Why Should I Be Concerned About Nutrition?

There is growing evidence that proper nutrition can prevent, reduce, or correct many medical conditions. Blood pressure disorders, cardiac disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and cancer may all be affected.

Why can’t I read magazines and look at food labels on my own?

“Choose less fatty foods.” “Add fiber.” “Eat more vegetables, fruits, and grains.” How can you find your way through this Nutrition Maze of advice? Your Nutrition Professional can help you sift through the information. Nutrition is a specialized area that combines the biological sciences, food chemistry, behavioral counseling and the influence of these factors on you and your body.

Is there a right way or wrong way to eat?

Absolutely! It’s a fact that next to smoking and drinking, your diet has the largest impact on your well being. There have been numerous studies and reports linking a balanced diet to god health. Eating right can only support feeling well.

What is the link between nutrition and high blood pressure?

Hypertension can certainly be helped by diet. Many hypertensive persons are sensitive to sodium in foods which ultimately makes the kidneys and the heart work harder, thereby raising blood pressure. Salt is not the only source of sodium. There are many hidden sources including processed meats, baked goods and certain dairy products. Maintaining a healthy weight is another way to help keep blood pressure under control.

What about nutrition and heart disease?

According to the American Heart Association, there are five risk factors for Coronary Artery Disease:
1. Hypertension 2. Smoking 3. High Cholesterol
4. Obesity 5. Family History

(Additional factors include sedentary lifestyle and diabetes.)

The more risk factors you have, the more likely you are to have a problem. However, the good news is that almost all of these areas can be helped by following a healthy, low fat, high carbohydrate diet that is appropriate for your weight and promotes good health. A low-fat diet, particularly one which avoids saturated fats, helps keep cholesterol in healthy ranges. Too much fat of any kind can keep cholesterol elevated. It is important to keep fat intake in the 40-100 gram per day range, saturated fat 12-30 grams, and total cholesterol under 200 milligrams a day. Of course, this needs to be combined with the appropriate calorie level for you, as the first line of defense in lowering cholesterol is to maintain a healthy body weight.

Is there a relationship between nutrition and osteoporosis?

Clearly the answer is YES. Bone is living matter made up of many important minerals. One of the minerals that gives bone its strength and integrity is CALCIUM. When the body does not have an adequate dietary intake of calcium to do its necessary functions, it will “search” the body for one of the most calcium-dense sources, your bones. Calcium loss from bones can cause osteoporosis. This can be prevented or slowed by adequate calcium intake. Current recommendations are to consume 800-1200 milligrams of calcium per day for good bone health. Good sources of calcium include:

Dairy products: milk: 1 cup, 284-347mg.; cheese: 1 oz, 150-210mg.; yogurt: 1 cup, 350-400 mg.
Dried beans: 1 cup, 90mg.; sardines: 3 oz. 167mg.; salmon: 3 oz. Canned with bone, 372mg.; bokchoy, kale, mustard and turnip greens: ½ cup, 100-150 mg.

Also note that a diet high in alcohol or excessive amounts of protein can increase one’s likelihood for osteoporosis.