Personal Diet Modification

I have two different diets in my life.  My weekday diet and my weekend diet.  During the week, I eat very well.  This is an example of one of the meals in my weekday diet:

Breakfast: Protein shake with strawberries or banana
Snack: Protein Bar
Lunch: Sandwich with whole wheat bread, lean turkey, and avocado
Snack: String Cheese or cottage cheese and a piece of fruit
Dinner: Lean Meat with brown rice or sweet potato and a serving of a vegetable
Snack: Protein shake with strawberries or banana

During the week it is fairly easy to stick with this kind of healthy diet.  I have been eating this way for so long now that I have found ways to make it interesting.  Hagloch (2006) recommends that balancing all the food groups and eating whole foods as much is possible is what is needed to eat well and be healthy. I feel like throughout the week I do this and I feel wonderful when I eat this way.  I have lots of energy and a rarely hungry.  I feel like it is a well-balanced diet and it helps me to keep my weight under control throughout the week. 

This is an example of my weekend diet:

WHATEVER SOUNDS GOOD TO ME!!

Obviously this is a big weakness in my personal diet.  I have found that by Monday I am sluggish and tired and the regularity in my digestion is not where it should be.  When I teach one of my Monday morning classes, I struggle to have the stamina I need.  I know this, but yet I still seem to let the healthy eating I do throughout the week go come Friday night and it becomes a free for all diet all weekend long. 

I have decided that the biggest change that needs to happen with my personal diet is my weekend bingeing.  I need to keep my weekday diet the same throughout the weekend.  Since I know that is not realistic, I can allow myself one meal throughout the weekend that can consist of whatever I want.  This way, I get to eat something that may not be the most nutritious, but is something that sounds good.  I have done this in the past and it allows me some freedom without all the negative effects that an entire weekend of binge eating can bring. 

Eating For Health (2011). Image retrieved from http://strictlynononsense.com/acediets/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Healthy-eating.jpg

Hagloch, S.B. (2006). What to Eat: The Ten Things You Really Need To Know To Eat Well and Be Healthy! /So What Can I Eat?: How To Make Sense of the New Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Make Them Your Own. Library Journal, 131(2), 99-100. 

Image retrieved from https://idolinamaldonado.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/junk-food-2.jpg

Nutritional Requirements Across the Lifespan

In my opinion, every day that a woman is growing a baby inside her body is equivalent to a woman hiking a mountain.  It takes a lot for a baby to grow and a new mom needs to make sure that she watches her diet to include all the necessary nutrients needed to have a healthy baby and mother. Good nutrition is needed for the normal development of the fetus, energy for the mother, and infection and disease resistance. Vitamin B12 and folic acid should be supplemented into the diet, in addition to iron and vitamin C.  Malnutrition can cause permanent damage to the baby, so it is important to consume enough quality food to feed both mother and growing baby.  When I was pregnant with my first child, many people told me that I can eat whatever I want because I was eating for two.  This lead to me gaining more weight than I was supposed to.  Many pregnant woman gain twice as much as the recommended weight gain of 25 to 30 pounds.  It is important to eat some extra calorie, but it is important that the calories are nutrient dense. 

During the first year of an infant’s life, nutrition needs are at an all-time high.  Sizer& Whitney (2013) state that a baby faster in the first year of life than ever again and that nutrition status is gauged by the growth of infants.  Infants require a diet of either breastmilk or formula until about 6 months old and then other foods can be slowly introduced.  Water is also crucial for infants, but most of the those needs are met in the formula or breastmilk. 

By the time a child becomes a toddler; his or her diet has changed significantly.  Nutrition needs are met by modified adult foods.  Through toddlerhood into childhood, the caloric needs significantly increase to the point where they will have doubled by age six and even more by age 10.  Vitamins and minerals are important for children and actually need more than that of an adult.  Vitamin D, iron, and fluoride should be supplemented in a child’s diet.  Because parents are the gatekeepers to their children’s nutrition intake, healthy nutritional habits begin with parents providing and teaching children those healthy habits.  As parents, we are responsible for setting our children up for life when it comes to their eating habits – for better or worse (Model, 2013). A child who grows up eating a diet with a wide variety of vitamins and minerals will likely carry those habits into adulthood.  As a mom of 6, I know how hard it can be to be to give a child all the characteristics of a healthy diet.  I have very picky kids and trying to meet their nutritional needs can be quite the challenge.  I understand that it is up to me to train them in eating a variety and nutrient filled diet, but sometimes making chicken nuggets for the third time in a row in one day is the only way I can get any sort of calories into them.  The most successful I have been with teaching healthy eating habits to my kids has been when I required it of them.  At one point, I made my kids stay at the table until they had a bite of everything on their plate.  This has helped open up their palate to different foods and they become less picky. I know many adults who are still very picky to this day and have very poor diets, mainly due to their lack of healthy habits as a kid. 

