Download
1 / 12
E N D
Eating For Health As you learned last lesson, “you are what you eat”. You can improve the likelihood of having better health and reduce the likelihood of getting certain diseases by following the Dietary Guidelines. The Dietary Guidelines are recommendations for diet choices for healthy Americans who are two years of age or more. The guidelines are the result of research by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and the Dept. of Health and Human Services.
The Dietary Guidelines • Eat a wide variety of different foods. Select foods from each food group. • Practice proper portion control. • Understand the importance of meal timing. • Balance the food you eat with physical activity.
The Dietary Guidelines (cont.) 5. Choose a diet low in fat, cholesterol, and sodium. 6. Choose a diet with plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. 7. Choose a diet moderate in sugars. 8. Alcohol (besides being illegal for minors) provides “empty” calories.
MyPyramid.gov This government website is the product of years of scientific research and data collection. It includes information re: • making smart choices from every food group • balancing physical activity with diet • Getting the most nutrition out of your calories, and much, much more!
Diet And Heart Disease A diet high in fat and/or cholesterol has been shown to increase the likelihood of heart disease. While a certain amount of cholesterol is needed for good health (it forms part of the protective coating of the brain, skin, and nerve cells), most Americans get too much. Foods high in cholesterol are egg yolks, dairy products, and meats (especially organ meats).
Diet and Heart Disease (cont.) Cholesterol can stick to the inner walls of arteries and form plaque. Too much plaque build up leads to arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Atherosclerosis is a disease in which an artery becomes either partially or fully blocked, leading to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. This may lead to a premature heart attack or stroke.
Diet and Heart Disease (cont.) Exercise affects lipoproteins. Lipoproteins are substances that transport cholesterol in the bloodstream. High-density lipoproteins (HDL’s) are substances that carry cholesterol to the liver for breakdown and excretion. Low-density lipoproteins are substances that carry cholesterol to body cells. Regular vigorous exercise increase the HDL level.
Antioxidants Antioxidants are substances that protect cells from being damaged by oxidation. Vitamins C & E and beta-carotene are powerful antioxidants. Carrots, sweet potatoes, oranges, broccoli, whole grain bread, and green leafy vegetables are good sources of those vitamins.
Diet And Cancer Guidelines from the Nat’l Cancer Institute recommend eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, since they play a protective role in reducing the risk of cancers of the lung, stomach, colon, bladder, pancreas, mouth, larynx, cervix, ovary, and breast. Foods rich in fiber help protect against colon and colorectal cancers. Consuming foods from the cabbage family (i.e. cauliflower, broccoli, and brussels sprouts)also helps lower the risk.
Diet & Cancer (cont.) Antioxidants may also play a role in reducing the risk of cancer. A diet rich in Vitamin A may reduce the risk of lung, bladder, and gastrointestinal cancers. A diet rich in Vitamin C & E may be helpful in reducing cancer growth. The guidelines also suggest that you limit the amount of salt-cured and smoked foods. Cut down on bacon, ham, hot dogs, and luncheon meats. Alcoholic beverages may increase the risk of developing cancers of the mouth, esophagus, larynx, and liver (esp. if combined with tobacco or marijuana).
Diet And Diabetes For good health, diabetics must choose their foods carefully, and monitor their blood sugar level regularly. A state of hypoglycemia (weakness, dizziness, irritability) results from too low a blood sugar level, while a state of hyperglycemia (frequent hunger & thirst, frequent urination) results from too high a blood sugar level. Insulin is the hormone that regulates blood sugar level.
Diet and Diabetes (cont.) Persons with diabetes should eat frequent, smaller meals to maintain correct blood sugar level. The meals should be high in protein. The meals should avoid sweets because this can totally throw off blood sugar level. Companies now sell many healthy snack foods and drinks for persons with diabetes.
