Fit to Print Volume 25 Issue 1 March 2016 | Page 10
E AT S M A R T !
By Rachel Ezelius, RD
5 Things You Can Do...
...Today To Be a Healthier You!
inflammation. In fact, inflammation is
widely regarded as a common factor
in all disease processes. Bottom line:
foods that we eat have a significant
effect on our health, weight and
inflammation. Here are five ideas to
improve your health, lower your
weight and reduce your inflammation.
W
e live in a convenience and fast
food society to match our fast
pace and busy life. Swanson
introduced the first TV dinner in 1953.
Since then food preparation has only
‘improved' in speed with things like precooked chicken strips, 5-minute
microwavable vegetable bags, and 1minute rice. The latest statistics have
found two-thirds of Americans are
overweight, and half of those are obese.
By 2030, it is predicted that 86% of
Americans will be overweight or obese.
Other findings found 9 out of 10
Americans don't eat sufficient amounts of
daily vegetables and fruits. These plantbased foods are complex carbohydrates
made of protein, vitamins, minerals and
fiber and are rich in antioxidants, antiinflammatory vitamins, and other
nutrients. Unfortunately, a study
published in the Journal of the American
Dietetic Association found that twothirds of the carbohydrates consumed by
American adults come from bread, soft
drinks, refined cereal, pasta, cooked
grains and desserts instead of vegetables
and fruits. The consequences Americans
are facing as a result of this fast food,
processed diet includes obesity, vitamin
and mineral deficiencies and high levels
of inflammation and inflammatory
diseases. For example, in 2009 research
was published that 3 out of every 4
Americans did not have adequate levels
of vitamin D. Vitamin D insufficiencies
and deficiencies significantly increase
the risk of osteoporosis, cancer, heart
disease, muscle wasting, and depression.
Convenience and fast foods contain too
many of the nutrients that promote
10
Idea #1 Eat Mostly Fresh, Whole
Foods.
Fresh, whole foods means it looks
something like the way it did in nature
and has not been overly processed by
human beings. For example, fill your
plate with chicken, not chicken
nuggets, apples not apple juice and
vegetables, not a vegetable pot pie. It
also means dutifully reading the
ingredients on food labels of anything
coming out of a box, can, jar, bottle or
bag to ensure that these too are fresh
and whole foods.
Idea #2 Eat a lot of High-Fiber, Nonstarchy, Vegetables and Fruits.
Vegetables and fruits are a powerful
source of antioxidants. Aim for
diversity in the produce and eat 5 to
10 servings (1/2 cup cooked, 1 cup raw
or 1 cups leafy) a day. Eating more
vegetables and fruits fill you up, so
you look to eat less of the processed
foods.
Idea # 5 Limit Sugars, Sugary Foods,
and Refined Grains.
Let's be frank. Sugar is empty calories.
It is devoid of any necessary nutrition
and depletes the levels of other
nutrients in the body. The consumption
of sugar and sugary foods increases
inflammation and makes us fat.
Refined grains are much like sugar,
providing mostly empty calories since
most of the nutrients have been
removed during the processing,
refining, and bleaching.
Bonus Idea: Try a Superfood.
Super foods are a class of the most
potent, nutrient-packed and antiinflammatory foods you can find. A
short list of ideas is things like acai
berries, goji berries, seaweed, cacao,
hemp seeds, maca powder, spirulina or
chia seeds. Chia seeds, for example,
contain healthy omega-3 fats, packed
with proteins, antioxidants, soluble
fibers, and tons of healthy vitamins
and minerals. Chia also can be used as
a thickening agent so adding it to
oatmeal or smoothies make you feel
full and it is an excellent replacement
for things like yogurt.
Better-Than-Yogurt Chia Pudding
(yields 2 cups)
1-1/2 cups almond milk
1/2 cup chia seeds
1-1/2 TB agave nectar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch sea salt
Directions: In a medium bowl, combine
all ingredients. Let sit and soak at
room temperature for 20 minutes, or
cover and refrigerate overnight.
Serving Per Recipe 1: Nutrition Facts
per serving.
Calories 180, Fat 13gr; Protein 4gr;
Carb 10gr; Fiber 5gr
Idea #3 Drink Water.
Many people find it difficult to drink
the recommended amount of water
needed, accusing water of being
boring and tasteless. There are many
ways to give water and interesting and
tasty twist. Consider adding lemon,
lime or cucumber. Herbal teas also
help meet water needs and have
substantial amounts of antioxidants.
Idea #4 Eat Fish and Free-Range Lean
Meat.
Fish have the omega-3 fatty acids,
specifically EPA and DHA, which have
been proven to be anti-inflammatory.
Free-range (or grass fed) lean meats
also are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Unfortunately, grain fed animals are
high in omega-6 fatty acid which,
when consumed in high doses, has
been shown to be highly inflammatory.
Spring 2016 FIT to Print
Rachel Ezelius is a Registered Dietitian who
manages Fitness Incentive’s
Eat Smart program. Questions? Contact her
by email: [email protected]