It is hard to get quality nutrition in busy teenagers.  Sizer & Whitney (2013) state that food choices made during the teen years profoundly affect their health.  Calorie need for adolescence is dependent upon physical activity level.  Because bone development is high during this age, extra calcium is needed.  Iron levels need to be maintained due to lean body mass gain and menstruation in girls.  Vitamin D is also important for continued bone growth and development.

Sizer & Whitney (2013) state that nutrition has many documented roles that are critical to successful aging. Obesity can become a problem for those adults that decrease their activity level and not the calories consumed.  Because adults tend decrease their physical activity, the energy needs also decrease. Older adults need to focus on adequate intakes of vitamin A, D, B12, calcium, zinc, and iron as well as antioxidants and water (Sizer & Whitney, 2013). 

Model healthy eating habits to your children. (2013, Aug 06). The Times - Transcript Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1417850092?accountid=32521

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

 

Biosocial Methods (2013). Image retrieved from http://biosocialmethods.isr.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/developmental-biology_maizeblue.png

 

The Role of a Diet in Preventing Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity

I have two friends who are on the opposite spectrum when it comes to weight.  Becky is extremely underweight.  Underweight is defined as having a body weight that is below a BMI of 18.5.  Becky has struggled to keep her weight on her life.  This has affected many aspects of her life. Because of Becky’s weight, she has had problems with fertility and had to do a series of fertility treatments that did a number on her body.  She seems to catch the colds or viruses that are floating around.  Sizer & Whitney (2013) discusses some of the risks of underweight being as increased susceptibility to quicker deterioration from illnesses, hospitalizations, tests, or surgery. 

Another friend of mine, Julie, struggles with being overweight and at times obese, the exact opposite of being underweight.  After the loss of her child and the subsequent birth of another child, she quickly gained an excessive amount of weight that she has been battling to lose for the past couple of years.  The interesting thing is, she suffers from many of the same health problems as Becky.  She struggles with fertility and seems susceptible to every illness that is being passes around.  It’s sadly fascinating how they are exact opposites but have the same health and mortality risks.  Being overweight is usually defined as having a BMI of 25 to 29 and obesity carries a BMI of 30 to 39. In some cases, extreme obesity is a problem and that is usually defined a having a BMI over 40.  While there are certainly risks to being underweight, being overweight or obese carries the greater amount of risk.  Sizer & Whitney (2013) listed several threats that face obese adults as; arthritis, pregnancy complications, gallbladder disease, gout, kidney stones, sleep and skin problems, and so many more that obesity is not considered to be a chronic disease. 

In both situations, nutrition plays a vital role in preventing these two health issues. The health of both women are poor and has the capability of affecting many aspects of their lives.  The best preventative measures they can do for themselves are to maintain a nutritionally sound diet.  Pay attention to calories in and calories out.  To lose weight, consume fewer calories than are being expended.  To gain weight, consume more calories than when is being burned. Becky may need to take extra care to eat foods that are calorie dense.  Julie needs to eat less calories that are nutrient dense. Both need to maintain healthy activity to keep metabolism's healthy.  Limiting sedentary activity and eat the right kinds of food that will help to keep the body’s metabolism functioning at a healthy and consistent rate.  Obesity prevention may and should be controlled through interventions on the individual behavior and on the social environment (Carraro & Garcia, 2003).  Becky and Julie are responsible to make the necessary behavior changes in order to prevent obesity or becoming underweight. The social environment can play a role and some changes may be needed in both women's environments in order to be successful in preventing the damaging affects of underweight, overweight, and obesity. The following video shares some need to know information about nutrition and health.

 

Carraro, R., & M García, C. (2003). Role of prevention in the contention of the obesity epidemic. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 57, S94-S96. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601808

iHealthTube (2013). Everything you need to know about nutrition and health.  Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hslZFcGC80E

 

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

  

Macro-and Micronutrients and Digestion

Minerals and Vitamins are micronutrients that are required in very small amounts by the body and serve a wide variety of purposes.  Some minerals can provide structure to the bones, regulate blood pressure, and keep the body’s immune system healthy.  The amounts of minerals and vitamins that are needed vary and are generally based upon a person’s amount of nutrients in his or her diet. 

