Health Alliance Family Care Center

Healthy Eating – How Are We Doing?
Eating habits of 300 women from the Framingham Offspring-Spouse study were analyzed for their nutritional and health status over a 12-year follow-up. They were all free of disease and metabolic syndrome at the start of the study, so they were healthier than average. The researchers divided them into 3 groups based on nutritional goals established by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP). The women who ate the best cut their risk of developing obesity and metabolic syndrome over the 12 years by a factor of 2-3 times. That is a significant benefit of eating more healthfully.

It's interesting to look at their nutritional statistics. Even though they were rated as the best third in their eating habits, here is how they fared compared to current NCEP guidelines

NCEP Guideline
Percent meeting this goal

Saturated fat intake less than 7% of calories
2%

Total fat intake 25-35% of calories
58%

Carbohydrate intake 50-60%
40%

Fiber intake 20-30 grams/day
19%

Protein intake (15%)
38%

Cholesterol less than 200 mg/day
48%

As you can see, even though this group of women was healthier than average women their age, and even though they were rated as the third of women eating the best, they were, as a group, still a long ways from what is recommended. It simply illustrates how poorly we are eating in America and how much more could be accomplished in improving health and preventing disease if we did follow the guidelines recommended.

How are you doing? It's good to check your own eating habits periodically to see how you might improve. Take the quick Healthy Eating Self-Test as one way to evaluate your current eating habits. Recommendations are listed on the second page to help you develop healthy eating habits.

Reference: Millen BE, Pencina MJ, et al. Nutritional Risk and the Metabolic Syndrome. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2006;84:434-41. August 2006.

This article printed with permission from Wellsource.

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Protect Your Vision
Cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are the leading causes of vision impairment and blindness in the United States. Maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and eating healthfully, may reduce your risk of vision loss by 2 or 3 times.

One study found that overweight people are 2.35 times more likely to develop advanced AMD and vision loss than those who maintain a healthy weight. Those who exercise regularly are also at lower risk. In the study, people who participated in vigorous activity at least 3 times a week reduced the risk of AMD by 25 percent.

A recent study also found that dark green and yellow vegetables appeared to protect against intermediate AMD in healthy women younger than age 75. Yet another study found that spinach and other greens protect eyes from damage caused by the sun and reduce the risk of cataracts. A 7-year study showed that a high-dose combination of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and zinc significantly reduces the risk of developing advanced stages of AMD by about 25 percent.

For eye health:

Maintain a healthy weight.

Exercise on most days of the week — and vigorously at least 3 days weekly.

Eat lots of foods high in the antioxidants leutein and zeaxanthin, such as kale, collard greens, spinach, squash, corn, cabbage, broccoli, green beans, green peas, and orange peppers.

Make foods rich in beta-carotene such as sweet potatoes, carrots, butternut squash, and spinach part of your regular diet.

Include dietary sources of vitamin E in your diet: corn, nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, asparagus, and vegetable oils.

All fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C, but some of the highest C foods include green and red peppers, citrus fruits, berries (straw, blue, rasp, and cran), tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, papaya, mango, winter squash, and pineapple.

Protein foods contain zinc. Pumpkin seeds provide one of the most concentrated vegetarian food sources of zinc. Other good sources of zinc are peanuts, peanut butter, and legumes.

References:
Moeller SM et al. Associations Between Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Lutein and Zeaxanthin in the Carotenoids in Age-Related Eye Disease Study (CAREDS): Ancillary Study of the Women's Health Initiative. Archives of Ophthalmology. 2006;124:1151-1162. August 2006. Seddon JM et al. Progression of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Archives of Ophthalmology. 2003;121:785-792. June 2003.

This article printed with permission from Wellsource.

Portion Size and Calorie Intake
The bigger the portion sizes served the more the average person eats. With obesity out of control and restaurants serving ever-larger portions, it’s critical that we develop a self-defense.

