathier choice.

 

It is amazing to see the United States take a turn towards better health. Michelle Obama has implemented programs to ensure our children stay active as well.  Portion control is another important piece that we need to educate and apply in our eating.  So many individuals and families eat away from the home for lack of preparation and/or time.  Portions have increased immensely to say the least especially when ordering out.  Lack of knowledge, concern or care also contributes to the increase.  If someone is not aware of the correct portion size or does not even care about what the correct portion size is, there will continue to be an increase lading to poor health.  Health risks including diseases are very subject to happen if portion is not controlled because malnutrition causes this effect.  Food labels and information provide proper serving size. Even though they are posted on foods, we tend to look away.  The question is, How long can you long away? How long can you ignore?  Do not let your body force you to have to make healthier choices.  Choose right now!

Digestion, Absorption and Metabolism

Digestion is the first piece.  Starting in the mouth as food enters the body, then to the digestive tract, food is broken down properly to ensure carbs, fats and proteins and other nutrients go where they belong.  The Digestive tract is a long tube (approximately 26 feet) in the body that has the purpose of digesting foods and absorbing the needed nutrients for the functions of the body. The tract is comprised of the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and rectum. Digestion is comprised of two parts - chemical and mechanical. Chemically, "juices" aid in breaking the foods down. While mechanical does the squeezing and liquefying to ensure all goes down smoothly and gets broken up, the chemical system adds more juices to break down the foods. For instance, in the mouth, saliva lubricates sugar and starches, moistens fibers, mixes with fatty foods and softens proteins. In the stomach, hydrochloric acid stops the starches, fat float to top of the mixture or paste and breaks down or uncoils proteins. The intestines do a lot of work, breaking sugars and starches down and bind cholesterol and minerals through fiber. Bile enters the small intestine and prepares it for the pancreas that gives another enzyme that splits up the fats. The walls of the small intestine absorbs the small fragments it amino acids. Water is added to the system in he pancreas and small intestine. The large intestine takes in fiber, fluid and minerals. Carbs enter the large intestine after being broken down by bacteria. Protein that has not been digested, which is highly unlikely, is sent to the large intestine. Water is needed and absorbed in the large intestine as well. Mechanically, food enters the mouth then chewing and saliva make it small enough to enter the delicate esophagus. Chewing also aids, in making the nutrients small enough to be absorbed. Peristalsis is the squeezing of the tongue and esophagus leading to the stomach and intestines. The stomach and intestines provide the foods enough fluid to assist in passing. The sphincter lies at the bottom of the esophagus and ensures the process is a forward movement. After food is ground into a paste called chyme, the pyloric valve squirts out little bits into the small intestine. The small intestine directs the food to the large intestine or colon. The undigested and unnecessary nutrients are then made feces and excreted into the end of the digesting and absorption system, the rectum. The absorption piece takes places right after the digestive processes and thanks the digestive system for breaking down and sending it to the proper areas.  Metabolism uses fat to burn for energy. Once metabolism levels drop, the body stores fat and does not burn it off quite enough.  This cause overweight and obesity issues resulting in chronic diseases.  Physical activity can help with increasing metabolism levels to prevent overweight and obesity risks.

 

Nutrition and Disease

Life can be lived in a more abundant way or in a more difficult way due to complications of health.  Our health is a compilations of genes and the choices we make.  Having a healthy lifestyle, which includes both eating healthy and physical activity, is essential to life although many Americans struggle with this goal.  It is very important to have the best of health so you can live a full life without many sicknesses or limitations.  A healthy diet is important although many people do not realize that what goes in the body is fuel.   

 

Putting “bad” fuel into and engine is almost considered a sin  because we need our vehicles to run for a very long time and the vehicles take us where we need to go.  

 

 

 

It should be the same for our bodies, however the same importance is not attributed to our bodies.  Bad fuel or dieting includes not eating enough, not eating enough of the right things and overeating, etc.  Lacking particular vitamins and nutrients put up a block in our overall health as well.  If we choose to eat smarter and lead an active lifestyle, our bodies will “thank” us by breaking down or attracting different diseases.  Proper nutrition is definitely rewarding and allows you the time and ability to see a wonderful life and enjoy your loved ones.  Many African Americans suffer from sugar diabetes especially in the more unfortunate families.  “Healthy foods cost more than the unhealthy foods (Carthron, D., Johnson, T., Hubbart, T., Strickland, C., & Nance, K. 2010)” and in a less fortunate home the caregiver may not have the choice of choosing smarter.  Foods are a big part in a healthy lifestyle and this lifestyle should be made affordable to everyone everywhere.

