A Man and His Dog's Travels

Eat your fruits and veggies!!!

Americans are not eating anywhere near the daily recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables per day, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

The study from the US Department of Agriculture and the National Cancer Institute looked at the proportion of the population that met the government’s recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake.

According to the study, in 1999 to 2000, just 40 percent of the American population met then current recommendations to eat an average of five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. The figures were as low as 10 percent among girls ages 4 to 8 and as high as 60 percent among men ages 51 to 70.

The new MyPyramid recommends eating two to 6 ½ cups per day of fruits and vegetables every day. Adding fruits and vegetables to your daily eating plan is easy:

• Add steamed broccoli to pasta or rice and beans.
• Boost the flavor in your soup by adding squash, cauliflower or turnips.
• Chicken and noodle casserole is enhanced when you add carrots, green beans or sun-dried tomatoes.
• Instead of noodles in lasagna, try eggplant slices.
• Roll cabbage leaves around meat and rice patties or a barley and veggie patty.
• Slice bananas into cereal.
• Add chopped apples or dried cranberries to green salads.
• Top cakes and frozen desserts with sliced berries or peaches.

And of course, fruits and vegetables make quick, enjoyable snacks any time.

Produced by ADA’s Public Relations Team

Nutrition Bites for 20-somethings

So, when people find out I'm a dietitian the first thing I get asked is "what do you think about Atkins?" ....I think if it helps you get a jump start on losing weight, then go for it, but it definitely isn't a long term healthy diet.  Personally, I love carbs, like noodles, rice, rice cake, muffins, cup cakes, fruit, vegetables, bread.... it's a lot to give up, I definitely coudn't do it, hehe.

Read this article though, cuz low protein may not be the way to go even in the short term...

ATKINS IN ICU

Low-Carb Diet Endangers Life

By now you should know that the negative side effects of a low-carb, high protein diet go beyond bad breath and what's charitably called an "Atkins Attitude." Nor should it surprise you that the regimen restricting fruit and whole grains while piling on the bacon and cheese should raise health risks ranging from gastrointestinal distress to elevated levels of C-reactive protein (an inflammatory marker for heart disease). Now an Atkins dieter has landed in intensive care with severe ketoacidosis, a serious condition that can lead to a diabetic coma or even death.

According to a case study in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet, a 40-year-old woman began vomiting four to six times daily and became short of breath after a month of following the Atkins diet. While this isn't the first time a low-carb dieter has ended up in the hospital (see "Dieter Has Major Beef with Atkins"), this case study shows how manipulating your metabolism to artificially induce ketosis  can have dangerous consequences, even in the short term. The long-term consequences of Atkins-type diets are also grim. Not only do such regimens deprive you of the protective benefits of those foods highest in fiber and antioxidants, excessive intake of saturated fat is associated with a variety of ailments, including cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

Nutrition Bites for 20 somethings

So, I'm reviving efforts to provide relevant nutrition news to friends.  Hopefully you'll enjoy them.  I also figured this will make it easier for me open up and allow friends to get more involved in my life, something my shrink recommended... (aka donna...haha)

So, the last weekend we had this major heatwave, up to 110 degrees inland! So, what did we decide to do? Sixteen of us (including two 60yr old minor league guys from Costa Rica) played two hours of soccer in the 80 degree weather (in the Peninsula)  Wholesome fun exercise, and stealth slide tackles were super fun, but it made me think of this article from Dole's nutrition news....

CALCIUM LOSS THROUGH SWEAT

Profuse Perspiration Can Affect Bones

You know you should drink extra water when exercising on hot summer days. What you probably didn't bank on is the need for extra calcium. Sweating buckets during exercise helps your body regulate its internal temperature while ridding your system of toxins and excess sodium. But sodium is just one of the electrolytes lost during profuse perspiration. Calcium is another.

Drafting college basketball players as his test subjects, a  University of Tennessee professor analyzed the amount of calcium lost during training sessions. By literally squeezing sweat from the athletes' jerseys, Robert Klesges, Ph.D., found an average calcium loss of nearly 250mg per practice (a significant drain on the recommended intake of 1,000-1,200mg/day). The consequence of such excessive calcium exudation was an average loss of over 6% of bone mineral density (BMD) over the course of just one basketball season! When you consider that nearly half of Americans are already calcium-deficient, such depletion could pose a particular threat to those engaged in high-impact sports.

The irony is that exercise--particularly weight-bearing activities like strength training--is crucial to preserving bone density as we age. So, don't take this as an excuse to turn into a couch potato, just keep an eye on your calcium consumption. While nonfat dairy provides an easily accessible (and easily absorbed) calcium source, nondairy sources include soy, collard greens, kale, and arugula. Our featured Superfood Recipe, "Asian-Style Wilted Kale," provides 259mg of calcium per serving (a full quarter of your daily needs!). Learn about other bone-healthy nutrients in the DNN's "Beyond Calcium."

Bonus: Stop blaming breakouts on workouts. Stanford researchers debunked the myth linking acne to exercise-induced perspiration. Your skin--like every other organ in your body--will benefit from both a healthy sweat and a healthy diet.