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2012年9月23日 星期日

Pyramid Vs Plate


As far as I can tell, the biggest difference between the food pyramid and the food plate is-- nothing, just kidding! It seems that on the food plate there are less grains to eat. And, I do have to say that although food plate is a nice icon considering most of us eat our food off of a plate, it is nowhere as romantic as food pyramid. Think about it. Roll them over your tongue a couple of times. Now, which one connotes more romance? Food pyramid hounds down.

So, it seems less grains and more whole grains, at least half your servings of grains should be whole. However, it doesn't really say how much grains you should eat. For that matter, the new food plate guide doesn't say how much fruit or vegetables you should eat. It simply states that half your plate should be fruits and vegetables. Great! Now I know exactly what and how much I am supposed to eat. But wait, whose plate am I using? What size is my plate? How many plates a day? At least with the food pyramid we were given explicit instructions: serving sizes and amounts per day. Now what are we to do? Please help, I am American, I don't like to do things on my own! I need to be guided, to be led if you will. You can check out the government's site and read past the beginning pages, in all fairness, they do give guidelines on portion sizes, etc.

Seriously, the government is just trying to help. Tongue in cheek. And as educated adults, we know what to eat. We know what is good for us and what isn't. If we're trying to lose weight, we need to eat less and move more. If we want to be healthy/ier, we need to eat less processed foods and more natural foods.

Looking at the Choose My Plate, did you know that 100% real fruit juice is considered a serving? As is 100% real vegetable juice. So, don't mix in anything, just get out the ol' blender and whir away at any fruit or vegetable you don't want to sink your teeth into! It works for me and cabbage. Choose My Plate also states there are five subgroups for veggies (which for the life of me I can't find on their site), such as legumes versus starchy veggies. Beans and peas are mature forms of legumes, and they are similar to meats, poultry and fish. Good news for our vegan and vegetarian friends because they do count as a substitute for those. Also, good news for meat eaters and veg's alike, they are also good sources of dietary fiber and nutrients. They swing either way, it's a win/win situation. Meat eaters, the recommendation is to eat at least 8 ounces of cooked fish per week. Sorry sushi and sashimi lovers!

Everyone needs dairy, and I don't know why. I am sure that when we were hunter/gatherers we didn't sit around milking cows or goats for that matter. But as we evolve, so does our knowledge and dairy is good. Period. However, low or non-fat dairy is highly recommended. All fluid milks count, which is good to know for us cereal eaters. Yet, there are a few favorites, sadly, that have no calcium value: cream cheese, cream and butter. Good news though, ice cream is a good source of calcium, but loaded in solid fats and added sugars. There's always a downside.

Lastly, my friends and fellow conscious healthy food eaters-oils. They are not a food group, but they do provide essential nutrients. Foods that are naturally high in oils: nuts, olives, some fish and avocados. Avocados, this is what the Greeks meant when they coined the term "ambrosia," food of the gods. A hint on olives, my son loved black olives, I say loved because one day he ate three cans and became incredibly ill, I guess it was all that oil. So, enjoy your healthy foods, but remember everything in moderation.




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2012年9月16日 星期日

Controlling Diabetes With Diet - Menu Planning With The Food Pyramid


If you are diabetic, in theory there is nothing that stops you from doing everything you used to do before you had diabetes. But in practice, you will have to make some lifestyle adjustments to manage your disease well such as controlling diabetes with a good diet.

In controlling diabetes with diet, one should keep in mind that there is more to treatment success than whipping the pantry into shape. The first is keeping a consistent watch on where your glucose levels are. Next is to find some ways to come up with a good diet and eventually help you control your diabetes.

Start at Home

Even though you are the one with the diabetes diagnosis, your whole family needs to make some adjustments to living with the disease. A healthful lifestyle matched with a good diet that promotes good blood glucose control is the best defense against diabetic complications. And the good news is that it is a great prescription for everyone around you as well.

Do not try to go it alone. The changes that diabetes brings to the dinner table can be positive ones for the entire family, particularly if your diet before now has been less than stellar.

Exercise is also a healthy choice for the whole family, both physically and on a psychological level - the family that plays together stays together.

Also, while kids should be able to enjoy the occasional treat that is not regularly on your meal plan, such as cookies or jellybeans, stocking up on junk food is not healthy for you or them. You do not need the temptation and they will be better off with more balanced fare. Limit treats to special occasions like birthdays or Halloween.

Start Out Slowly

Try limiting restaurant food to once a week and encouraging healthier menu choices. Instead of mandating "no junk food" off the bat, allow one selection of their choosing to be kept in a cabinet you do not frequent. Above all, work to provide lots of healthy, fresh, and good-tasting alternatives so the change is perceived as a positive one.

If your family members have a favorite food that is a no-no for you, only keep it on hand if you are sure it would not be calling you from the cupboard. Remember, you are not an ogre for requesting that Lucky Charms, Moon Pies, and potato chips be kept out of the pantry. No matter what degree of pouting and resistance you face from your spouse or children, stand firm. Bypassing these treats would not harm their health; having them could very well hurt yours.

Menu Planning

A meeting with a registered dietitian is an absolute must for anyone with diabetes. A good health expert will explain the mysteries of exchanges and carbohydrate counting to you and will work with you to create a meal plan that works with your lifestyle.

Parents cooking for a child with type 1 diabetes will have a whole different set of concerns and dietary issues than, for example, an adult with type 2 who wants to learn how to eat for better control when he is out on the road.

Whether you are using carbohydrate counting or exchanges, your doctor will try to spread out your carbohydrate intake more or less evenly throughout the day to promote blood glucose balance. Again, your dietitian will work with you to come up with an appropriate amount of exchanges or carbohydrate grams, protein, and fat intake. He may also suggest other dietary guidelines based on your health history, such as low sodium if you have hypertension.

