February 2004February 2004
Are you interested in eating healthy as part of keeping fit and staying well? We are too. Here are some things to consider, and advice from experts (with links to more information).
This is not intended as medical advice which should be obtained directly from your doctor.
If you eat fewer calories than your body needs (burn more calories that you eat), you will lose weight. I f you eat more calories than your body uses, the extra calories (fuel) will be stored as fat. To maintain healthy weight you should balance your calorie use with calorie intake.
One pound of body fat is equal to 3,500 calories. In theory, losing one pound requires a deficit of 3,500 calories. For example, eating 500 fewer calories (or burning 500 more through exercise) per day would result in losing one pound per week. Since each body is different and responds to other factors like stress, weight loss can vary from week to week.
This is not intended as medical advice which should be obtained directly from your doctor.
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What is the Food Guide Pyramid? updated February 2005 2005 UPDATE: The Food Guide Pyramid is being rebuilt! Rumor is that the new version could be a shape other than a pyramid! With a new design, the United States hopes to do a better job of explaining how to eat nutritious foods and stay healthy. For instance, U.S. nutrition experts want to encourage whole grains and stress exercise. The changes to the pyramid are expected to be announced in spring 2005. |
Nutrition Facts In addition to finding the Food Guide Pyramid on food labels you can also find the US government-imposed "Nutrition Facts" panel which you can use to determine your amounts of desirable complex carbohydrate and undesirable fat or excessive simple carbohydrate (sugar). Some imported foods will not have the nutrition panel. The Nutrition Facts on the label list percents of the daily recommendation intake from each source of energy (fat, protein, simple and complex carbohydrate) contained in the food. A few cookies can contain as much as half of the fat (50%) of what you are supposed to have in an entire day. Add a creamy sauce and some butter on your bread and you might be in the danger zone of increased risk of numerous health problems. If you can add to 100, you can easily use the Nutrition Facts panel to plan and estimate your well-balanced and healthful meals every day. At the grocery store, they probably have nutrition facts right near each fresh fruit and vegetable. This is not intended as medical advice which should be obtained directly from your doctor. |
Eat a variety of foods to get the energy, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber you need for good health. Balance the food you eat with physical activity - maintain or improve your weight to reduce you chances of having high blood pressure, heart disease, a stroke, certain cancers, and the most common kind of diabetes. Choose a diet with plenty of grain products, vegetables, and fruits which provide needed vitamins, minerals, fiber, and complex carbohydrates, and can help you lower your intake of fat. Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol to reduce your risk of heart attack and certain types of cancer and to help you maintain a healthy weight. Choose a diet moderate in sugars. A diet with lots of sugars has too many calories and too few nutrients for most people and can contribute to tooth decay. Choose a diet moderate in salt and sodium to help reduce your risk of high blood pressure. |
Start with a small, one-meal commitment to improvement. When you are comfortable with that and have made it a habit, part of your daily routine, eventually give yourself two healthful meals each day. Then slowly add other changes. Add a healthy snack here and there until you eventually build up to a healthy eating pattern. It is a small, easy start, and gradually improves your ability for more. Consult with your doctor, she can run tests to determine your appropriate effort and safe types of food for you to begin. |