Nutrition

[Grant R. Nieddu]

Post your questions here. Add your responses as well.

Help and Be Helped.
Teach and Be Teachable.

[Elizabeth Carpenter]

Nutrition And The Grocery Store

Now is a good time to start making a committed effort to shopping for healthful foods and to start making home-cooked meals. In order to accomplish this, you must begin with the finest and freshest ingredients. The following are tips for adding a health advantage when grocery shopping:


•Baked Goods—Select products that are fresh and minimally processed, such as whole grain breads, rolls, bagels, and English muffins. Limit or omit processed cakes, pies, pastries, and doughnuts.

•Deli—Select lean sliced turkey, chicken, roast beef, ham, and low-fat cheeses. Limit or omit high-fat, high-sodium processed meats, including sausages, salami, bacon, and hot dogs.

•Dairy—Select low-fat varieties of all dairy products, including milk, buttermilk, yogurt, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, ice cream, and frozen yogurt. An alternative to add to your diet would be goats milk and other goat milk products.

•Meats—Select meats that are lean and trimmed of visible fat. These include round, loin, sirloin, extra-lean ground beef, or tenderloin; leg or shoulder pork; skinless turkey or chicken; fresh fish and shellfish.

•Nonperishable Foods—Select foods that are not processed and have very few or no additives, such as canned vegetables, fruits, and beans in water or their own juices.

•Produce—Vegetables and fruits contain no fat or cholesterol, and are full of healthy fiber. Select the freshest and most colorful produce possible for maximum nutritional benefits.

•Frozen Products—Select foods that are not processed and have very few or no additives. These include vegetables, fruits, bagels, bread, low-fat ice cream, fruit bars, and some pre-made meals. Limit or omit processed frozen foods that are high in fat or have many additives.

•Beverages—Select bottled water. Limit or omit sodas, alcoholic beverages, and most fruit juices.

When grocery shopping, take the time to look at the products you are about to purchase.

Are they really going to be of benefit to the body?

Is a better choice possible?

If so, buy the better choice; your body will thank you for it.

Let’s go shopping!

[Elizabeth Carpenter]

Vitamins And Minerals In Food

Despite the wide availability of vitamins and minerals in our foods, many individuals fall short of the daily requirement due to poor food choices and habits. In general, when foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are processed in any way—peeled, cooked, or separated—vitamin and mineral content is lowered. For better vitamin and mineral nutrients, individuals need to include unprocessed foods.

For example, when sliced vegetables are soaked in water, many of the water-soluble vitamins are likely to leach out, lowering the energy of the vitamins’ content. To get the most nutrition from foods that are consumed, follow these simple guidelines:

•When preparing vegetables for cooking, cut them into larger pieces for better vitamin retention
•When cooking vegetables, steam or microwave rather than boil them, in order to prevent leaching into cooking water
•Store fruits and vegetables whole instead of in pieces
•Keep fruit juices in airtight containers and freeze them when possible

Like vitamins, minerals play an important role in supporting optimal health, which extends far beyond preventing deficiency diseases. They give the body shape by providing structure to the bones and teeth. Minerals also keep the body’s pH (acid level) and water in balance.

Minerals are normally grouped into two categories:

•Major Minerals
•Trace Minerals

The distinction between the major and trace minerals does not reflect the importance of one group over the other—all minerals are vital.

In summary, eating a wide variety of foods ensures sufficient intake of vitamins, just as it does with minerals.

[Elizabeth Carpenter]

Understanding Diabetes Along with Exercise and Diet

Diabetes and Exercise

What you eat and when also depend on how much you exercise. Physical activity is an important part of staying healthy and controlling your blood glucose. Keep these points in mind:

•Talk with your doctor about what types of exercise are safe for you.
•Warm up and stretch for 5 to 10 minutes before you exercise. Then cool down for several minutes after you exercise. For example, walk slowly at first, stretch, and then walk faster. Finish up by walking slowly again.
•Ask your doctor whether you should exercise if your blood glucose level is high.
•Know the signs of low blood glucose, also called hypoglycemia. Always carry food or glucose tablets to treat low blood glucose.
•Always wear your medical identification or other ID.
•Find an exercise partner or think about getting a Personal Trainer.

Diabetes and Nutrition
Being Consistent and Adding Variety

Consistent eating habits can help you control your blood sugar level. Every day try to eat about the same amount of food at about the same time. Include a variety of foods to help meet your nutritional goals.