Diabetes Food Pyramid

Controlling diabetes will be a lot easier if you have a good diet to follow. And the most important guide you need to facilitate this is to know the diabetes food pyramid.

It is important to include a variety of vegetables, grains, fruits, and other nutrient-dense foods in your diet. Health experts suggest a slightly modified version of the recommended food pyramid as guideline for daily servings. The only difference is that starchy vegetables are moved out of the vegetable portion and down into the breads at the base of the pyramid with the rest of the starchy-heavy foods.

The general guideline should be:

1. Breads, legumes, grains, and starchy foods intake should be 6 to 11 servings

2. Non-starchy vegetables: 3 to 5 servings

3. Fruits: 2 to 4 servings

4. Milk and yogurt: 2 to 3 servings

5. Meat and meat substitutes (proteins): 2 to 3 servings

6. Fats and sweets: Use sparingly

So the next time you plan your diet, keep in mind that your goal is not to eliminate the disease. As you go along, you will learn how to control diabetes with a good diet. It is more of keeping the culprits away from your kitchen so you can stay healthy and live longer.




Flor Serquina is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Learn-About-Diabetes.com. She provides more information on topics such as controlling diabetes with diet [http://www.learn-about-diabetes.com/controlling-diabetes-with-diet.html], 1200 diabetic diet plan [http://www.learn-about-diabetes.com/] and diabetes Type II diet [http://www.learn-about-diabetes.com/diabetes-type-ii-diet.html] that you can research on her website even while lounging in your living room.





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2012年9月9日 星期日

The Food Guide Pyramid


The Food Guide Pyramid is one manner for Americans to read how to eat healthy. A rainbow of colored, vertical stripes stands for the five food groups plus fats and oils. Here is what the colors stand for:

orange = grains

green = vegetables

red = fruits

yellow = fats and oils

blue = milk and dairy products

purple = meat, beans, fish, and nuts

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) modified the pyramid in spring 2005 because they wanted to do a more enhanced job of narrating to Americans how to be healthy. The agency later released a special variation for children. On this website you will observe a girl ascending the staircase up the side of the pyramid. That is an example of showing kids how important it is to exercise and be active every day. From another perspective, play a lot! The stairs are also a way of showing that you can make changes in stages to be more healthy. One step at a time, understand?

The Pyramid Speaks to us in several ways. Let us all confront a few of the additional topics this new symbol is trying to pass on:

A person should eat a wide variety of foods. A balanced diet is one that makes use of all the food groups. From another perspective, have foods from every color, every day.

We should eat less of some foods, and extra of others. You can see that the bands for meat and protein are purple and oils are yellow and less pronounced than the other ones. The reason is because you need less of those varieties of foods than your need of fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy foods.

Your family also can see the bands start out fatter and get skinnier as they approach the top side. That is designed to show you that not all foods are made as good as others, even within a fit food group like fruit. Sometimes, apple pie might be in that thin section of the fruit band because it has a lot of added sugar and fat. A whole apple would be turn up in the broad part for you can eat more of those in a fit eating regimen.

We should all make nutrition personal. Through the USDA's MyPyramid website, families can get personal recommendations about the mix of nutrients they need to have and how much he or she must be eating. There is a children’s’ variation of the website available as well. To understand better ways of applying the food pyramid get access to Super Food Seminars and interviews with Famous Raw Food Authors [http://www.bestdayever.com]




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2012年9月2日 星期日

The Food Pyramid and Fat Loss - Don't Follow It


I remember when I was a little kid in grade school and was being taught how to eat by the nutrition teacher. She was going over the food pyramid and saying if we ate that way, that we would be healthy. Now, as I am older and have a degree in exercise science I realize that was complete crap. If you take a look at the food pyramid, first thing that comes to mind that it is extremely out dated.

Back in the day, the government did not know that much about healthy eating. We knew what foods were healthy, but not to the extent that we know today. For example, look at the bottom.

There it says we need to get at least 6 to 11 servings of whole grains a day and the pictures they have listed are breads, pastas, and cereal. Are you kidding me? Between 50 to 60% of the people in this country have intolerance to wheat products Reason being was because our bodies never developed and evolved on wheat based diet. We only started eating wheat when began to domesticate ourselves. Also, the thing is that we have an obesity problem because we as a society eat too many carbohydrates all the time. Think about it, you have a bagel for breakfast, maybe a doughnut or a big bowl of cereal.

Then for lunch you have sandwich usually with a bag of chips. Throughout the day you might have snacks such as cookies, cakes, or chips and then when you come home you have a big dinner consisting of bread, pasta, potatoes, and top it off with dessert. According to the food pyramid, that is almost a good day.

The next two groups up are fruits and vegetables. Are you really serious telling me I only need 2 servings a day of veggies and at least 3 servings a day of fruit? Fruit and vegetables are known to have tons of anti cancer fighting properties, why only eat a small amount of servings?

Then we have protein and dairy. Again, for a lot of people dairy can be intolerable. However, not as many as eating wheat. This is something that in my eyes they got right, somewhat, but I have seen great progress in my clients when I tell them to stop having dairy. Gastrointestinal distress goes away, as does bloating and usually diarrhea. With regards to the protein group, if you regularly exercising, you just need more protein, plain and simple.

And my last beef is with the fats and oil group. Basically they are telling you that fish oil, olive oil, coconut oil, etc are bad for us. Let's face it; we need fat in our diet. Our bodies evolved from eating fat and protein; especially high amounts of it. These oils have been found to increase one's health tenfold.

All in all, if you are trying to lose weight, don't follow the nutritional guidelines from the food pyramid. It drastically needs to be updated; I just hope it happens sooner than later.




