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Nutrition 101 (Part II)
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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Nutrition 101 (Part I)
Last night’s Healthy Lifestyle class had a lecture that went right to the top of my list of favorites. We had our campus Nutritionist and Dietician speak about Nutrition. But it wasn’t just the same ole’ stuff you hear everywhere – Even after years of reading about nutrition in magazines, books and online, I still heard some new information at this lecture.
Taking down notes like nobody’s business! I think nutrition is fascinating.
I’ll just share a rundown of the most important concepts she shared, but there is so much information, I’m breaking it up into 2 posts:
A.) Good Nutrition improves your strength, endurance, sleep, immune function, and brain function. Eat Crap –> Feel like Crap.
B.) You know when you’re really stressed out and you go for junk food? When your body senses stress, it goes into the “Fight or Flight” mode, and wants to store as much energy as possible to fight off the perceived ‘threat’. That’s great if you are in the Hunger Games or living in the wild, but most of us are stressed for more common reasons like school, work, friends, and really don’t need any extra energy to fight off the stress.
Remember these from Refrigerator Reminders?
C.) Whole Grains are so much more nutritious than white flours and starch, but did you know why? It’s because they contain the outer shell and the germ of the grain which hold the Fiber, B Vitamins, and antioxidants. White bread, white pasta, and all other refined carbs remove these essential vitamins and minerals and leave just the starch.
D.) In one study, only 6% of college students reported getting the recommended 5 cups of fruits and vegetables a day. 6%, that is sad. A serving of fruits or vegetables should accompany every meal.
Avocados are nutritious and delicious :)
E.) EAT MORE DARK CHOCOLATE. (Okay, if you say so ;) )
An important reminder from the guest speaker: “Our food industry is a business, not a health care system.” Food companies are more concerned with making $$$ than providing a nutritious product, duh. So if you can’t recognize half the ingredients on the package label, put it down and go for something more simple.
TO BE CONTINUED….
:P
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