            Water is the most essential nutrient that our bodies need and is required to keep our bodies healthy and functioning properly.  Water does many things for the body.  It is required for metabolism and energy storage, temperature regulation, helps the kidneys filter waste products from the bloods, and helps transport oxygen and vital nutrients to the cells in the body (Water, 2004).  2 to 3 liters of water or half a person’s body weight is a good recommendation of just how much water should be consumed on a daily basis. 

            It is important to have a good balance of macronutrients.  Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates are considered to be macronutrients and it is important that the right amount is consumed.  Most diets consist of a combination of the three.  When I am trying to eat a balanced nutritional diet, I make sure that I include all three in every meal that I have.

            Protein’s primary function is to build and repair tissues and structures.  This is why it is so important to consume protein after a workout, especially strength training.  When muscle tissue is strained and broken down, protein is the nutrient that builds and repairs it back up.  Protein is broken down into amino acids that the body uses to build or repair tissue or used as an energy source when calories or carbohydrates are insufficient to do so.  Some examples of proteins sources that I like are chicken, lean steaks, cottage cheese, or string cheese.

            Lipids, or fats, are the most concentrated source of energy.  Fats act as a carrier for fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.  In addition, fats are responsible for the regulation and excretion of nutrients in cells, protecting and holding in place organs, insulating the body, and helping to create sensation of fullness after a meal.  The recommended range for fat intake is 20 to 25% of total calories from fat (Nettleton, 2013).  Eating more than what is recommended can lead to a slower metabolism.  One of my favorite ways to get good, healthy fats into my diet is to consume avocados.  They are higher in calories, but packed with the right kind of fats that will help you get the healthy fats that a body needs. 

Carbohydrates are the main source of readily available energy for body function and muscular exertion.  Carbohydrates help to utilize fat and protein, in addition to regulating the digestion system.  Carbohydrates make glucose, which is the fuel that gives the body energy and helps keep everything going (Neacsu, 2014).  Recommended intake for carbohydrate is 45 to 65% of caloric intake.  Some of my favorite healthy carbohydrates to eat are whole wheat bread and fruits. 

      

     

There is a process to the digestion, absorption, and metabolism of these macronutrients.  I will use the example of a cheeseburger to describe what happens when all three macronutrients are digested in the body.  First, a bite is taken out of the cheeseburger.  The mouth chews up the bite so that it is easier to pass down the esophagus.  This also makes the cheeseburger easier to digest.  The food is mixed with saliva and the enzyme in saliva provides the ability to break down starch and has a trace of a fat-digesting enzyme that infants need.   The enzymes in the saliva also to break down the food into a mass called a bolus, which is then ready to be swallowed.  The tongue moves the food to the back of the mouth and then after the bolus is swallowed, it makes its way down the esophagus and into the stomach. 

            The stomach is where the chewed up cheeseburger, or bolus at this point, hangs out for a while and is churned, mashed, and mixed into a fine paste, thanks to the stomach muscle layers.  Gastric juice is a mix of water, enzymes, and hydrochloric acid.  The acid is needed to activate a protein-digesting enzyme so that the protein can be digested.  In the case of the cheeseburger, the protein from the meat and cheese in the cheeseburger needs to be broken down and the hydrochloric acid is what allows the protein to be used for muscle building.  Digestion of starch continues to occur while in the upper stomach.  Stomach acid is so strong that it can actually give you a chemical-like burn on your hand. Fat from the cheese and meat is last to leave stomach and floats on top of fluid mixture.  Mucus in the stomach allows the stomachs lining to be protected from the acid. The stomach uses water and digestive chemicals to turn the paste into a thick liquid mass called chyme.  At this point, the cheeseburger does not look like a cheeseburger anymore.  The chyme is then slowly squirted a little at a time into the small intestine.

            The small intestine is very active in the digestion process.  This is where other organs help out with the digestion process.  The gallbladder squirts bile into the intestine in order to emulsify fat and oils.  The pancreas releases pancreatic juice that neutralizes the stomach acid that has hit the small intestine.  The walls of the intestine also have digestive enzymes that help in the digestive breakdown so that even more nutrients can be absorbed and used.  Most of the carbohydrates, fat, and proteins are completely absorbed by the time contents enter the colon (Sizer & Whitney, 2013). The liver acts as an accessory and helps to produce bile that helps digest the fats. 