Watch as I expose more fat loss myths @ http://www.BlowtorchBellyFat.com

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Government Intervention, The Kids' Food Pyramid, and Hazardous Hot Dogs, Too


There's a lot of food talk going around these days from the hot dogs you cook up for your kids, to meals served at home and at your child's school.

For starters, the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a warning about the dangers of serving certain foods to kids under four, such as grapes, carrots, and candy. Riskiest, of all, however, is the hot dog. Indeed, they are apparently so unsafe that lead author of the AAP report and research director at the Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus Ohio, Dr. Gary Smith says the choking hazard they present is so great that he'd like to see the hot dog redesigned.

Then there's the fact that the federal government is taking a stand of its own, with the Obama administration asking Congress to make such changes in the Childhood Nutrition Act as removing sugary snacks and drinks from school vending machines and providing school breakfast and lunch to more kids. It's also pushing for bigger reimbursements to schools that serve breakfast.

By the way, while the National PTA and various health organizations support such legislation, most schools are not quite on board.

Meanwhile, Michelle Obama has taken on childhood obesity as her cause, advising American families to serve their kids fresh fruits and vegetables, while giving up junk food. About 30% of our children are obese, and she wants the government to intervene, saying, "It's going to require us working together-not just the administration, but Congress, governors, mayors, parents, teachers. Anyone who has access to children in their lives is going to have to work together. And one of the things that's also very clear is that this problem won't be solved by any single federal solution. This is going to require national attention."

In truth, it all starts at home.

A quick glance at public school menus shows progress has been made in recent years-but only some progress. Sure, now the cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and hoagies usually come wrapped in whole wheat bread, but that doesn't necessarily make them nutritionally sound choices. And, anyway, pizza will always be a mainstay on the menu. Then there are the breakfast offerings, which include cheese omelets, breakfast pizzas, and sausage jiffies-whatever those are.

Bottom line: serve healthy breakfasts and dinners at home-snacks, too; then brown bag your child's lunches and be guided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Kids Food Pyramid.

The 5-4-3-3-2 Kids' Pyramid Plan for 7- to 10-year-olds:

• 5 servings every day from the Grain Group (orange): Serve whole grain breads, cereals, crackers, rice, and/or pasta.

• 4 servings every day from the Vegetable Group (green): Include more dark green and orange veggies, plus dry beans and peas.

• 3 servings from the Fruit Group (red): Include a variety of fresh, frozen, canned or dried fruit-but not fruit juices.

• 3 servings from the Milk Group (blue): Choose low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, cheese.

• 2 servings from the Meat Group (purple): Bake, broil, or grill low-fat and lean meats and poultry and include more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds.

• Keep servings from the Oils Group (yellow) to a minimum: The best sources are from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils; limit butter, stick margarine, shortening, and lard.

For your 11-, 12-, and 13-year-old, just change those numbers to 6-5-3-3-2, and again limit oils.

In other words, don't depend on the government or schools to take charge of your family's diet. Do that yourself. Start with small changes, grocery shop wisely, and model healthy eating habits. Your kids will learn from your good example and thank you in the long run.

And, by the way, if you still want to serve hot dogs and keep your youngster safe, too, just slice them in half lengthwise and then cut them into small pieces. Oh, yes, quarter those grapes and other potentially hazardous foods, as well.




Carol is a learning specialist who worked with middle school children and their parents at the Methacton School District in Pennsylvania for more than 25 years and now supervises student teachers at Gwynedd-Mercy College. Along with the booklet, 149 Parenting School-Wise Tips: Intermediate Grades & Up, and numerous articles in such publications as Teaching Pre-K-8 and Curious Parents, she has authored three successful learning guidebooks: Getting School-Wise: A Student Guidebook, Other-Wise and School-Wise: A Parent Guidebook, and ESL Activities for Every Month of the School Year. Carol also writes for examiner.com; find her articles at http://www.examiner.com/x-6261-Montgomery-County-Wise-Parenting-Examiner For more information, go to http://www.schoolwisebooks.com or contact Carol at carol@schoolwisebooks.com.





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2012年9月1日 星期六

The Children's Food Pyramid


Although the USDA food pyramid has been around since 1992, until 2005 there was not a special children's food pyramid. It was important to design a food-pyramid for kids because they have different nutritional needs to adults. Children are growing and they need more nutrition for this aspect than do adults. The original food pyramid was designed to try and combat the increasing rates of death through heart disease and other ailments caused by bad diets and lack of nutrition knowledge.

The children's food pyramid is a lot more accessible for children because it explains things by using colors and geometric patterns. It also graphically explains things by the use of fat and thin. For instance on the children's food-pyramid that are large sections for fruits and vegetables and grains. These sections start as being quite thick at the bottom of the pyramid and as you go up into the food-pyramid and up through the sections they become extremely thin. This is to say that although an Apple is good for you as a fruit, if you put it into a high with lots of sugar on then it will become less good for you so you should eat less of it.

The food-pyramid also encourages children to eat foods from the different colors. The children's food-pyramid encourages children to eat foods from each of the food colors every day. It is hoped that with such graphical representations of nutrition that children will have a lot more understanding about the nature of nutrition, and that this nutritional advice will stick in a child's mind much easier than the traditional food pyramid. It is also hoped that the children's food-pyramid will help children to encourage their peers, and also the adult relations to make changes to incorporate good nutrition into their lives.




The children's food pyramid should become a centerpiece for every school and every home. You should have no problems at all in getting your hands on a food pyramid poster which you can display on your fridge, on your child's wall, or just in a prominent position in your kitchen. Any encouragement that we can give our children in food nutrition and health will go a long way to ensuring that they live a long and healthy life.