Nutrient Percentages to Aim For:

Carbohydrates - 45 to 65% of daily calories
Protein - 15 to 20% of daily calories
Fats - 20 to 35% of daily calories

Eat Healthy Carbohydrates (Starches)

During digestion, sugars (simple carbohydrates) and starches (complex carbohydrates) break down into blood sugar. Focus on the healthiest carbohydrates:

•Fruits
•Vegetables
•Whole grains
•Legumes (beans, peas and lentils)
•Low-fat dairy products

Choose Fiber-rich Foods

Dietary fiber includes all parts of plant foods that your body can't digest or absorb. Fiber can decrease the risk of heart disease and help control blood sugar levels. Aim for 25 to 30 grams of fiber each day. Foods high in fiber include:

•Vegetables
•Fruits
•Legumes (beans, peas and lentils)
•Whole-wheat flour
•Wheat bran
•Nuts

Eat Lean Protein

Look for lean meats and other protein sources that are low to moderate in fat.

•Use lean cuts of meat instead of organ meats
•Choose to eat 3-4 eggs a week
•Opt for 2% or skim milk over whole milk products

Limit Saturated and Trans Fats

Diabetes increases your risk of heart disease and stroke by accelerating the development of clogged and hardened arteries. That's why heart-healthy eating becomes part of your diabetes diet. Get no more than 7 percent of your daily calories from saturated fat, and try to avoid trans fat completely. The best way to reduce the amount of saturated and trans fats you eat is to:

•Limit solid fats. Reduce the amount of butter, margarine and shortening you eat.

•Use low-fat substitutions. For example, top your baked potato with salsa or low-fat yogurt rather than butter. Try sugar-free fruit spread on toast instead of margarine.

•Choose monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Aim for monounsaturated fats — such as olive oil or canola oil. Polyunsaturated fats, found in nuts and seeds, are a healthier choice as well. But moderation is essential. All fat is high in calories.

Artificial Sweeteners and Diabetes

Keep in mind that foods with artificial sweeteners are not necessarily “no” carbohydrates foods. Many have carbohydrates; therefore, you must read the food labels to determine the gram amounts per serving that these have in order to take into account the effect that these carbohydrates have on your glycemic control, because foods labeled with artificial sweeteners can have an affect on your blood sugar level.

As long as you are aware of the content of carbohydrates you can adjust your meal or medication to maintain blood glucose control. Sugar free means no sugar has been added, but you must remember these foods still contain carbohydrates which do affect your blood sugar level.

Examples of artificial sweeteners you can use include:

•Saccharine
•Sucralose
•Stevia
•Other non-nutritive sweeteners

[Elizabeth Carpenter]

Inflammation

We have been hearing more and more lately about anti-inflammatory medications, but have we taken into consideration that there are anti-inflammatory foods? The foods we eat really do have an effect on how we feel and keeping inflammation at bay.


What is Inflammation?
Inflammation is defined as a localized reaction of tissue to irritation, injury, or infection. Symptoms of inflammation include pain, swelling, red coloration to the area, and sometimes loss of movement or function. We commonly think of inflammation as the painful component of arthritis, is also a component of chronic diseases such as heart disease and strokes.

Medical Anti-Inflammatory Treatments
Common medical anti-inflammatory treatments include rest, light exercise, weight maintenance, stretching, and medications designed to reduce the inflammation and control the pain. These medications include Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), steroid medications, and perhaps ultimately joint replacement surgery. The NSAIDs are widely used as the initial form of therapy and for the most part NSAIDs are tolerated fairly well, but are not the only route to go when treating inflammation.

Avoid Pro-Inflammatory Foods
Pro-inflammatory foods will increase inflammation, increase your pain from the inflammation and may also raise your risk for chronic disease. Loading up on junk foods, high-fat meats, sugar and fast foods will increase inflammation in your body. This is partially due to the unhealthy fats used in preparing and processing these foods, especially trans fats and saturated fats. Processed meats such as lunch meats, hot dogs and sausages contain chemicals such as nitrites that are associated with increased inflammation and chronic disease.

Saturated fats are also found in meats, dairy products and eggs. While all of these foods are important source of minerals and vitamins, you don't need the extra saturated fat. These foods also contain fatty acids called arachidonic acid. While some arachidonic acid is essential for your health, too much arachidonic acid in the diet may make your inflammation worse. Be sure to choose low-fat milk, cheeses, and lean cuts of meat, which will not promote inflammation.

Diets high in sugar have also been associated with inflammation, obesity and chronic disease such as diabetes. Eliminating high sugar foods such as sodas, soft drinks, pastries, pre-sweetened cereals and candy is highly recommended. And another possible source of irritation comes from the nightshade family of plants. Whole fruits and vegetables are important to eat for their vitamins, minerals, and natural antioxidants. However some vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant may actually make pain from inflammation worse. These vegetables are part of the nightshade family of plants and contain a chemical alkaloid called solanine—this can trigger pain in some people.

Choose Anti-inflammatory Foods
Adding foods that reduce inflammation will improve how you feel and help to decrease your risk for chronic diseases. Here are some suggestions.

