My Personal Diet Modification Plan

The first step in creating a diet modification plan is to take a close look at your own personal dietary strengths and weaknesses. After reflecting on my current diet, I concluded that I have the following weaknesses:

• I like alcoholic beverages like beer, wine coolers, and canned margaritas- all of which contain more carbohydrates and sugar than my body needs.
• I love bread and butter with my meals- the butter is high in saturated fat and the bread contains refined wheat flour because it is usually white French or Italian bread.
• I crave caffeine and chocolate. Caffeine, in excess can cause hypertension and headaches, as well as that horrible "crash" once it wears off. Chocolate (milk chocolate in my case) contains sugar and saturated fat in excessive amounts.
• I love pasta dishes with lots of cheese.

I also evaluated my strengths when it comes to my diet in terms of nutrition:

• I do actually love many healthy foods like chick peas, chicken breast, Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, granola, and fat free Greek yogurt to name a few.
• When I do my weekly grocery shopping, I will make a list and I'm pretty good at sticking to it.
• Since January 1 of this year, I have eliminated fast food from my diet.
• I have switched from coffee to chai tea which contains less caffeine.

So given my strengths and weaknesses in regards to nutrition, I have come up with the following modifications to be effective immediately:

1. In addition to continuing to eliminate  fast food, I will also eliminate junk food from the grocery list, instead replacing these snack foods with fresh fruits and vegetables.
2. I will enhance my shopping list to include ingredients for recipes obtained from healthy recipe websites such as kidshealth.org/parents/recipes/
3. I will replace my French and Italian bread with whole grain versions and use an olive oil spread instead of butter.
4. I will replace traditional pasta with whole grain pasta and switch to 2% or fat free cheese for these kinds of recipes.
5. I will consume chocolate in moderation, maybe having the occasional "kiss" instead of an entire chocolate bar.
6. I will replace ice cream with fat free frozen yogurt or sorbet.
7. I will include a red or green vegetable with every dinner.
8. I will drink alcoholic beverages in moderation, limiting them to no more than one serving in one day.
9. I will eat smaller, healthy meals and healthy snacks in between meals instead of gorging on food in one sitting.
10. I will consume no more carbohydrates than what I need for energy.
11. I will replace red meats with fish at least once a week.

"Recipes for the Whole Family". (2014). Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/parent/recipes/

Nutritional Requirements Throughout the Lifespan

                                                                 © Andres Rodriguez | Dreamstime Stock Photos

It's important to have a nutritious diet even before you are born. This is why pregnant women are encouraged to increase their calories an additional 350 calories during her second trimester and 450 during her third. She is also to increase her intake of essential nutrients such as carbohydrates (175 grams per day), protein ( additional 25 grams per day), 25% more iron and folate, as well as higher amounts of vitamins A, B6, B12, & C, linoleic acid, fiber, zinc, and iodine (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Most of these can be obtained through a healthy diet but because of their importance to a growing fetus pregnant women often take prenatal vitamins just to be sure the baby gets his/her required nutrients.
In infancy, a baby will require about 100 calories per kilogram of body weight. They continue to require nutrients such as protein, folate, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, calcium, phosphorus, iodine, zinc, and vitamins A, B12, C, D, and E, which is why doctors recommend that infants' main source of nutrition is breast milk during the first year of their life (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). If breast milk is not a viable option, infant formula will also provide the required nutrients but not the added benefits from breast milk like immunity boosting antibodies and easy-to-digest proteins.
By the time a child is one year old, he/she will have most likely already started to eat table foods and milk (cow's, soy, or lactose-free) replaces breast milk or formula. They require about 800 calories per day until they are two years old; 1200 calories from 2-5 years; and 1800 calories by 6-11 years (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Children who eat a healthy amount of nutritious foods do not require additional supplements, with the exception of flouride (if not in the water supply) and vitamin D (if the child lives in an area that gets inadequate sunlight) (Sizer & Whitney, 2012).
During adolescence, in addition to a healthy diet, children need additional iron (especially during growth spurts) to replenish that which is lost during sports and through menstruation and calcium to support "the development of peak bone mass (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). The article "Iron for You Child" on the website http://kidshealth.org goes into detail about the importance of iron while growing.
Once a person reaches adulthood, he or she should be able to get all of the daily recommended dietary intakes as long as they maintain a healthy diet, without the need for additional vitamin and/or mineral supplements. Maintaining a proper weight is also important and and a BMI of 18.5-25 is optimum for those until the age of 70. Once 70, the BMI should be 25-32. Once a person reaches old age, their carbohydrate requirements increase as well as their calcium requirements to prevent osteoporosis.