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2012年8月31日 星期五

Some Things You Might Not Be Aware of About the Food Pyramid


In the 1960s the food pyramid was developed because of rising problem in the health of our nation. Heart attacks were becoming more common and people were dying from diseases related to malnutrition. I'm not talking about starvation and malnutrition here, I'm talking about people eating the wrong types of foods and not getting enough nutrition, or people eating the wrong types of foods and causing themselves all types of problems. The food pyramid has gone through several revisions since it was first released and it has become the cornerstone of many diets and indeed has become good practice with nutritionists and doctors alike.

The problem with the food pyramid is about when you are trying to decide whether its authorship is genuine. It's like anything else in life, if it comes from the government we are supposed to believe in it. Now the authors of the food pyramid are the United States Department of agriculture. Agriculture equals food and a basic necessity food at that. But when you start to think about it, the main job of the United States Department of agriculture is to promote agriculture. It is not to promote healthy nutrition.

So the question that we must all ask ourselves... is the United States Department of agriculture impartial? Is the United States Department of Agriculture thinking about the nutritional needs of the citizens of the United States, or are they thinking about the promotion of agriculture? These two things do not necessarily work in unison with each other. There is an obvious conflict of interest here.

There is a revised edition of the food pyramid that is due for release in 2010. I think that the new authors should be completely impartial, they should have no ties to any major foods department whatsoever.




Although the food pyramid gives you a better understanding of your nutritional requirements and does need general alteration. People need to be aware of what they can eat what they cannot eat. They must be aware of what foods are going to give them maximum benefit and what kind of foods they should be avoiding altogether. There cannot be any misinterpretation of the facts. And they're also cannot be any misinterpretation of the motivation of the authors of the food pyramid.





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2012年8月30日 星期四

MyPlate Replaces The Old Inadequate Food Pyramid But It Does Not Address The Real Issues


In a sense I am thankful that the food pyramid so long in use has been changed to a simple plate icon called MyPlate according to the first lady, Michelle Obama. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are the main staple on this plate and that is a good thing. I certainly don't agree with everything on the plate if meat is the means by which we are supposed to get our protein needs filled, nor is milk a wise choice for the vast majority of people since almost everyone is lactose intolerant and certainly everyone that indulges in meat and dairy are also consuming dangerous amounts of hormones and antibiotics. It is, however a step up from the former food pyramid which was woefully inadequate.

One of my problems with MyPlate is that it does not answer the question of why Americans partake of such atrocious diets. I think most of us would very much like it if our families were able to eat a healthier diet and we know instinctively that fruits and vegetables should be the main part of such a diet. In my opinion the answer to the question of why many Americans don't eat a healthy diet is simply due to availability and affordability. Have you ever gone to the market and attempted to buy healthy organic fruits and vegetables? The prices are shocking and most Americans are in a struggle just to make ends meet thanks to a deep recession and ridiculous gas prices. It would be difficult to sustain a healthy diet for any length of time due to affordability if you were even a modest family of four. It's wonderful to encourage Americans to eat a healthy diet of predominantly fruits, vegetables, and whole grains but unless your name is Obama you probably can't afford to adopt such a lifestyle.

The very administration that is asking that Americans make wise dietary choices is now the head of the same government that has been supporting and subsidizing big food business for many years. They are the ones who subsidize soda pop, genetically modified corn which is used to make the deadly high fructose corn syrup, and hormone and antibiotic laden milk just to name a few. The foods which the government subsidizes and is therefore actually fairly inexpensive compared with good healthy produce, is also loaded with artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, and don't get me started on all the deadly preservatives such as MSG, as well as a host of other ingredients which you probably can't pronounce because they are chemicals that were made in a laboratory somewhere.

Fast food restaurants advertise heavily and our lives are bombarded with Big Meal deals which provide up to 2000 mostly empty calories at a whack and you can get all of this for a fraction of what it would cost to eat a healthy meal which Mrs. Obama claims we should opt for. I assume that Americans feel that since their kids have to eat, and since they can't afford to feed them the way the current administration encourages, then they just kind of have to settle for fast food and the refined and processed foods which the government subsidizes, and therefore makes affordable.

As long as Big Government continues to subsidize Big Food, Americans will remain the fattest, most unhealthy nation on planet earth. We will continue to give large percentages of our paychecks to doctors who really don't heal but who enjoy big perks from Big Pharma who would like to keep us all on a steady diet of dangerous synthetic drugs made in a laboratory. As long as Big Government continues to support the Monsanto's of the world, unlabeled, and very dangerous genetically modified organisms will continue to be the ingredients in almost every processed food found at the supermarket. And when these genetically modified seeds are coming exclusively from Monsanto, do you think that such a monopoly will drive food prices down? I don't think so. Instead of sponsoring this evil empire why doesn't big government begin to support the local organic farmer through a re-allocation of food subsidies? Why not tax the hell out of dangerous processed food (you do it with liquor and cigarettes) and make local, non GMO organic fruits and vegetables more readily available and affordable?

These and many more issues simply must be addressed (today and not tomorrow) before MyPlate will become more than a fairy tale. Unfortunately, it is this writer's belief that government has been too long in the hip pocket of Big Agribusiness, Big Food, and Big Pharma and since they have been on the dole for so long it is hard to give up the perks and start concentrating on the health of it's citizenry. Until these issues and more are recognized and dealt with by the current administration I will save my applause for something a bit more worthy.




My name is Mark Brohl and I am passionate about health issues, and the state of the health of our wonderful America. I believe the American diet is literally killing us and that a steady flow of money and perks from the meat, egg, and dairy industries to the U.S. government is the reason we have had a long sustained brainwashing campaign that has precipitated the shift from a predominantly plant-based diet to an animal-based diet. The result has been an unprecedented increase in heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancers of all varieties. I believe Americans are suffering from a lack of truthful information concerning our diets. I enjoy writing motivational articles that will help to correct the problem regarding this lack of information and also examine the prevailing misinformation in the light of truth.

