March 26, 2012
H2O - The Other Food Group
As you can see the chemical makeup of water is two hydrogen elements and one oxygen element combined. This one chemical component makes up about 55 - 60% of our body weight. We hear so much about what foods to eat and hear very little about how much water to drink. Yet, water plays a very important role in our bodies daily processes. For example - drinking water is like giving your body a bath on the inside. It helps to cleanse all those waste products or used up items out of the body. It keeps the body lubricated and moist on the inside. If you have bowel problems - then getting enough fluid intake might be your answer. Almost every working systems in the body needs water to function properly according to the Mayo Clinic.
So, how much water do you need daily? We lose water every minute of every day as we breath, sweat, and through the other natural bodily functions which excrete waste. When it is hotter outside - we lose more water daily. According to the Mayo Clinic, women need about "9 cups of total beverages a day" and men need "13 cups" daily. We have all heard it said that we need to drink eight 8 ounces cups of water a day, but the Mayo Clinic says this statement should actually say "Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day, because all fluids count towards the daily intake." http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
If you exercise, live in a hot climate, are pregnant, or breast-feeding you will need to increase your total fluids. Some people have health conditions that require restricting fluid intake. If pregnant, breast-feeding or have been prescribed to be on fluid restrictions, please talk with your Dr. about how much fluid you should be drinking daily! If you are sick with a temp or have nausea and vomiting, you should also drink more water. If you can not drink water, your Dr. may suggest other fluids to drink to help keep you hydrated.
One suggestion that I must make when talking about about fluid intake is be careful about not to drink all your daily caloric needs by drinking sugary drinks. Replace them with calorie free or low calorie choices. You may also need to monitor your caffeine intake. Remember - caffeine is a natural diuretic, which may increase the flushing of fluid out of your body and thus not be beneficial.
God made our bodies to need fluids, so take of this wonderful creation by remembering to give it a daily bath by drinking enough fluid everyday to remain healthy. By the way, you don't have to purchase bottle water, tap is fine and free!
In Christ,
Rhonda
Monday, March 26, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Abundant Life - Healthy Living Series
How Much Fiber Do I Need?
Last week, I shared that we all need to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables we eat daily. We need to do this not only for the nutrients and vitamins but for the fiber as well. According to the USDA Recommendations (http://www.choosemyplate.gov/) eating a diet which contains whole grains helps a person reduce their risk for developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer. Fiber from whole grains and other foods may actually reduce cholesterol levels. A high fiber diet helps with weight management and also provides the body with many necessary nutrients.
Eating a diet in which half of the fiber comes from wholes grains is just a smart and easy way to take care of yourself. "Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grains is a grain product " (http://www.choosemyplate.gov/). Eating grains are a good way to increase the fiber in your diet. The USDA recommends women 19-50 eat 6 ounce equivalents a day and women 51+ should eat 5 ounce equivalence a day. They say men 19-30 should eat 8 ounce equivalents a day and men 31-50 eat 7 ounce equivalence a day while men over 51 should eat 6 ounce equivalence daily.
Here is where label reading really comes into play. All food products are required to have listed somewhere on the label the nutritional values and ingredients. In the nutritional panel you will find the fiber amount listed. According to Livestrong.com it is recommended that
Last week, I shared that we all need to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables we eat daily. We need to do this not only for the nutrients and vitamins but for the fiber as well. According to the USDA Recommendations (http://www.choosemyplate.gov/) eating a diet which contains whole grains helps a person reduce their risk for developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer. Fiber from whole grains and other foods may actually reduce cholesterol levels. A high fiber diet helps with weight management and also provides the body with many necessary nutrients.
Eating a diet in which half of the fiber comes from wholes grains is just a smart and easy way to take care of yourself. "Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grains is a grain product " (http://www.choosemyplate.gov/). Eating grains are a good way to increase the fiber in your diet. The USDA recommends women 19-50 eat 6 ounce equivalents a day and women 51+ should eat 5 ounce equivalence a day. They say men 19-30 should eat 8 ounce equivalents a day and men 31-50 eat 7 ounce equivalence a day while men over 51 should eat 6 ounce equivalence daily.
Here is where label reading really comes into play. All food products are required to have listed somewhere on the label the nutritional values and ingredients. In the nutritional panel you will find the fiber amount listed. According to Livestrong.com it is recommended that
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Abundant Life - Healthy Living Series
What to Eat?
