Maintaining Your Health Spring 2003
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Health Tips: Nutrition Facts
 
apple

An Apple A Day
Apples are a source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber such as pectin actually helps to prevent cholesterol buildup in the lining of blood vessel walls,

thus reducing the incident of atherosclerosis and heart disease. The insoluble fiber in apples provides bulk in the intestinal tract, holding water to cleanse and move food quickly through the digestive system. Eat apples with their skin; almost half of the vitamin C content is just underneath the skin. One medium apple: 81 calories, 21 grams carbohydrates, 0 mg sodium.
Read more at www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/apples/nutrition.html
wheat Get on the Grain Train
The USDA Food Guide Pyramid recommends a range of servings (6-11) for the Grains group. The amount that is right for you depends on your calorie needs. Almost everyone should have at least 6 servings daily, several should be whole grains.
People with high calorie needs, such as teen boys and active men, need 11 servings daily. Whole grainscontain the entire grain kernel -- the bran, germ, and endosperm. Examples include whole-wheat flour, bulgur, oatmeal, rye bread, whole cornmeal, and brown rice.
Read more at: www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2000/document/build.htm#grains
nuts Nuts to Nutrition!
Including nuts in your diet can increase your cardiovascular health. In a recent eight week study, participants who ate 68 grams of pecans per day lowered their total cholesterol and high density lipoproteins when compared to the control.
Pecans, and most other nuts, are higher in monounsaturated fats. Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats has been shown in numerous studies to improve blood lipid profiles.
Read more at: www.nutrition.about.com
vitamens Therapeutic Use of Vitamins and Disease Prevention
Chronic diseases may be caused by insufficient vitamin intake. For example, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoporosis may be caused, in part, by suboptimal levels of vitamin intake.
Improving one’s diet can help. In many ways, this is better than taking a vitamin pill, because foods contain many substances (such as antioxidants and flavonoids) that are biologically active and may contribute to adequate increases in vitamin intake.

Taking a vitamin supplement is a viable option. All brands of multivitamins are quite similar, and many contain minerals. However, calcium is not included in adequate amounts in most multivitamins. Patients who should probably take more than one multivitamin per day include the elderly and women of childbearing age. Women who may become pregnant should take a multivitamin plus 400 mcg per day of folate.
Source: American Association of Family Physicians, www.aafp.org/afp/20021115/tips/4.html

 

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