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

___________________________

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. 

_____________________

Did you read the Daily Diet Guide for today?

Eating Vegetables Can Help You Lose Weight

Overview

Vegetables are the ideal diet food. They are low in calories but packed vitamins, minerals and other powerful, health-promoting compounds. Beyond the well-known nutrients that vegetables provide, they are also loaded with thousands of functional compounds that offer unique disease-fightting, health benefits.

How Much Vegetables Should You Eat?

According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the USDA, a good rule of thumb is to eat a minimum of 2 to 3 servings of vegetables daily, assuming that you are also eating 2 to 3 servings of fruits. In effect, your total fruit and vegetable intake should total at least 5 servings.

Of course, on a low-calorie diet, you will eat more vegetables in place of other starchy and high fat foods. In some cases, you might consume as much as 9 or more servings of vegetables, which, although bulky and filling, would provide relatively few calories. With most vegetables providing under 35 calories per serving, you could easily eat 9 servings for under 350 calories.

According to a number of government studies, most Americans are not meeting the recommended 2 to 3 servings of vegetables or combined 5 servings of fruits and vegetables. Rather than consuming these nutrient-dense foods, we are consuming calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods, which are contributing to the growing obesity epidemic in this country. 

Obviously, if you want to lose weight, it makes good sense to eat more vegetables and less of the more starchy, high-calorie foods that have become the mainstay of the American diet.

Benefits of Eating Vegetables to Lose Weight:

• Vegetables are low in calories. That means you can eat more for less calories. 
• Vegetables are high in fiber, which helps to fill you up and reduce your total energy intake.
• Vegetables are highly nutritious. No other group of food provide the concentration of vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients for so few calories.
• You can mix and match to create a wide variety of meals and snacks everyday; vegetables come in a wide array of colors, textures and flavors to tease your taste buds.
• Vegetables can be prepared quickly and with little effort, so, even if you don't want to spend much time in the kitchen you can still enjoy a tasty and nutritious meal without ruining your diet. Just wash and eat them raw or steam lightly for a quick bite.
• Vegetables are so versatile, you can toss them in almost any dish to make a casserole, soup, salad, sandwich or even dessert.
• You can take vegetables anywhere, anytime and in any climate without too much worry about hazardous temperatures, as most vegetables keep well at a wide range of temperatures. (Of course, you still need to pay attention to basic sanitation rules.)

Vegetables to Choose From:

• Green beans
• Spinach
• Kale
• Collard greens
• Lettuce
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Mushrooms
• Onion
• Celery
• Red bell pepper
• Tomatoes
• Beets
• Cucumbers
• Sweet potato
• Pumpkin
• Squash
• Okra
• Edamame
• Sweet peas

Summary

A diet that consists of an abundance of vegetables will provide you with lots of fiber, fill you up and reduce hunger so that you are less likely to overeat. As a result, you stand a better chance of losing weight than you would on the typical American diet that is loaded with refined carbohydrates and fatty meats, and other low-nutrient, high-calorie foods.

Resources

MyPyramid Food Intake Patterns
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/pdf/CDC_5-A-Day.pdf

Updated: November 5, 2010

Eating to Prevent Constipation

Overview

Each year millions of Americans spend over $725 million for over-the-counter laxatives to relieve constipation. But did you know that you can prevent constipation by paying attention to your diet and eating foods that are high in fiber?

Constipation

Constipation without an underlying medical cause often occurs as a result of not eating enough dietary fiber. The American diet, which tends to be high in fat and refined carbohydrates, often leads to constipation. On the other hand, people who eat a diet that is rich in fiber are less likely to become constipated.

Dietary Fiber

Dietary fiber is the part of plant foods that cannot be digested and absorbed into the bloodstream. This fiber, sometimes referred to as roughage, provides the bulk that you need to form stool and move it along the digestive tract. You can get lots of fiber by eating foods that are minimally processed, including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried beans and peas.

Fluids

Water is essential for keeping stool soft and easy to pass. Of course, you can get fluids from other foods as well. What is important is that you drink enough liquid to prevent dehydration and keep your stool soft. Certain foods and drinks, such as coffee or other caffeine-containing beverages can increase urine output and lead to dehydration. Excess sweating can also lead to dehydration if you do not drink enough fluids. Keep this in mind, as you will need to replace the fluids you lose daily in order to avoid becoming dehydrated.

High Fiber Foods

It is important to eat foods that are high in fiber in order to prevent constipation. The good news is, you have lots of foods to choose from. Here are just a few: Whole wheat bread, wheat bran, brown rice, corn, barley; apples, okra, pears, watermelon, mango, papaya, guava, pineapple; broccoli, spinach, collard greens, pumpkin, sweet potato; red beans, garbanzos, pigeon peas; almond, walnuts, pumpkin seed, flaxseed and sunflower seed.

Summary

Eating foods that are high in fiber can help to promote regular bowel movements, prevent constipation and promote overall health and wellbeing.

Source

Nutrition for Everyone: Basics: Carbohydrates [DNPAO] CDC

Warning. If you are constipated despite eating a diet that is high in fiber, you may need to discuss the problem with your doctor to rule out any serious medical condition or other causes, such as prescription medications, psychological problems or other conditions requiring medical attention. For diet-related constipation, talk to a registered dietitian about how to get more fiber and fluids in your diet.

