How Do I Choose Foods that are Nutrient Dense?

How Do I Choose Foods that are Nutrient Dense?

Answer:

Include foods from the five food groups: grains, vegetables, fruits,dairy, and protein foods.

There are a variety of food choices within each group and some foods within each group are more nutrient dense than others. Making a healthy food choice begins with knowing what you need to eat each day.

Choose More of the Following Foods Each Day:

(1) Fruits and vegetables

(2) Whole grains like wheat bread, brown rice, rye, and whole-wheat pasta

(3) Fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products

(4) Seafood

(5) Lean meats, poultry, and eggs

(6) Beans, peas, nuts, and seeds

(7) Beverages such as vegetable juice and fruit juices without added sugar

Limit the Following Foods:

(a) Sodium (cut back on processed foods such as commercially prepared dinners, pot pies, stews, chili, and canned soups)

(b) Solid fats such as butter, margarine, shortening, and lard

(c) Added sugar

(d) Refined grains, such as white bread.

Info source: http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/fcs3/fcs3559/fcs3559.pdf

5 steps to lower Alzheimer’s risk (by HEALTHbeat by Harvard Medical School dated 10 August 2013)

Info source: HEALTHbeat by Harvard Medical School dated 10 August 2013

5 steps to lower Alzheimer’s risk

While there are no surefire ways to prevent Alzheimer’s, by following the five steps below you may lower your risk for this disease — and enhance your overall health as well.

   (1) Maintain a healthy weight. Cut back on calories and increase physical activity if you need to shed some pounds.

    (2) Check your waistline. To accurately measure your waistline, use a tape measure around the narrowest portion of your waist (usually at the height of the navel and lowest rib). A National Institutes of Health panel recommends waist measurements of no more than 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men. 

    (3) Eat mindfully. Emphasize colorful, vitamin-packed vegetables and fruits; whole grains; protein sources such as fish, lean poultry, tofu, and beans and other legumes; plus healthy fats. Cut down on unnecessary calories from sweets, sodas, refined grains like white bread or white rice, unhealthy fats, fried and fast foods, and mindless snacking. Keep a close eye on portion sizes, too.

    (4) Exercise regularly. This simple step does great things for your body. Regular physical activity helps control weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. Moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise (walking, swimming, biking, rowing), can also help chip away total body fat and abdominal fat over time. Aim for 2 1/2 to 5 hours weekly of brisk walking (at 4 mph). Or try a vigorous exercise like jogging (at 6 mph) for half that time.

    (5) Keep an eye on important health numbers. In addition to watching your weight and waistline, ask your doctor whether your cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, and blood sugar are within healthy ranges. Exercise, weight loss if needed, and medications (if necessary) can help keep these numbers on target.

For more on ways to help prevent Alzheimer’s as well as information on diagnosing and treating it, buy A Guide to Alzheimer’s disease by Harvard Medical School.