Healthy_Eating_Plan

Healthy Eating Plan Crystal Henderson The Science of Nutrition/241 12/9/2010 Barbara J. French Healthy Eating Plan I believe healthy eating starts from childhood. Although many believe they are eating healthy because they may cut certain foods from their diets, are they healthy' When I started this class I felt very insecure because I knew I did not eat as healthy as I should. When I had to document my eating habits I felt like cringing because I knew my dietary intake was not where it should be. I knew this program was not going to be as simple as I would have hoped and I knew I had to make some more adjustments to my diet.. Although I consider myself to be somewhat healthy, I did not realize how far off I was when reviewing the amount of nutrients I consumed over a 3 day span. I felt that my habits were not bad because I would drink coffee maybe once a week, I would drink sodas at least twice a week, but I do not intake fruits and vegetables daily. I tend to intake fatty foods with little or no vitamin content. I try to eat organic but the cost of organic food is a little higher than that of non-organic. My current eating habits as documented in the Food Diary CheckPoint ) protein, carbs, fiber, fat) and food groups (fruit, vegetables, diary, etc When I first started this class I had no idea of what eating good was. I did not pay attention to the contents of canned foods. I did not take the time to find which were healthier when it came to canned and frozen foods. As I have gotten older, I noticed that my metabolism has slowed tremendously. I am about 30+ pounds overweight according to (BMI) and as of late, I have had the hardest time shedding the extra weight. A few years ago I could eat what I wanted because I would not gain unnecessary weight. I was tested for high cholesterol in the past, and my numbers were high, but my numbers have gone down recently. I am an at-home-mother so my exercise program has diminished considerably. Throughout this paper I will discuss my current horrible eating habits and will list the changes I need to make to have healthier eating habits. As I work towards my health journey, I will also discuss what key nutritional contents I look for when making my new food choices. According to http://www.mypyramid.gov/mypyramid/index.aspx I noticed that day one I ate a nice amount of fried foods. I at greasy foods, I drank a soda, and had little to no vegetables unless you consider a slice of lettuce and tomato on my hamburger an adequate amount. My fiber content was nonexistent that day. Over a three day span, I only had 1 cup of vegetables but should have had 2.5 cups daily. My fruit intake was at a 0.8 but, it should be at 2 cups per day. My bean intake is at 0.2 but is should be at 5.5 ounces. My grain intake is at 0 but, it should be at 6 per day. My milk intake is not close to where it should be. I have 0.3 cups daily and the recommended amount is 3. The average daily ounce for grain is at 2.6 per my healthy eating history. I am lactose intolerant so my diary intake is minimal. I love fruits and vegetables but I was not receiving my daily value. I noticed that I had been eating white bread in high volumes so I will limit my bread intake to once a week and if I do eat bread, it will be wheat bread. I have increased my water intake and I forced myself to drink 8 glasses of water daily. I have minimized my soda intake to once a week and I will try to minimize my coffee and soda intake to once a month. My husband and I like pasta and rice so I will change my source of pasta and rice to whole wheat pasta and brown rice. Although initially this has been a tough change for us, I will continue to meet my recommendations for grain intake as indicated per My Pyramid Plan. About a year ago I started minimizing my food portions, but I tend to eat once or twice a day and that is not healthy. As of late, I try to bake my chicken and fish although my husband prefers that I fry it. I know baking better for us. I use to eat a lot of beans and green vegetables until my husband complained but I will start back cooking like I use to so that we can live a healthier lifestyle. If I am more creative in my cooking, I believe my husband will complain less. I will add colorful foods and natural foods to our diet so that we can build our energy supply which will guard us from most diseases. As I travel through my health journey, I am looking forward to seeing the changes I will make with increased awareness. According to the Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, Screening and education with print materials have the potential to change risk