            In the colon or large intestine, intestinal bacteria helps break down some of the undigested carbohydrates.  Fiber and some fatty materials get excreted.  Most protein is digested, but whatever is left will be carried out by the large intestine.  Any leftover water and minerals are reabsorbed here also.   At this point, most of the digestion and absorption of the cheeseburger is complete.  The colon absorbs most of the water that used to help digestion and mineral absorption.  What is left of the cheeseburger is a paste of fiber and other undigested materials called feces.  The feces are then excreted through the anus.

Braintofu (2014). Image retrieved from http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0eAI7kmiryQ/hqdefault.jpg

Haiku deck (2015). Life of a cheeseburger. Image retrieved from https://www.haikudeck.com/life-of-a-cheeseburger-uncategorized-presentation-bsUGxket54

 

Neacsu, N. A. (2014). EFFECTS OF CARBOHYDRATE CONSUMPTION. CASE STUDY: CARBOHYDRATES IN BREAD. Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Brasov.Economic Sciences.Series V, 7(2), 39-44. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1658463257?accountid=32521

Nettleton, J. A., Villalpando, S., Cassani, R. S. L., & Elmadfa, I. (2013). Health significance of fat quality in the diet. Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism, 63(1-2), 96-102. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000353207

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

Water is one of the body's essential nutrients for good health. (2004, Jul 26). Daily Breeze Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/338671459?accountid=32521

Food Choices and and a Healthy Diet

 

There are many challenges that come when choosing the right foods.  For me, many of my food choices are driven by time and energy, both which are lacking in my life.  I am a mom of six kids, work two jobs, and go to school full time.  It is easy to admit that food is at the bottom of my list.  I have been known to feed my family mac and cheese three nights in a row because that was all I had time or energy for. 

I have self-diagnosed myself as a social eater.  I tend to make my unhealthiest food choices when I am in social settings.  When I get around other people, I tend to not really pay attention to what I am putting in my mouth.  I eat what is around me or what sounds good.  All of my normal healthy eating habits tend to go out the window.  This can be a big problem for me because most social gatherings involve food.  Almost every get together with family, church gatherings, and work meetings seem to have food as a major component to the gatherings 

Emotions often drive food choices.  Some people eat poorly when sad, overwhelmed, depressed, or stressed.  Certain foods have the ability to make people feel temporarily better.  I have been known to spend some quality time with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s when I am feeling down or overwhelmed. The other day, I was feeling overwhelmed and slightly depressed and so I kept grabbing things to eat that I thought would make me feel better.  None of the foods worked, but my food choices were completely based on what I was feeling, not on whether it was good for me. 

Sizer & Whitney (2013) states that taste is the number-one factor that drives food choices, but that price is a close second.  I have a sister that has a very tight budget and has found that it is hard to be able to stay within her budget and make healthy food choices.  Since fast, cheap, and easy is usually not quality food, the health of those who live in poverty is extremely poor.  “Food deserts” are areas where there is an extreme lack of healthy food options in that area or community.  “Food deserts” are a problem to the health of those living in these areas because when you can’t get the right food you eat fast food or convenience foods that are most often chronically deficient in essential nutrients (Elliott, 1997).

The five characteristics of a healthy diet are adequacy, balance, moderation, calorie control, and variety. 

            Adequacy – It is important that a diet includes enough nutrients.  Without the right amount of certain nutrients, the body will not operate at optimal levels and have negative side effects.  For example, when a person is low in potassium then muscle weakness, aches, cramps, and heart palpitations may occur.  The best way to counteract the negative symptoms is to add more potassium into the diet. 

            Dietary Balance – Balance is important in a diet and achieving that balance can be challenging.  For example, because foods that are rich in iron are generally low in calcium, but the body needs both iron and calcium equally.  Sizer and Whitney (2014), state that in order to achieve balance in the diet, one must consume nutrients equally and adequately. 

            Moderation - Moderation in all things is a good rule of thumb to go by and nutrition is no exception.  It is important to not deprive oneself of some of the “bad” foods.  Indulging in treats every once in a while allows a person to not feel deprived and helps to maintain a healthy diet.  Often when a person feels deprived, then the temptation to over indulge becomes very strong.  Eating a whole pizza is not good for anyone, but a slice of pizza is perfectly fine.