References

Carthron, D., Johnson, T., Hubbart, T., Strickland, C., & Nance, K. (2010). “Give Me Some Sugar!” The Diabetes Self-Management Activities of African-American Primary Caregiving Grandmothers. Journal Of Nursing Scholarship, 42(3), 330-337 8p. doi:10.1111/j.1547-5069.2010.01336.x

Nutrition Requirements - From the Beginning to the End

There are particular nutritional requirements across the lifespan – from pregnancy to childhood, and from adolescence to adulthood. 

Pregnancy is where the nutrition begins. Mommy takes care of baby and herself, making sure that both are well balanced in nutrition for baby's early months. During pregnancy, a woman's body demands much more nutrition as she cares for two humans, as expected. Mommy must be cautious as she selects essentials and foods especially for baby's development. An additional 340 calories during the second trimester and an additional 450 calories are necessary during the third trimester. Foods that are high in nutrients should be selected in hopes to fulfill the energy needs versus consumption of fatty or sugary foods.  Fatty acids and carbs are examples of foods that are important for fetal development.  Folate and vitamin b help prevent defects in the baby's neural tube development.  Calcium is extremely necessary during pregnancy, and subsequently, most prenatal vitamins are sufficient in providing the recommended amounts of calcium, folate, iron and other vitamins.

In infancy, it is essential that nutrients be provided through breastmilk or formula feeding.  Breastmilk helps with the baby's immune system and helps mommy with things like contracting the uterus back in pre-baby place as well. Contrary to some cultural beliefs, formula feeding is not harmful to baby.  Breastmilk may be best for baby but formula feeding provides necessary nutrition. Baby should be eating all food groups by the age of 1 full year but cows milk (whole) is not recommended for it lacks vitamin c and the needed amount of iron, quite harmful to baby.

Children need energy through ample protein, carbs, fiber and healthy fats to grow and function well.  Vitamins and minerals are essentials in this stage as with every stage of life.  Grains, veggies, meats, fruits, milk and beans are  the essentials but must be balanced properly.

Adolescence calls for more nutrients and basically lead the adult life habits. Protein, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin b6, zinc and magnesium are essentials and should me carefully considered since a growth spurt takes place.  We are all conscious of the importance of nutrient dense foods in the adult year but the foundation should be set in the earlier years, making it easier to maintain instead of having to train the body, mind, and appetite for the necessary changes.  Increase in fiber, moderate amounts of carbs, adequate amounts of fruits, veggies and minerals ensures a healthy intake.  One must still partake in physical activity to ensure the heart is healthy.  It went unvoiced and unnoticed for a long period of time the relationship of nutrition and prevention of diseases.  Nowadays everyone is becoming more health conscious and attempting to take care of their bodies.  
I like that!

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

Healthy Weight

There are three enemies in weight - underweight, overweight and obesity.  

People have always thought that being overweight was the only problem is our individual lives and in America.  

Reality is, there are two more things that we need to tackle. 

Underweight is defined as lack of body fat for health or a BMI or body mass index of less than 18.5. Overweight is defined as more than enough body fat with a BMI of 25 through 29.9.  Obesity, on the other hand, is more than enough body fat accompanied with health issues.  BMI is normally 30 or higher.

Underweight individuals are at the same risk level as those who are overweight and obese people.  Underweight individuals are high risk of dying of starvation during diseases and famines.  According to Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies, 66 percent of Americans are overweight and obese. Overweight and obese attract hypertension, diabetes and heart disease and in some cases triples your risk.

The balance of energy and proper take in of foods combined with an active lifestyle are necessary to keep BMI in tact.  Preparing meals and monitoring caloric intake and working out the entire body for the purposes of being healthy will keep us in the fight against society and obesity, maintaining a healthy body weight.  

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