HEALTHY CHANGES:
4 Steps Towards Overall Health
Step 1:
Understanding Your "Total Health"
Step 2:
Make the Commitment
Step 3:
Assessment & Goals
Step 4:
ACTION TOOL RESOURCE CENTER
Mental/Emotional
Health
Social
Health
Spiritual
Health
Physical
Health
Step 4: RESOURCE TOOL CENTER
PHYSICAL HEALTH: Healthy Eating Basic Principles
Here are four basic principles involved in healthy eating. There
may be some overlap in the programs.
Fruits and Veggies - More Matters
Fruits
and Veggies - More Matters, known originally as 5 A Day for Better Health
Program, is a national initiative to increase consumption of fruits and
vegetables by all Americans to 5 to 9 servings a day. Eating 5 to 9 servings
of fruits and vegetables a day will promote good health and reduce the risk
of many cancers, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and
other chronic diseases. Fruits
and Veggies - More Matters: CDC
Food Guide Pyramid
The
Food Guide Pyramid is designed by United States Department of Agriculture.
It is a recognized nutrition education tool that translates nutritional
recommendations into the kinds and amounts of food Americans should eat
each day.
The Dietary Guidelines describe a healthy diet as one that:
- Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.
- Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, bean, eggs, and nuts.
- Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
Dietary Guidelines: HealthierUS.gov
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) / Dietary Reference Intake (DRI)
The
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) was developed during World War II by
the National Research Council. The allowances were meant to provide superior
nutrition for civilians and military personnel, so they included a “margin
of safety.”
In 1997 at the suggestion of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy RDA became one part of a broader set of dietary guidelines called the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) used by both the United States and Canada.
One way to know if you are getting the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)
for all the nutrients you need is to follow the Food Guide Pyramid. It provides
from 1,600 to over 2,800 calories per day depending on which foods and the
number of servings you eat. The assumption is made if you will choose a
variety of foods from each of the 5 food groups (Grain, Vegetable, Fruit,
Milk, Meat) then you will probably get 100% of your RDA.
Dietary
Guidance: USDA
Portion Control
In
our journey toward healthy weight, it makes little sense to pay attention
to what we eat, if we do not also pay attention to how much we are eating.
Even low-fat, low calorie foods will cause you to gain weight if you eat
too much. To achieve your healthy weight goals, you must learn the difference
between “too much” and “just enough.” The resources
and tips in this section will help.
What’s the difference between a portion and a serving?
A “portion” is how much food you choose to eat, whether in
a restaurant, from a package, or in your own kitchen. A “serving”
is a standard amount set by the U.S. Government, or sometimes by others
for recipes, cookbooks, or diet plans.
Just
Enough For You: Weight-control Information Network
INSPIRATION CORNER
A wealth of information on healthy eating. Your one stop source for great
articles and resources from hundreds of credible healthy eating and fitness
sites on the Web.