Penn State University recently studied portion sizes and calorie intake. The first day of the study, women were served large portions (typical restaurant size). They could eat as much as they want. They ate only 2/3 of the food served but still had more calories than needed to maintain a healthy weight.

The few days later they were served similar foods but portion sizes were reduced by 25%. The women still left a little on their plate but ate 250 fewer calories than when the portion sizes were bigger, and they still felt satisfied.

A few days later they served foods that had low calorie density (fewer calories per portion size). Women were again allowed to eat until they were satisfied. This time they ate 575 fewer calories for the day. Both portion size and caloric density of foods are important ways you can help decrease calorie intake naturally.

Here are suggestions the authors made to help control calorie intake naturally:

·         When serving food at home, try to keep portion sizes smaller.

·         Use smaller plates, bowls, and glasses.

·         Keep the food on the stove or counter to help avoid readily available seconds.

·         Don't eat in front of the TV. Foods disappear without even realizing it and we continue to eat.

·         If you are still hungry and want more food, fill up on low calorie foods (fresh fruit, vegetables, salads, soups).

·         Begin meals with healthy starters such as salads (easy on the dressing), soups, or a fruit appetizer.

·         When eating out, share an entrée or ask for a box and divide your entrée to take home before you start to eat.

·         Don’t let the fast food people sell you more than you want. Just say “No” when asked, “Do you want fries with that veggie burger?” A large serving of fries has 1/3 of all the calories you need for a whole day. Never supersize!

Most people have a hard time recognizing a healthy portion or a recommended serving size. A 20 oz. soft drink is actually 2.5 servings. A typical bagel is 2-3 servings of grains. A typical muffin may be 3-4 times a recommended serving of grains (plus lots of fat and sugar). To help people recognize a healthy serving size, NIH has a “Portion” website at http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/portion.

This article printed with permission from Wellsource.

Looking for Easy Ways to Add More Whole Grains to Your Diet?
A national wellness goal in MyPyramid, the new food pyramid, is to eat more whole grains. Consumers can easily add whole grains to their meals, often using favorite recipes they've always enjoyed. Try some of the following:
Substitute half the white flour with whole-wheat flour in your regular recipes for cookies, muffins, quick breads, and pancakes. Or be bold and add up to 20% of another whole grain flour such as sorghum.

Add half a cup of cooked bulgur, wild rice, or barley to bread stuffing.

Add half a cup of cooked wheat or rye berries, wild rice, brown rice, sorghum, or barley to your favorite canned or homemade soup.

Use whole corn meal for corn cakes, corn breads, and corn muffins.

Make risottos, pilafs, and other rice-like dishes with whole grains such as barley, brown rice, bulgur, millet, quinoa, or sorghum. · Enjoy whole grain salads like tabbouleh.

Try whole grain breads. Kids especially like whole grain pita bread.

Buy whole grain pasta, or one of the blends that's part whole-grain, part white.

Look for cereals made with grains like kamut, kasha (buckwheat), or grano.

Reference:
Whole Grains Council. 2005.

This article printed with permission from Wellsource.

"Mooove to Lowfat or Fat Free Milk" Campaign
MILK is a great source of protein, calcium and vitamins! Drinking milk is important for adults, teenagers and children. Choosing the right type of milk is important, too.

Florida's Interagency Food and Nutrition Committee--a nutrition task force of governmental and educational agencies--launched a statewide campaign called "Mooove to Lowfat or Fat Free Milk," which made its debut in March 2002. This nutrition education initiative encourages healthy adults and children two years and older to choose lowfat or fat free milk when buying milk. Lowfat and fat free milk have the same great nutrition as whole and reduced fat (2%) milk, just less fat and fewer calories. To learn more about the Mooove to Lowfat or Fat Free Milk Campaign, go to http://www.doh.state.fl.us/family/mooove/milk.html.

This article printed with permission from the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of WIC and Nutrition Services. For more information visit the WIC website.