Healthy Vegetarian Choices For Life
Dedicated to the advancement of informed choices that will benefit our health, our environment, and our animal friends.
Please visit my website at http://www.ourhealthforlife.com and look around awhile. I would very much appreciate comments concerning your reaction to what I have written as well as any input that might aid me in the task of making my site more helpful. I thank you in advance for your consideration.





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The Kids Food Pyramid


Hello Healthy Triangle!

The Kids Food Pyramid is a food guide designed by the US Department of Agriculture. The pyramid displays the five major food groups a child needs to stay healthy, nourished, and strong. Beside the different food groups are the corresponding recommended serving sizes per day depending on the child's age. Let's look at that in bullet points:

Grains: 3-5 oz. (2-8 years old), 5-7 oz. (9-18 years old)

Vegetables: 1-1.5 cups (2-8 years old), 2.5-3 cups (9-18 years old)

Fruits: 1.5 cups (2-8 years old), 1.5-2 cups (9-18 years old)

Dairy Products: 2 cups (2-8 years old), 3 cups (9-18 years old)

Protein Group 2-4 oz. (2-8 years old), 5-6 oz. (9-18 years old)

The above points are the simplest way to chart how much of each food group your child should be eating in order to stay healthy. You can read the nutrition labels found in the back of packaged food so you know how many ounces are in one serving. This will help you maintain and monitor your child's daily intake.

Try to make half of your grains servings "whole grain". This will be listed in the nutrition facts found in the back label. Off the bat, though, brown rice, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, and oatmeal are whole grain foods. If your child isn't a fan of milk, try getting them to eat yogurt, calcium fortified orange juice, or cheeses. If your child does like milk, however, switch them to skim milk at the age of three, this will lessen their fat intake.

Remember that these are not super strict rules. Having more fruits and vegetables than the recommended serving size per day is okay. If your child is very active or energetic, having more servings from the other food groups is also okay as they are probably burning a lot of calories and need to make up for it by eating more.

Now, what is not in the pyramid?

If you look at the kids' food pyramid, you will see that there are no sugary foods, processed meats, junk food, desserts, or soda drinks to be found. This isn't to say you can never have any of these. You can as long as it is not a part of your daily diet.

To reiterate and clarify: it's okay so long as you don't eat it everyday.

Some of the foods not found on the chart, like bitter-sweet chocolate pumps endorphins like serotonin into your system and helps your mood and overall feeling. Just be sure to keep it at a minimum or moderate level for both you and your children. Healthy eating should be the goal of each and every day!

Salt is also not found on the pyramid because many of the healthy foods we buy already have salt in them. Our bodies and our children's bodies do need salt, but not in the amounts that we usually take them in, which is already usually quite bad for you. So use your salt sparingly when cooking!

It is important to follow this food pyramid as best you can. At the end of the day, you're mapping out a better life for your child. Instilling healthy habits and following this pyramid prevents your child from being overweight, diabetes, heart diseases, chronic illnesses, cancer, and a host of other medical problems. This ensures your child a longer lifespan and an easier one too!

Keep in mind that there are many ways to be healthy, and there are countless options out there that fit well into the pyramid. Find the one that works best for you, your child, and the rest of the family.




Want a healthy eating child? Having a healthy child is one of the best things a parent can ask for. Learn more about how you can get your child to eat healthy by figuring out What IS Healthy Eating for Children?





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2012年8月29日 星期三

How to Use the USDA Food Pyramid to Plan Healthy School Lunches For Your Kids


First established by the USDA in the 1960's the food pyramid is a basic outline for healthy eating. The pyramid was chosen since it was recognised that not all foods should be consumed in equal quantities. Therefore eating the proper combinations of food is necessary in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Using the food pyramid to guide your diet will allow you to:


Provide your body with the proper nutrients it needs
Helps you regulate the number of calories you consume (aids in weight control)
Limits your intake of unnecessary fats and sugars

It should be noted that a healthy lifestyle involves more than just diet alone, regular exercise is also very important.

The food pyramid is composed of four levels, which contain the 6 basic food groups. These are distributed in the food pyramid as follows:


The base - Composed of breads and grains
Second Level - Composed of fruits and vegetables
Third Level - Contains milk & dairy, and proteins (meat, poultry, beans & nuts)
Top - Made up of fats and oils

The base of the pyramid, being the largest section, is where the majority of your diet should come from. On a daily basis, your diet should consist of 6 - 11 servings per day of grains. Whole grains are the best, since the more processed the grain is, the more nutritional value is lost. Preferred foods from this group include whole grain breads, cereal, rice and pasta.

The second level, and the next largest portion of your daily diet, consists of fruits and vegetables. How many times growing up did your mother tell you to finish your vegetables. You should have listened to mom, since you need to consume 3 - 6 servings of vegetables, and 2 - 4 servings of fruits daily. Fruits and vegetables provide your body with fiber, vitamins and the essential minerals it needs. Vegetables with the highest nutritional impact are dark in color: such as dark leafy greens, or orange (carrots). Fruit juices are not fruits. They contain mostly sugar and are of limited nutritional value.

The milk & dairy, and protein level provides your body with calcium, protein (obviously), iron and zinc. All of which are essential to the formation of strong bones and muscles. You should have 2 - 3 servings daily from both of these groups. When choosing proteins, select lean cuts of meat and poultry. Milk (and dairy products) should be either low-fat or fat-free.

The very top of the pyramid, being the smallest section, represents those foods that should be eaten only sparingly since they are of very limited nutritional value. It is however possible, to get more out of this group by incorporating selections from the protein group. Fish and nuts contain the healthier unsaturated fats, which are also found in vegetable oils. Try to avoid the 'bad' (saturated) fats that are found in butter, margarine, shortening and lard.

