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It is well known that our modern lifestyle has given us a diet that puts our
health at risk. A diet that increases
obesity and the risk of chronic major diseases! What to eat and in which quantities
seems to have eluded us. I have "discovered" two sources that makes diet and meal
planning simpler. Much simpler! To help us with what to eat are the
American Dietary Guidelines jointly published by the Departments of Agriculture
(USDA), and of Health and Human Services. Since 1980, a set of revised
guidelines have been published every five years, the most recent publication was in January 2005.
The Guidelines are meant to promote good dietary habits for Americans (age two years and older) while decreasing the risks of major chronic diseases. They also serve as the foundation of Federal food and nutrition education programs.
Following the guidelines will help avoid nutritional deficiencies, and decrease the risk of chronic diseases like cancer. More than any other Western nation, the U.S. suffers from obesity and a
whole host of lifestyle-related diseases, and this will continue to be the case unless significant changes our made in the way we eat and exercise.
The guidelines suggest that in most cases, the amount of meat, nutrition deficient snacks and desserts that we consume should be reduced. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains are better nutritionally, and satisfy hunger more completely. For most of us this requires a complete change in diet and lifestyle. This usually does not happen by accident, one must make a very conscious effort to implement these life style and dietary changes. One of the keys is the increase of fruits and vegetables, grains and beans to keep away the feelings of hunger. The terrible truth is that after all of these years of being told that we need 7 to 10 servings per day of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans, research indicates that very few of us are listening.
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In order to get in the 7 to 10
servings
per day is to have fruits and vegetables throughout the day. This means with every meal. When fruits are eaten as snacks, as well as with one or two meals, and when vegetables eaten with as least one meal, the target is easier to attain. Waiting until dinner to get in the 7 to 10 servings simply will not work, not for most of us anyway. It requires a change in dietary habit by making fruits and vegetables a part of every meal and snack. It actually boils down to eating four cups of vegetables and four pieces of fruit per day.
Changing our dietary lifestyle is much easier today than it once was. Once you have replaced
high-fat dairy/meats with low-fat dairy/meats, and limit your consumption of
high-sugar drinks and snacks, you are more than half way there. Eating only
enough to satisfy your hunger (not until you are full), there won't be a need to
count calories. Eating several small meals (5 or 6) also helps in limiting
caloric intake. Eating smaller meals more frequently keeps the blood sugar from
dropping to a level that increases the feeling of hunger.
Each month make a small change to your diet. For instance, this month increase
the amount of vegetables you eat, next month cut back on your meat portions, the
month after begin incorporating more fruit into your diet, then whole grains
etc. In this way over the course of a year you can make permanent healthy
changes to your diet.
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