"Iron and Your Child". (2014). Retrived from http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/feeding/iron.html

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2012).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies, MyPlate

Update (12th ed.).  Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

The Importance of Maintaining a Healthy Body Weight

© Cristina | Dreamstime Stock Photos

Maintaining a proper body weight is an important factor in living a healthy lifestyle. If we are not at an optimum weight we can suffer from the effects of being underweight, overweight, and obese. Being underweight (having deficient body fatness caused by a poor diet) can threaten a human's survival during times of disease or famine (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). People with certain life-threatening conditions like HIV/AIDS or cancer are encouraged to try to gain weight in order to have "body fat as an energy reserve" and to "acquire protective amounts of nutrients that can be stored" (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Therefore its important to have a healthy body weight to achieve health but also to maintain it.

Being overweight has its own set of health risks that only get exaccerbated if a person goes on to become obese. These health risks include the development of:

• type 2 diabetes
• heart disease
• hypertension
• gallbladder stones
• gallbladder disease
• abdominal hernias
• arthritis
• complications during pregnancy and surgery
• flat feet
• gout
• high blood lipids
• kidney stones
• nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
• respiratory problems
• sleep disorders
• skin problems
• varicose veins
• high accident rate
• some types of cancer (Sizer & Whitney, 2012)

Dieting, whether to gain or lose weight for a healthy body weight plays a huge role in a human's health. To achieve and maintain a healthy body weight:

•  set realistic goals
•  keep records 
•  expect progress slowly w
• watch energy density
•  make the diet adequate and balanced,
• limit calories
•  reduce alcohol
• eat regularly (especially at breakfast time) (Sizer & Whitney, 2012)

It is important to avoid "unhealthy weight control behaviors like fasting, skipping meals, eating very little food, vomiting or using laxatives or diuretics" (APA, 2014).

American Psychological Association. (2014). "Promoting Healthy Behaviors to Prevent/ Obesity and 

        Unhealthy Weight Control in Our Health". Retrieved from www.apa.org/pi/families/resources/prevent-

        obesity.aspx

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2012).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies, MyPlate

Update (12th ed.).  Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

Macronutrients: Digestion, Absorption, and Metabolism of These Essential Energy-Producers

                                                               © Galina Barskaya | Dreamstime Stock Photos

To understand the importance of macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and protein), or energy-yielding nutrients, it's important to understand how the body transforms them to energy. Carbohydrates begin their digestion in the mouth where saliva turns the starch into maltose. Once swallowed and upon entering the stomach, the salivary enzyme is broken down further. The digestion process comes to a halt once the carbohydrate reaches the small intestine. This is where the "pancreas delivers a starch-splitting enzyme that breaks it down into disaccharides and small polysaccharides" (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Monosaccharides are taken for absorption by other enzymes. The carbohydrates are then split once more before they are absorbed. "The absorbed carbohydrates travel in the bloodstream to the liver, which can convert fructose and galactose (two of the sugars that have now been made by the breakdown process) to glucose" (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Glucose gives our bodies energy.
Another macronutrient, protein, starts its digestion in the stomach where it is denatured by acid. Enzymes in the stomach and then small intestine digest the protein into its building blocks, amino acids, dipeptides, and tripeptides (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). The "cells of the small intestine complete digestion, absorb amino acids and some larger peptides, and release them into the blood stream for use by the body's cells" (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). The cells use the absorbed amino acids and peptides for energy to carry out their various tasks.
The last of the macronutrients, fats, or lipids, begin their digestion in the stomach where they are separated from the other components of the food. Once the fat enters into the small intestine, bile, a powerful stomach acid emulsifies it. Enzymes in the small intestine digest this emulsified fat and the cells within the intestines absorb them (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). The fat is then stored in the body as a reserve. After the body has used carbohydrates and proteins for its main energy sources, it uses the reserved fats. According to the article "The Catabolism of Fats and Proteins for Energy", marathon runners often say that running  the last six miles is more difficult than the first 20, one theory is that the body has used up all of its sugars and now it has switched to fats (2012).

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2012).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies, MyPlate

Update (12th ed.).  Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

"The Catabolism of Fats and Proteins for Energy". (2014) antranik.org. Retrieved from 

http://antranik.org/the-catabolism-of-fats-and-proteins-for-energy/

Essential Macro- and Micronutrients: Their Functions and Sources

                                               © Andre Maritz | Dreamstime Stock Photos


Macronutrients are also known as "energy-yielding nutrients". The essential macronutrients are carbohydrates, fats, and protein. Carbohydrates, who have been given a bad rap by some fad diets, are actually quite necessary for healthy body function. The glucose that comes from carbohydrates is an essential fuel that our bodies need for energy as well as other functions. The reason why people generally see carbohydrates in a negative light is because of the many unhealthy foods that are rich in carbohydrates, like those that contain excess amounts of refined sugars and fats like doughnuts and other sweets. But there are healthy food sources for getting the proper intake of carbohydrates that people can choose over fattening ones. One option is substituting starchy white bread made with refined flour with whole grain bread. Though both contain carbohydrates, the "whole grain bread also contains protein, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and fiber with no refined sugars" (Sizer & Whitney). Other sources vegetables, fruits, and beans which also "deliver vitamins, minerals, and a host of important phytonutrients" (hsph, 2014).