By using the USDA food pyramid as a guide you can see that a typical meal should be ~35% grains, ~20% vegetables, and ~15% each of fruits, proteins, milk & dairy, with limited amounts of fats and oil. This basic outline can be used to establish a habit of healthy eating.




I'm Mark and as the father of twins, making sure my kids eat healthy is very important. Without the proper nutrition they won't be able to grow up strong and healthy. Helping them to develop good eating habits now will make it easier for them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they grow older.

If you enjoyed this article, go to prepare healthy meals for kids, for more information and recipes. You can also find additional information on recipes, kitchen appliances, nutrition, and more on my blog at http://homechefcookingtips.com/





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The Food Pyramid


The food pyramid, which is updated in the United States once every five years (the last update was in 2005) is basically a guide which tells you what your nutrition levels should be. The original food pyramid was first printed in 1992 to replace one of the oldest systems of food classification. Although the newer food pyramid is taking into account a lot more in terms of exactly what foods you should be eating it still has quite a bit of way to go till it is anyway perfect.

The unfortunate thing is that today we have more obesity in the Western world than ever before. People are eating rubbish food and not getting enough exercise. The food-pyramid is a basic synopsis of the daily intakes of all the different food types that you should be having. The new food pyramid also includes sections on the amount of exercise you should be taking.

For instance, the new food-pyramid tells you that you should have about 30 minutes a day of between moderate and vigorous exercise. It explains the difference between moderate exercise and vigorous exercise. One of the things that it promotes as moderate exercise is brisk walking, which it defines as walking at around 3 1/2 mph. One of the examples of vigorous physical exercise is walking very fast which it classifies as being over 4 1/2 miles per hour. You can also see food pyramids for children, food pyramids for vegetarians, even cultural food pyramids for different types of diet, for instance Chinese food pyramid.




The food pyramid is an excellent resource to enable anyone to choose the correct types of food to be eating. But in recent years is also telling you how to exercise properly. This is very important because without exercise we are still going to become unhealthy. The food pyramid has a great place in our lives and in our homes. It should be placed in a prominent position where everyone can benefit from the wonderful advice that it gives. Although it is not perfect, it gives nobody the excuse to say that they did not know how to look after themselves. If you follow this advice then you will be healthy and fit.





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2012年8月28日 星期二

Do You Bribe Your Kids To Eat Fruits and Vegetables? Follow the Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid


I followed the Mediterranean Diet food pyramid and I didn't even know it then. I ate my vegetables when my Mom told me to. Considering the abundance of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and low calories in vegetables, I can understand why mothers bribe their kids to eat vegetables. Fruits are also abundant with nutrients, low in caloric value, and mostly sweet.

I love fruits and vegetables. I like the colors, shapes, and textures. Fruits help me in my quest to cut down on my consumption of sugar. It's the best replacement for all the sweets I crave and it's a great low-calorie snack. What's nice about fruits and vegetables is their high content of water which serve to hydrate our system and makes us feel stuffed.

Juice, fruit, or salad in the morning, salad and a vegetable at lunch and dinner, a piece of fruit for a snack or desert provides you with more than the recommended daily amounts of vitamin A and C, as well as minerals such as potassium and phosphorus. Many fruits and vegetables contain calcium, iron, magnesium, and B vitamins, and most vegetables are abundant with fiber.

Vegetables join whole grains and beans in Mediterranean Diet food pyramid as a source of water necessary to keep our bowels in good working condition. Vegetables such as potatoes and broccoli also add to our daily consumption of protein. Vegetables are rich in calcium that plays a major-roll in keeping our bones healthy.

Considering vegetables and fruits provide us with mostly water-soluble vitamins which our body can only store in small amounts, we need to eat them every day as they are our main supplier of nutrients necessary for our health.

Vegetables and fruits provide us with the most vitamins, minerals, and plant nutrients for the amount of calories to keep us slim and full of energy. We depend on these nutrients to turn carbohydrates into energy rather than storing it as fat.

Fruits and vegetables are delicious and good for you. If you want to follow the Mediterranean Diet food pyramid, keep your weight down, and yet get good nutrition as well as good food, you should have the amount of servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

Vegetables 5 - 6 servings daily Serving sizes:

1 cup of raw leafy vegetable

1 cup of tossed salad

1/2 cup cut up raw or cooked vegetables from all the colors.

1 medium size potato

3/4 cup vegetable juice

Fruits 3 - 4 servings daily Serving sizes:

1 medium size fruit

1/2 cup fresh-cut up mixed fruit

1/4 cup dried fruit

* 1/2 cup fruit juice *

* Not recommended for glucose restricted diet




My Personal Experience With The Mediterranean Diet

My name is sol and I have been following the Mediterranean diet for three years now. It has made a tremendous difference in my live. I eat healthy, I exercise, and I have lots more energy. I used to weigh 207 lbs (94 kg), and now I weigh 177 lbs (81 kg). That's a loss of 30 lbs (13.5 kg)! When I look at myself now, I feel good. My body is slimmer and I feel a sense of accomplishment.

To find out more please visit my blog http://pinpoint250.blogspot.com/p/home_06.html





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Understanding the Food Pyramid for Kids


In 2005, the US Department of Agriculture released the new food pyramid plan. Kids and adults alike no longer need to follow the same horizontally sectioned food pyramid. Adults now have their own pyramid while there is also a new food pyramid for kids. What does this say now about food, nutrition and diet?

The new food pyramid for kids basically implies that kids have different nutritional and diet needs as adults. Kids need to follow the specifications in the new food pyramid for kid so that they can grow up healthy and strong.