behavior and nutrition knowledge in older adults. The information gathered can and should be passed on to children so that we can reduce the obesity rate. * Your nutritional recommendations based on your customized food pyramid results * Below is my current and recommended nutrient intake. Nutrient | Your [second person] Intake | Recommendation or Acceptable Range | Food Energy/Total Calories (kcals) | 723 | 1968 | Protein (gm) | 33 | 46 | Carbohydrate (gm) | 125 | 130 | Total Fiber (gm) | 20 | 25 | Total Fat (gm) | 13.3 | 16.1 - 28.1 | Saturated Fat (gm) | 3 |  8 | Monounsaturated Fat (gm) | 3 | | Polyunsaturated Fat (gm) | 6 | ** | Linoleic (omega 6) (gm) | 5.1 | 12 | Alpha Linolenic (omega 3) (gm) | 0.8 | 1.1 | Cholesterol (mg) | 28 | < 300 | Vitamin A (mcg RAE) | 48.6 | 700 | Vitamin C (mg) | 22.2 | 75 | Vitamin E (mg a-TE) | 1.2 | 15 | Thiamin (mg) | 0.7 | 1.1 | Riboflavin (mg) | 0.6 | 1.1 | Niacin (mg) | 8.1 | 14 | Folate (mcg, DFE) | 297.6 | 400 | Vitamin B6 (mg) | 1 | 1.3 | Vitamin B12 (mcg) | 0.6 | 2.4 | Calcium (mg) | 397.9 | 1000 | Phosphorus (mg) | 594.2 | 700 | Magnesium (mg) | 174.7 | 320 | Iron (mg) | 7.1 | 18 | Zinc (mg) | 3.2 | 8 | Selenium (mcg) | 27.9 | 55 | Potassium (mg) | 1707 | 4700 | Sodium (mg) | 1026 | 1500 - 2300 | * How you intend to implement your healthy eating plan in your daily life Diet and exercise play important roles for keeping me and my family healthy.   Health and weight coincide with each other. For starters I will need to implement a healthy eating plan, I need to be aware of my high body mass index (BMI) and to see what diseases I am most prone to getting if I do not change. To calculate my (BMI) I will need to know my weight and height. I will need to know if my (BMI) puts me in the obese category or if I just need to shed a few pounds because I am slightly overweight. As I analyze the (BMI) calculator, According to http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ the Heart and Lung Institute, an underweight person has an index below 18.5. Normal weight: 18.5 to 24.9, Overweight: 25.0 to 29.9, Obese: 30.0 and above. My current (BMI) is at 28.0 and it considered overweight for my height of 5’ 4 and weight of 163 pounds.  If I keep a nutrient rich diet and if I exercise on, I can do more than lose weight, but I can build a healthy immune system. Disease prevention and longevity is one of the best benefits for living a happy and healthy lifestyle. Disease prevention is one of the biggest benefits from a healthy lifestyle.   An overweight and unhealthy person is prone to heart disease, diabetes, cancers, and also liver and gallbladder disease. Type II Diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases of today especially amongst African Americans. Today’s statistics show that 8 out of 10 people and they are diagnosed with one or more of the diseases indicated above. We find also that Type II diabetes has become common in children and teens because they are overweight and they have the signs of obesity. If a parent is obese, 9 out of 10 so will the children. Many children are not as active as they should and depression sits in. If a child finds him or herself depressed, more than likely they are prone to eat to help minimize the pain. Most people take in a high amount of calories but their activities do not decrease the calories they are accumulating. I am one of those people. I was shocked to see that I was considered overweight even though I do not see it. I am aware that I need to lose pounds because I want to be at a certain weight but my findings shocked me. As of today, I will make changes to my personal diet and increase my activities. By the end of this course, I will have hoped to have lost 5-10 pounds and reduced my BMI by 5 percent. Although I am quite embarrassed with my findings, I am glad that I am on the path to living a healthier life. I realize that knowledge is key and without the knowledge that I have just gained by taking this course, I can equip myself and make a difference. References Southgate, K., Keller, H., & Reimer, H. (2010). Determining knowledge and behavior change after nutrition screening among older adults. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice & Research, 71(3), 128-133. doi:10.3148/71.3.2010.128. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical Activity and Health Report of the Surgeon General. 2001. Atlanta, GA. Corbin, C.B., Pangrazi, R.P. Physical Activity Rebuffs Peak Experience. ACSM's Health and Fitness Journal. Jan/Feb 1998. Vol 2/Number 1. pp 12-17. Howley, E.T., Franks, B.D. Health Fitness Instructor's Handbook. 1997. Human Kinetics. Champaign, IL. 538 pp.