Another essential macronutrient is fat, or lipids. "Lipids provide more energy per gram than carbohydrate and protein, enhance the aromas and flavors of foods, and contribute to satiety, or a feeling of fullness, after a meal" (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). When choosing the food sources of lipids, it's important to know which ones contain good fats and which ones contain bad fats, such as trans fats and saturated fats, which, when consumed in excess can result in obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, heart disease and stroke. Good fats consist of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. These good fats can be found in fats that are liquid at room temperature (like olive oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, and corn oil) as well as certain varieties of fish (like trout and sardines) and plant sources like ground flax seed and sunflower seeds (Mayo Clinic, 2014).

The last of the essential macronutrients is protein, which made up of amino acids. The human body requires amino acids in order to grow new cells and to replace old ones. Amino acids also do the following:

• provide structure and movement of body tissues
• build enzymes, hormones, and other components
• build antibodies
• transport substances throughout the body
• maintain fluid and electrolyte balance
• maintain acid/base balance
• assist in clotting of blood
• provide energy and glucose (Sizer & Whitney, 2012)

Protein can be found in a large variety of foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese, milk, beans, rice and oatmeal (Sizer & Whitney, 2012).

The body also requires micronutrients which are vitamins and minerals. Some minerals serve as parts of body structures such as calcium and phosphorus which are major constituents of bone (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Vitamins and minerals have the main task of regulating all body processes. These processes consist of:

• digesting food
• moving muscles
• disposing of waste
• growing new tissue
• healing wounds
• getting energy from the macronutrients
• and all other processes as required to live (Sizer & Whitney)

Micronutrients are found in many foods but fruits, vegetables, meats, and whole grains are the richest sources. Doctors agree that supplements are not necessary as long as a person maintains a nutritious diet.



Harvard School of Public Health. (2014). "Carbohydrates". The Nutrition Source. Retrieved from      

        http://hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/

Mayo Clinic Staff (2014). "Dietary fats: Know Which Types tp Choose". Retrieved from

       http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fat/art-20045550?

       footprints=mine

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2012).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies, MyPlate

Update (12th ed.).  Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

Our Diet: Why We Eat and What Are the Effects?

There's no doubt that there is a clear connection between nutrition and disease. This is evident simply by the definition of malnutrition, which is "any condition caused by excess or deficient food energy or nutrient intake or by an imbalance of nutrients" (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). In addition, "deficient intakes of many vitamins and minerals are associated with impaired disease resistance" (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). What kinds of diseases are caused by a lack of proper nutrition?

• certain cancers
• hypertension (high blood pressure)
• type 2 diabetes
• atherosclerosis
• obesity
• stroke

Also, "adequate nutrition is a key component in maintaining a healthy immune system to defend against...infectious diseases. Both deficient and excessive nutrients can harm the immune system" (Sizer & Whitney, 2012). Proper nutrition is the goal of any healthy diet. According to the book Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies, MyPlate Update), in order for a person's diet to be considered nutritious, it must have five characteristics:

1. adequacy- the consumed foods must provide enough of each essential nutrient, fiber, and energy.
2. balance- the foods consumed must not overemphasize one nutrient or food type at the expense of another.
3. calorie control- foods must provide the amount of energy an individual needs to maintain appropriate weight, having no more or no less.
4. moderation- foods must not provide an excess of fat, salt, sugar, or other objectionable constituents.
5. variety- foods differ from one day to the next (2012).

There can be challenges to maintaining a healthy diet that displays all of these characteristics. One major challenge is identifying these characteristics amid the enormous array of foods to choose from "but the foods that form the basis of a nutritious diet are whole foods such as ordinary milk and milk products; meats; fish, and poultry; vegetables and dried peas and beans; fruits; and grains" (Sizer & Whitney, 2012).

Another element in maintaining a nutritious diet is understanding the social, psychological, philosophical, and physical factors that drive our food choices. Sometimes nutrition isn't the only factor in deciding what we eat and many times the choices we make are determined by cultural traditions and social values. Our choices may be based on:

• advertising
• availability
• cost
• emotional comfort
• habit
• personal preference and genetic inheritance
• positive or negative associations
• region of the country
• social pressure
• values or beliefs
• weight
• health benefits (Sizer & Whitney, 2012)

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2012).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies, MyPlate

Update (12th ed.).  Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

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