Preventing Obesity

Preventing obesity in today's fast food and junk food environment is tough. But by being aware of what's in the foods you buy and making smart choices, you can manage to avoid joining the ranks of the obese. If you are already overweight or obese, you can use your knowledge and awareness to make better choices and lose the weight.

Eating foods as close to their natural state is an important part of any weight management strategy. Colorful foods, foods that are high in fiber and foods that contain healthy unsaturated fats must become a part of your daily diet.

On the other hand, you must reduce your intake of foods that are high in sugar, salt, saturated fats and trans fats. This will be hard to do if these are the foods you are accustomed to. The good news is, you have a choice. You can continue to eat the junk that leads to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis and daily aches and pains, or you can decide to give your body what it needs for lasting health.
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March is National Nutrition Month and the American Dietetic Association wants you to celebrate this month by adding more colorful foods to your meals.
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If you would like help planning healthy meals and snacks, talk to a registered dietitians. You can find a registered dietitian by visiting www.eatright.org, the American Dietetic Association website and searching to find a registered dietitian. Registered dietitians are the healthcare professionals most trained and qualified to assist in meal planning, weight management and other diet-related issues.

Western Diet Reduces Kidney Function

Overview

If you are consuming the standard Western/American diet, you might already know that it is associated with an increased risk of obesity. This dietary pattern has also been shown to increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Dietary Patterns

The Western diet is generally high in red meat, highly processed meats, saturated fats and sweets. The Western diet is also high in sodium. On the other hand, the DASH diet is high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Kidney function

In a study by Daniel I. Feig, et al., reported in the American Heart Association journal, Hypertension, May 2006, the researchers observed a decline in kidney function associated with the Western dietary pattern. In contrast, the authors reported that a DASH-style diet may be protective against kidney disease.

Significance

The decline in kidney function could lead to kidney failure and ultimately result in the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant. You may be able to prevent this outcome by avoiding foods that can damage your kidneys and choosing foods that are protective against kidney damage. Protective foods include those associated with the DASH diet, particularly fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

References

Hypertension

American Journal of Kidney Disease 2011; 57: 245-254. Abstract

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If you need help in planning your renal diet, talk to a registered dietitian. Search online or go to the American Dietetic Association website and click on the link to find a dietitian. 

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Did you read the Daily Diet Guide for today?

Choose Unsaturated fats for A Healthy Heart

You’ve been warned about eating too much fat. That is because fats are high in calories, which could cause you to gain unwanted weight. Compared to carbohydrates and protein, which provide 4 calories per gram, fat contains 9 calories per gram. That’s more than twice as many calories as carbohydrtes or protein.

The other problem with fat is that most commonly eaten foods that are high in fat are either fried foods or baked goods that are made with white flower. These foods are usually low in fiber and other essential nutrients. So, you get a lot of calories but little nutritional value.

Clearly, controlling your fat intake is essential to controlling your weight. That does not mean that you have to avoid fats. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you should get 25 to 35 percent of your calories from fats.

But not all fats are created equal. There are trans fats, saturated fats, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.

Trans fats are the worse fats because they can damage your heart and blood vessels. Saturated fats are also bad, though not as bad as trans fats.

On the other hand, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are good for you. They help to keep your total and LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels down. Keeping your cholesterol and triglyceride levels down is important because high levels can lead to cardiovascular disease, resulting in a heart attack or stroke.

Choose your fats wisely. It will do your heart good.

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Have you read the Daily Diet Guide?