The information provided on this site is for education and general information purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please see your appropriate medical authority for personalized medical attention.

Also, please note that the appearance of any product or service on this site does not constitute an endorsement, unless specifically indicated.

About Dr. Dorene E. Carter

Dr. Dorene E. Carter is a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant with over 25 years of experience in nutrition education, counseling, training, consulting and writing. She is founder and CEO of CHANA Project, the Child Health and Nutrition Access Project, a nonprofit organization serving children and families. Dr. Carter received her PhD in Nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley.

7 Quick Tips for Getting Your Child to Eat More Vegetables

Children choose foods, not based on the nutritional goodness or health benefits that foods provide. Rather, they are guided by their taste buds. But that’s not all. Habit plays a major role in what children like and what they do not like. And habits are developed early.

Unfortunately, children are exposed to high sugar, high fat and high sodium (salt) foods so early in life that they never learn to enjoy the natural goodness of foods without these added ingredients. The end result is a child who likes all the “wrong” foods and who may refuse to eat the “right” foods.

Parents know that vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals and other vital compounds that promote healthy growth and development. But, getting children to eat their vegetables could prove to be quite challenging, to the point of frustration.

So, short of throwing in the towel, what can parents do to make sure that their children eat their vegetables?

Here are a few ideas:

1. Make vegetables a regular part of every meal. This will get children to accept vegetables as a normal part of the course and get them comfortable with these foods on their plate.

2. Serve up a variety of colorful vegetables. Kids like colors, so use colorful vegetables to tweak their curiosity about the foods on their plate.

3. Serve small portions, particularly when you are introducing a new vegetable for the first time. Seeing too much food on the plate could have the child feeling overwhelmed, perhaps even feeling like he might be punished if he doesn’t eat all. Serving smaller portions will help to remove the fear.

4. Allow the child to have seconds if he wants, while teaching him to control portions.

5. Disguise vegetables by adding them to soups, salads, casserole, gravies, pasta sauce and other dishes where they can be hidden. Chop, mash or grate the vegetables if necessary, but be careful not to overwhelm the dish with the vegetables so that the taste si overpowering that the child refuses to eat it. Gradually, increase the visibility of the vegetables as the child develops the taste or outgrows the resistance to them.

6. Be a good role model. If your child sees you eating your vegetables, he is more likely to do the same.

7. As soon as your child is old enough, involve him in doing fun things to peak his interest in vegetables and motivate him to want to at least try new ones. Be creative.

About the Author

Dr. Dorene E. Carter is a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant with over 25 years of experience in teaching, counseling, training, project development and writing. Dr. Carter earned her PhD in nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley and is currently President & CEO of CHANA Project, the Child Health and Nutrition Access Project. 

Copyright 2010 (c) Dorene E. Carter, PhD, RD. All rights reserved. Unauthorized copying or reprinting in any manner or form is strictly prohibited.
The information provided herein is for education and information services only and is not intended as a substitute for proper, personalized medical attention.

Getting Your Child to Eat More Vegetables

Dr. Carter’s Nutrition Journal

Getting Your Child to Eat More Vegetables

Dorene E. Carter, PhD, RD

Miami, FL.

May 14, 2010

Food>Children>Vegetables

Feeding children is a constant struggle for many of today’s parents who are often competing with fast food and other low-nutrient foods for their children's appetite. Unfortunately, children do not understand that eating too much of these foods could be bad for their health. Nor do they understand why it is important to eat vegetables.

Children are greatly influenced by powerful television advertising that entices them to eat foods high-calorie foods that are loaded with fat and sugar but offer little or none of the vital nutrients kids need for healthy growth.

As a parent, there are some things that you can do to get your child to eat more vegetables.

Here are a few tips.

Get your child excited about vegetables. Ask him about his favorite vegetables, take him shopping and allow him to wash the vegetables. You might even having a ‘tasting party’ before the actual meal. Another great way to get your child excited about vegetables is to have him plant a fast growing herb or vegetable, such as green onions or tomatoes.

Serve vegetables daily. Making vegetables a regular part of family meals will help your child to see that it is nothing unusual, just another part of the meal to be enjoyed.

Offer one new vegetable at a time, but aim for variety over the course of a week. This will give your child the exposure he needs to discover some vegetables that he might like from the start while warming up to others. Try not to limit the choices to two or three vegetables as this could make it harder for your child to accept others.

Prepare vegetables in different ways - raw, added to casseroles, soups, salads and stews. You can even add them to fruit smoothies for a special treat.

Use colorful vegetables to brighten up meals. Kids like bright colors, so choose foods that represent the colors of the rainbow to get your child excited about eating them.

Keep portions small at first. Putting too much on your child’s plate is likely to cause him to think that he cannot eat all of that and therefore not even try.

Finally, The most important thing you can do to teach your child is to set a good example. Children are great imitators and you are your child’s biggest role model. So, eat your vegetables. 

Please send us your comments on any topic presented here, or ask a question.

Dr. Dorene E. Carter is a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant, specializing in child health and nutrition, with special emphasis on childhood obesity. Dr. Carter, who earned her PhD in nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley, is CEO of CHANA Project, the Child Health and Nutrition Access Project. To learn more, visit www.dailydietguide.com and www.chanaproject.org.