Yesterday I started raving about the Nutrition lecture in my Healthy Lifestyles class. I didn’t quite get to finish! You can read the first part here.

Picking up where we left off,

F.) Once upon a time, all meat and dairy products had our recommended allowance of Omega-3 fatty acids, the good fats that are essential to our bodies. Then, we began to alter the diet of our cows, chickens and pigs; they went from grazers and scratchers to being fed corn. Now, their meat no longer contains Omega-3s, but Omega-6’s instead. While Omega-3 is an anti-inflammatory, Omega-6’s are pro-inflammatory. Now we must eat wild-caught fish, flaxseeds, canola oil and walnuts to get the Omega-3 fatty acids, but most people resort to a supplements.

G.) Fun Fact: The average American consumes 300 more calories per day now than they did in 1985. (That adds up!)

Stock Up Smart!

H.) Grocery Shopping tip: to stock up on healthy groceries, shop the perimeter of the store. That’s where all of the natural products are – the produce, dairy, deli, breads, etc. The center aisles are full of processed and junk foods that can be avoided.

I.) Along the same lines as above, be smart about what you buy in bulk at stores like Clark’s or Sprout’s. I love trail mix and nut medleys, but I know that if I have a 2lb. bag in my pantry, I will eat the whole thing way too quickly. Find out the serving sizes of what you are buying in bulk, try to measure out servings and stick to them.

J.) There are always conflicting reports about what is and is not nutritious. For instance, the recent USDA’s “My Plate” says to add a glass of a dairy product to your meal. The recent Harvard School of Public Health’s very similar plate says to limit your dairy intake. Some studies say eggs are good, some say eggs are bad. Sometimes you just have to use your best judgement, and when in doubt, Moderation.

I feel like we just touched the tip of the ice burg, but that about sums up the lecture. Feel free to add any healthy nutrition tips below in the comment section!

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