Nutrition

You Are What You Eat!!

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying: garbage in, garbage out. While it is normally used for computers, the same can be said for our nutrition. One of the best ways we can maintain a healthy lifestyle is to eat properly. Eating foods and drinking beverages that are high in sugar can lead to health problems down the road. While sugar is sometimes the main culprit; there are other landmines out there to avoid. In order to properly navigate these minefields it’s important to understand what our bodies need and what we should ingest to maintain, not only our beach body, but our overall health. If you think of our body as an automobile, putting poor fuel in it would diminish performance, correct? The same goes for putting unhealthy food in our tummies.

Eating Healthy

It’s one thing to say I’m going to eat better, but do we really know what it takes to eat healthy or what foods are good for us. You should always consult your doctor before starting any kind of diet. What about snacks? One good answer to that question is the Abbott Ensure Pudding Ready to Use Complete Balanced Nutrition . It’s a good source of plant-based Omega 3 fatty acid ALA to support heart health. Since there is always room for Jell-O, the National Nutrition Prosource Sugar-Free Gelatin can hit the spot!! Above is a breakdown of how the USDA recommends we choose the foods we eat. As you can see, at the top are some of the danger foods we should avoid or at least eat sparingly. I’m pretty sure everybody, except our children, would agree that fruits and vegetables should be eaten more often than candy. The one thing our bodies crave is protein. The cells in our body love it as well as need it!! As webMD.com states, our nails and hair are made predominantly of proteins. Our bodies use proteins to make enzymes, hormones, and other chemicals that our bodies need. For instance, our largest body organ is our skin and protein is very important for its vitality. According to webMD.com, protein is considered a macronutrient. This means that our bodies require a relatively large amount of it as well as fat and carbohydrates. Unlike fat and carbohydrates our bodies do not store protein for later use. Now that we know that our bodies require protein, the question begs to be asked “how much protein do we need?” According to the US Department of Health and Human Services the following are recommended daily servings: 

• Active men and teen boys should consume three daily servings totaling 7 ounces
• Children aged 2-6, most women, and older people require two daily servings totaling 5 ounces
• Two daily servings equaling 6 ounces are recommended for older kids, teen girls, active women and most men.

As you can see, I’m sure the average American eats more than they need to. We have all done this and if we keep it to a minimum it is acceptable. We’ve all heard the saying “everything in moderation” is a great rule of thumb!!

How Can I Supplement My Diet?

Trying to eat healthy has been the most popular New Year’s resolution ever, but how many of us achieve this? Probably not too many, if I had to bet (but I wouldn’t). We can add supplements to our diet to help us get all the nutrients our bodies need. For example, someone who is a vegetarian or doesn’t like chicken or beef may come up a little short for protein. Using Abbott Ensure Complete 1.5 Cal Therapeutic Nutritional Ready to Drink shakes can add up to 13 g of protein for us. They are available in three flavors: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Another great way to supplement your diet is to use the Abbott Ensure Original Ready-to-Drink Nutrition Shake, which has 24 essential vitamins and minerals and is available in a multitude of flavors. It can be utilized in many ways to introduce protein (9 g) or to replace a meal. There are those out there that have a tough time maintaining weight no matter what they decide to eat. In this instance they can supplement their diet with something such as Aptalis Scandishake Weight Management Nutrition Shake Mix to help patients maintain or gain weight. When mixed with 8 ounces of whole milk each shake contains approximately 600 cal. It can also be added to other foods such as casseroles, fruit juices, and even desserts.

How Do I Avoid Lactose?

There is a considerable portion of our population that is lactose intolerant (including children). How do we provide additional nutritional support to them? There is a simple solution, the Bright Beginnings Soy Pediatric Drink provides protein from soy for children ages 1 to 10 who may be allergic to cow’s milk or who might be lactose intolerant. Another option that is appropriate for lactose sensitivity is the Natures One PediaSmart Dairy Nutritional Beverage. It is the only organic complete nutrition beverage for kids aged 1 to 13. For children and adults that have an amino acid metabolic disorder, the Mead Johnson PFD 2 Protein and Amino Acid Free Diet Powder is a lactose-free option in order to meet their caloric, vitamin, mineral, and fatty acid needs. Many different diet powders can be mixed with soy milk or lactose-free milk, so nutrition is easy as 1-2-3. Anyone looking for a vegan supplement should look to the SuperSorb Nanoreds 10 Fruit and Vegetable Superfood Dietary Supplement. Made with 100% vegan ingredients, this easy mixing and great tasting powdered drink mix supplies the phytonutrition and antioxidant power of 10 servings of fruits and vegetables. The key to supplementing any diet is to understand your needs and what supplements provide the nutrients you need so check with your doctor or nutritionist to see what is best for you.

 

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