            Calorie Control – A calorie is a unit of energy. Many people watch their calories in order to lose weight.  When food is eaten, the calories in that food are converted to energy.  A certain amount of calories is needed to for the body to function properly and every person needs different amounts based upon his or her height, weight, and levels of activity.  Too many calories consumed by a person can lead to obesity and too little can cause malnourishment.  It is important to watch the amount of calories consumed in order to achieve optimal healthy living.

            Variety – If a person lives on beans and rice, then it is likely that he or she is not getting enough vitamins and nutrients in the body.  Have a diet filled with variety will give a person the necessary nutrients it needs to keep the body functioning well.

Every day, I wake up and tell myself that I will include all the characteristics of healthy eating in my diet.  Some of those days I am very successful, other days I completely fail.  I will continue to make a new effort each day to do better.  Because nutrition is so important and our food choices are impacted by so many different things, knowing and understanding what makes a healthy diet can go a long way to creating a consistent and healthy dietary plan. 

Here is a link to my favorite website that offers a lot of advice regarding making healthy food choices:

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/about

Elliott, V. (1997, Nov 05). 'Food deserts' threaten health of poor and old. The Times Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/317882349?accountid=32521

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

Life'd (2015). The 5 Least Healthiest Foods. Image retrieved from http://www.lifed.com/the-5-least-healthy-foods-in-america

 

  

 

 

 

Nutrition and Disease

I am creating this blog in order to really make the changes in my dietary habits that will lead to me living a healthier, happier, and more successful life.  Over the next 6 blogs, I will explore all aspects of nutrition in order to create a diet plan that will better meet dietary guidelines. 

Nutrition and disease are closely connected.  As a personal trainer, I see first-hand how they are connected every day when I go into work.  I can train a person every day and they will be more physically fit.  If he or she is not watching their diet, then all the training in the world will not help with the chronic diseases that are associated with their diet.  Sizer and Whitney (2013), state that smoking and excess drinking are the only lifestyle choices that influence health more than diet.  This is likely because an improper diet leads to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and many other chronic illnesses.  It is estimated that of the 2.4 million deaths each year in the U.S., 75% are the result of avoidable nutritional factor diseases (Healthy Living, 2004). These are diseases that can be avoided all with good nutrition!  These mortality rates do not need to exist, yet they do.

 

Consumption of a healthy diet is critical for reducing chronic diseases such as obesity (Rao, Afshin, Singh, & Mozaffarian, 2013).  Obesity leads to a variety of other chronic illnesses and the best way to prevent obesity is to maintain a proper diet and healthy lifestyle. The choice one makes regarding diet has a profound effect on your health not only today, but in the future (Sizer & Whitney, 2014).  It is very important to take care of the body you have so that you not only feel good today, but continue to feel good in the future. My favorite analogy when it comes to nutrition is this:

What if you finally got the luxury car of your dreams?  Would you fill it up with generic oil?  Would you put the lowest grade gas in it?  If you got this amazing new car, you would likely do everything you could to keep it running well and looking nice.  Well, our bodies our like luxury cars.  Do you want to put crap in your body?  If you feed your body well, then it will run great.  You will have a lot of energy, in addition to looking great as well.  Quality nutrition is so important.  Obesity is a killer and if you want your body to last and feel good, then eating healthy and exercising is not an optional thing, but a mandatory thing.   

 

Sometimes I see people who take their diet to such an extreme level that they end up becoming malnourished.  This often happens with people who start to see success in their bodies as they lose weight from changes in their diet.  A friend of mine was so successful in quickly losing weight that she thought that if she reduced her calories even more, then maybe she would lose even more weight faster.  She ended up being hospitalized for malnourishment and had to seek counseling in order to better educate herself regarding balance in her diet. 

 

Fuel good Feel good (2013). Image retrieved from https://www.kitchfix.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/fuelgoodfeelgood.jpeg

Healthy Living (2004). How do you want to die? Retrieved from https://healthy-living.org/html/what_a_choice_.html

 

Healthy Living (2004). Nutritional Disease. Image retrieved from https://healthy-living.org/html/what_a_choice_.html

 

Healthy Living (2004). It Needs Maintenance. Image retrieved from https://healthy-living.org/html/what_a_choice_.html

 

Rao, M., Afshin, A., Singh, G., Mozaffarian, D. (2013). Do Healthier Foods and Diet Patterns Cost More than Less Healthy Options. British Medical Journal. Retrieved from http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/12/e004277.full?sid=f40b344f-ef24-4a2d-9c09-59516f35fefc

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