The food pyramid for kid is telling kids and parents that kids should eat a variety of food items from all the food groups. A healthy meal according to the food pyramid for kid should therefore contain lean meat, beans, nuts, fish, milk, dairy products, fruits, grains, vegetables and some fats.

The food pyramid for kid however is not telling kids to eat everything in the same amounts. The same age old advice still holds about eating more grains, fruits and vegetables than other food types. Oils and sugar should be eaten in smaller portions. Parents should also note that some foods in each category should not be eaten in great amounts. Fruit pies and tetra pack juices for example do not necessarily contain the same nutrients as real fruits and should only be taken occasionally.

The best way to encourage kids to follow the food pyramid for kid requirements is to set a good example. Parents and other family members should vow to eat only healthy food. It would also help to keep the whole house free of junk food and other food items that are less in nutritional value.

The new food pyramid for kid is also trying to tell us that kids should be given a lot of time to exercise. Good physical play for example is advisable for kids to stay healthy. Parents can also encourage kids to follow the physical exercise advice of the new food pyramid for kid by being a good example and engaging in physical activities as well. Parents can keep kids active by participating in family camping activities or family sports games.

The whole business of eating and living healthy may be a difficult concept to teach children. The food pyramid for kid also suggests however, that healthy living and eating should be taught slowly but surely.




Sally Hamlin is a mother who has had a strong interest in nutrition for several years, particularly as applied to kids food and children's growth and development.





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2012年8月27日 星期一

The Food Pyramid - Not Exactly the 8th Wonder of the World


The staple of modern day diets include foods like bread, cereal, pasta, rice, and other grains. These foods constitute the base of what was once a chapter within our middle school health textbook: The Food Pyramid. Patterning a diet according to this food pyramid would mean up to 11 servings of these types of foods. Obviously someone discovered the supernatural powers hidden within grains and decided we should stuff our faces with it throughout the day. Well thankfully everyone listened to the omniscient pyramid and now we find ourselves in the midst of an uber healthy society dominated by grain consumption.

All joking aside, our society cannot claim good health as one of its defining characteristics. Rather than a defining characteristic, good health is more like Camus' Sisyphus, a completely unreachable endeavor. With exponential increases in diabetes, coronary heart disease, and many cancers, we are actually tumbling down the spectrum of health into a pit of confusion. Yes, confusion. We should be confused about why our food (our giver of health, life, and energy) has not saved us from the torment of these diseases. Even our drugs have failed us, but that is neither here nor there and a topic for another day. There must be something missing from the equation. It seems that the more grain you eat, the more likely you are to die. Quite literally and quite painfully. The foundation of our all-mighty food pyramid may be inviting more health disaster than you may have thought. Let us examine some commonly overlooked, and often unknown, characteristics of grain consumption:

Grains contain "anti-nutrients" - Forget that grains are pretty much void of any important nutrients, vitamins and minerals, and focus on the fact that grains actually contain the evil 2nd cousin of nutrients: anti-nutrients. These substances actually bind to other nutrients (take zinc, calcium, magnesium and iron for example) and prevent their absorption in the human body. This creates huge mineral deficiencies in the human body and negatively influences bodily functions. Some common anti-nutrients found in grain are Phytic Acid, Lectins, Protease, Alpha-amylase inhibitors, and Alkylresorcinols. Aside from their ability to prevent mineral absorption, these substances also induce inflammatory responses (beer belly anyone?), prevent protein metabolization, are known allergens, and drastically influence auto-immune function. This, however, is only the beginning.
Most grain is GMO - Sexy acronym? Yes, but it really just means genetically modified. The need for GMO came when someone decided that cheap grains were the answer to feeding the world. We needed to feed the growing human population. Then we needed to feed the cows, chickens, and fish (this list is probably much longer but condensed in order to keep your interest, if any). Finally, we needed enough left over so the farmers can get their subsidy checks from the federal government. I know what you are thinking, "Okay, okay. I get it. But just because its genetically modified does not mean its bad for you". There are two ways of dealing with this response. One is to go and research the topic for yourself. Or, simply take my word for it since that is commonplace in today's "Google Age". I prefer if you learn more and if you do decide to embark on this intellectual journey, please please please ensure that the research found is scientific and, more importantly, independent (*cough* Monsanto *cough*). GMOs are highly controversial with long term effects on humans still to be determined; and yet they populate almost every aisle of American grocery stores without a single question. The rest of the world sees it differently. Hungry African and Asian nations are concerned enough about it that they refuse food aid where the food contains GMOs. Europe has been very suspicious of GMOs as well. There have even been examples of health impacts from the consumption of GMOs. In Japan, a bacterium modified to synthesize amino acids, effectively "pumped out" amino acids from the desired food, but it also created a new one not typically occurring in nature. The new amino acid caused some deaths and a lot of irreversible mental and metabolic damage to hundreds of people until the product was finally recalled. As a result, Japan does not want GMO food. Australia does not want GMO food. And of course, New Zealand detests anything GMO.
Humans are not wired for grain consumption - Ask any anthropologist, biochemist, or even a competent nutritionist, and they will tell you the same thing. Humans evolved on a diet that consisted of hunting, foraging, and gathering. Hence, killing animals and picking fruits and vegetables was the most effective, and only, means to satiating hunger. Humans would have starved if they had to wait for the growing, harvesting, milling, and baking of their food. This process, however, is exactly what it takes to bring grains to the market. To quote a Dr. Peter Rouse, "the simplest way to look at your diet is to look at what we ate 100,000 years ago. That will allow you to tune in with your individual metabolic type. No legumes, grains or dairy were consumed during the Middle Paleolithic Period. Only since we have increased the consumption of these have we seen the spread of diseases such as CHD, Cancer, Diabetes, etc. How do we know there is a link? Because we understand the biochemical effects these food substances have on the human organism". Its no wonder that veterinarians tell you to avoid feeding dogs any grains. Yet they are safe for human consumption? Hmmmm.
But wait! Grains contain fiber (Yay!) - You got me. They do, but forgive me if I do not wave a white flag and shout mercy. The importance of fiber and its required abundance in daily eating could be one of the biggest flaws in medical literature. Although it may be a standard recommendation for virtually every digestive illness, when the human digestive tract is compromised in any way, that very same fiber could be creating and irritating most of the colorectal and digestive disorders it is suppose to cure. Coincidentally, grains are responsible for tearing up your digestive system since it is a known stomach irritant and causes gut inflammation. Is it not remarkably strange that after grain consumption, feelings of bloating, increases in gas, and loose stools shortly follow?