Once you have spent some time writing down what you are currently eating, you begin to see what you are not eating. Many of us just do not eat enough fruits and vegetables daily. The USDA recommended amount of a daily intake of these food groups is 2 1/2 cups of vegetables a day and 2 cups of fruit a day. Now, you may be saying to yourself, that is a lot of fruits and vegetables to eat every day. But just imagine how many potato chips or cheese curls you are eating at one sitting, I am sure you are not just eating one cup of these. A good way to get in the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables is to replace your current unhealthy snacks with these healthier choices. So, let's take a closer look at what each of these food groups can do for your body!
Vegetables are one of my favorite snack foods. You can eat them raw, steamed or cooked. They can be eaten out of the can, from the freezer or fresh for the garden. Vegetables provide the body with important vitamins and minerals as well as helping to increase your fiber intake. According to the Mayo Clinic, a high fiber diet when combined with adequate water intake helps your digestive track work well and may even reduce your risk for heart disease and diabetes.
Fruit is what I call God's candy. I for one have a major addiction to sugar, especially white cake and icing. Love it!!!! But after eating this tast of heaven, I feel as if I have poisoned my body. The after effects are really not worth the moment the sweet flavor is on my lips. A great alternative is to eat a fruit like strawberries or grapes. Most fruit does contains sugar, so I suggest that diabetics be careful here and not eat too much, but we all need the nutrients they provide. The USDA says most fruits are low in fat and calories and are a great source of potassium, fiber, vitamin C and folate.
As you increase your fruits and vegetable intake, remember to mix up the colors and be brave. Try something new like a pomegranate or a baked sweet potato. Be careful though what you use to dress up these foods. For example, many people have a habit of adding salt to fruit and as we all know eating too much salt has been linked to causing high blood pressure. Eating too much salt is a learned behavior and we did not come into this world crying for salt. Therefore, we can unlearn it. Canned vegetables can also be high in sodium. So to reduce the sodium, pour the juice off and rinse. Then add water back into the can and cook as directed. Another example of adding unhealthy things to a healthy food is adding lots of butter and sugar to a baked sweet potato. One way to dress up a baked sweet potato is to add a very small amount of butter and cinnamon. I add small amount of artificial sweetener as well.
Let me encourage you to think about what you are putting into your body. Eating a healthy diet makes you feel good and increases your energy. Sticking with those foods found in nature and not processed ffod such as chips, is a very wise choice. The more energy we have, the more we can get done for the Lord. Thank you Lord for providing us with such a wonderful rainbow of colorful and delicious foods to eat.
In Christ,
Rhonda
Once you have spent some time writing down what you are currently eating, you begin to see what you are not eating. Many of us just do not eat enough fruits and vegetables daily. The USDA recommended amount of a daily intake of these food groups is 2 1/2 cups of vegetables a day and 2 cups of fruit a day. Now, you may be saying to yourself, that is a lot of fruits and vegetables to eat every day. But just imagine how many potato chips or cheese curls you are eating at one sitting, I am sure you are not just eating one cup of these. A good way to get in the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables is to replace your current unhealthy snacks with these healthier choices. So, let's take a closer look at what each of these food groups can do for your body!
Vegetables are one of my favorite snack foods. You can eat them raw, steamed or cooked. They can be eaten out of the can, from the freezer or fresh for the garden. Vegetables provide the body with important vitamins and minerals as well as helping to increase your fiber intake. According to the Mayo Clinic, a high fiber diet when combined with adequate water intake helps your digestive track work well and may even reduce your risk for heart disease and diabetes.
Fruit is what I call God's candy. I for one have a major addiction to sugar, especially white cake and icing. Love it!!!! But after eating this tast of heaven, I feel as if I have poisoned my body. The after effects are really not worth the moment the sweet flavor is on my lips. A great alternative is to eat a fruit like strawberries or grapes. Most fruit does contains sugar, so I suggest that diabetics be careful here and not eat too much, but we all need the nutrients they provide. The USDA says most fruits are low in fat and calories and are a great source of potassium, fiber, vitamin C and folate.