Fats and Oils
The right types of fats in your diet will impact pain and inflammation in a positive way. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are very powerful anti-inflammatory agents. They are found in cold water oily fish, walnuts, flax seeds, canola oil and pumpkin seeds. Adding omega-3 fatty acid supplements from flax oil or fish oil may also help reduce inflammation, just be sure to speak with a doctor or nutritionist before taking larger, therapeutic doses of any supplement, or follow label instructions. Olive oil is another type of oil that will reduce inflammation. In fact, olive oil has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and will help to reduce pain. Other healthy oils include rice bran oil, grape seed oil, and walnut oil.

Protein
Your body needs protein to build healthy body tissues. Good protein sources include lean poultry, fish and seafood, nuts, legumes and seeds. Red meats may trigger inflammation, so cut back on fatty red meats. When you do eat red meat, choose lean cuts of bison, venison and other game meats, or the lowest-fat cuts of beef, preferably grass-fed beef.
Soybeans, tofu, and soy milk are three great sources of soy proteins that may help to reduce your pain and inflammation.

Carbohydrates and Fiber
Most of your carbohydrates should come from whole grains, vegetables and fruits. The bread, cereal and pasta in your diet should be mostly be 100% whole grain products. Whole grains are excellent sources of fiber, and a high fiber diet will reduce your inflammation.

Choose green leafy vegetables, green and brightly colored vegetables and lots of fresh whole fruits. You should eat at least five and preferably more servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Green vegetables and whole fruits are also important as sources of dietary fiber.

Berries are also a great food choice, especially blueberries and strawberries which are packed with anti-inflammatory phytochemicals and anti-oxidants. The pigments in brightly colored fruits, vegetables and berries contain many phytochemicals that have anti-inflammatory properties. One example is quercetin, which is found in apple and red onion skins and has strong anti-inflammatory properties.

Healthy Beverages
Your body needs water in the form of foods and beverages every day. The simplest and maybe best form of water is fresh drinking water. Other good fluid sources include 100% fruit juices, herbal teas, vegetable juices and low fat milk. About 20% of the water you need every day will come from the foods you eat.

Anti-inflammatory Diet Tips
Over all, when you are choosing anti-inflammatory foods to help reduce your inflammation and pain, choose fresh foods instead of heavily processed foods. Here are some tips:

•A meal such as breakfast, could be cooked rice cereal served with fresh berries and nuts, with a cup of almond milk.
•Snack on whole fruits, nuts, seeds, and fresh vegetables throughout the day instead processed foods and snacks.
•Try to include more fish and less red meat.
•Stay away from fried foods and bake, grill or steam your meals instead.
•Choose green, orange, and yellow vegetables for your side dishes.
•Drink plenty of water, fresh vegetable juices, herbal teas and green tea.


Here are the top 10 anti-inflammatory foods to include to your overall diet:

1. Salmon- Coldwater fish, including salmon, contain anti-inflammatory fats called omega-3s. Wild salmon has more of these super-healthy fats than does farmed salmon.

2. Grass-fed beef and other animal foods- As opposed to traditional, grain-fed livestock, meat that comes from animals fed grass also contains anti-inflammatory omega-3s, but in lower concentrations than coldwater fish. Free-range livestock that graze in pastures build up higher levels of omega-3s. Meat from grain-fed animals has virtually no omega-3s and plenty of saturated fat.

2. Olive oil- Olive oil is a great source of oleic acid, another anti-inflammatory oil. Researchers wrote in the October 2007 Journal of the American College of Nutrition that those who consume more oleic acid have better insulin function and lower blood sugar as well.

3. Salads- Dark-green lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, and other salad veggies are rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, nutrients that stifle inflammation.

4. Cruciferous vegetables- These veggies, which include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kale, are also loaded with antioxidants. But they provide one other ingredient—sulfur—that the body needs to make its own high-powered antioxidants, such as one called glutathione.

5. Cherries- A study in the April 2006 Journal of Nutritionshowed that eating cherries daily can significantly reduce inflammation. Cherries are also packed with antioxidants and relatively low on the glycemic index.

6. Blueberries- These delectable fruits are chocked full of natural compounds that reduce inflammation. Blueberries may also protect the brain from many of the effects of aging. Frozen are usually less expensive than fresh—and just as good.

7. Turmeric- This spice contains a powerful, natural inflammatory compound, according to a report in the August 2007 Biochemical Pharmacology. Turmeric has long been part of curry spice blends, used in southern Asian cuisines.

8. Ginger- This relative of tumeric is also known for its anti-inflammatory benefits, and some research suggests that it might also help control blood sugar.

9. Garlic- The research isn’t consistent, but garlic may have some anti-inflammatory and glucose-regulating benefits and it may also help your body fight infections. At the very least, it won’t hurt and makes for a tasty addition to food.

10. Green tea- Like fruits and vegetables, green tea contains natural anti-inflammatory compounds. It may even reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.