As you increase your fruits and vegetable intake, remember to mix up the colors and be brave. Try something new like a pomegranate or a baked sweet potato. Be careful though what you use to dress up these foods. For example, many people have a habit of adding salt to fruit and as we all know eating too much salt has been linked to causing high blood pressure. Eating too much salt is a learned behavior and we did not come into this world crying for salt. Therefore, we can unlearn it. Canned vegetables can also be high in sodium. So to reduce the sodium, pour the juice off and rinse. Then add water back into the can and cook as directed. Another example of adding unhealthy things to a healthy food is adding lots of butter and sugar to a baked sweet potato. One way to dress up a baked sweet potato is to add a very small amount of butter and cinnamon. I add small amount of artificial sweetener as well.
Let me encourage you to think about what you are putting into your body. Eating a healthy diet makes you feel good and increases your energy. Sticking with those foods found in nature and not processed ffod such as chips, is a very wise choice. The more energy we have, the more we can get done for the Lord. Thank you Lord for providing us with such a wonderful rainbow of colorful and delicious foods to eat.
In Christ,
Rhonda
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Abundant Life - Healthy Living Series
What do I need to do to lose weight???
This is a question that I personally get asked a lot. Learning to change your eating habits is a journey that begins with writing down what you are eating everyday. Then add up the calories. When you do this, most of us will discover that we are eating too many calories per day and over time the extra calories or unused calories get stored into excess fat throughout our body. For many of us - we are carrying around too much fat for our bone structures and organs to carry. These extra pounds puts an enormous strain on our bodies and increases our risk for developing such conditions as high blood pressure, heart attack and diabetes just to name a few.
We should be eating a well balanced diet high in fiber, vegetables and low in saturated fat. But learning about what to eat takes work. I can not do it for you, you have to care enough about yourself to learn what you need to be eating to get healthy. This knowledge will empower you as you make choices everyday about what to eat. By visiting http://www.mypyramid.gov/ you will find what you need to get started on your path to a healthier you.
This is a question that I personally get asked a lot. Learning to change your eating habits is a journey that begins with writing down what you are eating everyday. Then add up the calories. When you do this, most of us will discover that we are eating too many calories per day and over time the extra calories or unused calories get stored into excess fat throughout our body. For many of us - we are carrying around too much fat for our bone structures and organs to carry. These extra pounds puts an enormous strain on our bodies and increases our risk for developing such conditions as high blood pressure, heart attack and diabetes just to name a few.
We should be eating a well balanced diet high in fiber, vegetables and low in saturated fat. But learning about what to eat takes work. I can not do it for you, you have to care enough about yourself to learn what you need to be eating to get healthy. This knowledge will empower you as you make choices everyday about what to eat. By visiting http://www.mypyramid.gov/ you will find what you need to get started on your path to a healthier you.
As you can see from this plate, 1/2 of the plate should be full of fruits and vegetables, 1/4 full of grains and only 1/4 of protein. So, one good way to eyeball a healthy plate is to cut it into fourths and eat accordingly. By the way, this is a nine inch plate though not the 16 inch plate we Americans are used to eating from. Below are 10 tips to help you get started this week. Over the next few weeks we will be discussing this topic in more detail. I am also attaching a daily log that I created to help you track your daily intake. Remember that 3500 calories equals one pound. If you reduce your daily intake by 500 calories, you will begin to see a change in the scales by the end of a week or two.
Daily Log
Breakfast:
Food eaten | Grain | Vegetable | Fruit | Dairy | Meat & Beans | Calories |
Lunch:
Food eaten | Grain | Vegetable | Fruit | Dairy | Meat & Beans | Calories |
Dinner:
Food eaten | Grain | Vegetable | Fruit | Dairy | Meat & Beans | Calories |
Snacks:
Food eaten | Grain | Vegetable | Fruit | Dairy | Meat & Beans | Calories |
Water and beverages: (check off a block for each 8 ounces consumed)
Daily needed amounts- did I meet my goals?
Grains Yes No
Fruits Yes No
Vegetables Yes No
Dairy Yes No
Meats Yes No
Calories Yes No
Did you exercise today?
Type: __________________________________________________________________
Length of Tome: ______________________________________________________
Calories burned: ______________________________________________________
Total calories eaten: ______________________________________________________
Caloric goal: ____________________________________________________________
Have a blessed week!!!
In Christ
Rhonda
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)