If fiber ends up being the only reason for eating "balanced breakfasts" with corn flakes or oatmeal for lowering cholesterol, try some fruits and vegetables that are high in not only vitamins and minerals, but also fiber. This includes avocados, apples, asparagus, and artichoke. That only includes selections from the first letter in the alphabet! Just imagine the plethora of food options outside the letter "A". One of the best ways to avoid grains is to simply shop on the outside of grocery stores and avoid the aisles. Its simple and effective, so give it a try. Lastly, and most importantly, take in account this shocking fact. Our kids will have a shorter life expectancy than us. This is highly correlated, if not statistically and absolutely, due to horrendous eating habits. The Food Pyramid and its food consumption guidelines fall well short of becoming the next great wonder of the world.




Luke Sniewski is a Certified Public Accountant as well as a Corrective Exercise Specialist. He works by weaving the health and wellness world with the business world. Working with companies and business professionals, his organization, LEAF, aims to increase bottom line productivity by implementing proactive lifestyles. Please visit http://www.leaflifestyle.com for more details regarding corporate wellness services. Remember, stop treating the symptoms and start solving the problems.





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Food Pyramid Gets New Look


Remember the food pyramid that we had to memorize during elementary school? Well, it underwent a total makeover reflecting the latest scientific advances in diet and health.

Nifty Design

The triangle shape stayed the same, but that is about it! The inside of the new pyramid underwent a complete revamp - no more blocks showing illustrative drawings of the different food groups. The new pyramid is pictureless, featuring a color-coded vertical rainbow of stripes which correspond to the various food categories (fruits, vegetables, grains,etc...).

Information more specific

The new pyramid lists the portions by measurement, such as six ounces of grain products daily, half of which should be from whole grains. With the former recommendations, a person can eat anywhere between 6 to 11 servings of grain products daily. Not only is this range too wide, there is also no mention of how much is in a serving. The revised pyramid eliminates ambiguity, identifies serving sizes and focuses on the consumption of whole grains.

Not all fats are created equal

The old pyramid does not differentiate between good and bad fats. The newer version recognizes that not all fats should be banned. Monounsaturated fats, such as nuts, avocados and olive oil play a favorable role in weight loss. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids found in fish provide an avalanche of health benefits from lowering cholesterol to improving memory. Fried and processed foods (loaded with saturated and trans fats) are the fats to be avoided as they are the main culprits in causing weight gain and blocking the arteries.

Includes exercise

Physical fitness is stressed in the new model, recommending that adults should have at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week; 60 minutes for children. To prevent weight gain or sustain weight loss, the guidelines are even more stringent, advising 60 to 90 minutes daily. The old model didn't even mention exercise at all.

Technologically savvy

At MyPyramid.gov, you will not only view the new and improved pyramid, but you can also personalize it by planning a menu based on your age, gender and physical activity. Other interactive tools include tracking food intake and physical activity for up to a year, giving you a better picture of your health over time, as well as, offering evaluations based on your own personal "score".

One size doesn't fit all

For this reason, the old pyramid was replaced with not just one pyramid, but 12 different ones, tailoring to different lifestyles and dietary needs. If you are breastfeeding, pregnant, vegetarian or diabetic, a plan can be devised for you online. Pyramids are also broken down for preschoolers (2-5 years old) and kids (6-11 years old). With childhood obesity becoming a global concern, sitting with your children and devising their own personal pyramid - and not just verbally lecturing - may encourage them to stick to healthy eating.




Dr Sandy Zabaneh is a US board-certified Doctor in Pharmacy who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Physiology from University of California, Davis. She is the Health Editor of U Magazine, clinical pharmacy consultant and life coach. Dr Sandy likes to follow the motto set forth by the World Health Organization in 1948: Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Check out her blog at http://www.sandyzabanehblog.com





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2012年8月26日 星期日

The Pyramid Plan


Americans are used to getting what they want, when they want it. From fast food (your way, right away) to television (cable-on-demand and Tivo) to Internet shopping, we want things quickly, with minimum effort. With this in mind, it is no surprise that a perusal of dieting books will turn up hundreds of different ways to "lose weight NOW." Yet most of these programs are, by definition, unhealthy. The best way to lose weight is to take the long-term approach and follow the food pyramid.

Most of the diets on the market today do not meet basic nutrition demands. Authors know dieters want instant gratification, and the slow and steady approach won't give you that. Whether they advise sticking to one food type or avoiding another, a balanced meal generally isn't in the cards. Even worse, after suffering through this week's diet fad, most people tend to put lost weight back on again. At best, they plan to diet again; at worst, they simply give up. What is the cause of the vicious circle? Once the weight is lost, the diet is complete, and many folks return to their original - harmful - eating habits.

Instead of counting calories or saying "no" to bread, we need to focus on integrating proper nutrition into our daily lives. Unlike a diet, eating nutritiously never ends and is always good for us. It's not as hard as one might think. Rather than taping a picture of yourself - or someone else - grossly overweight to your fridge, tape a picture of the food pyramid. Then take the weekly approach. Pick your favorite - or least favorite - food group, and intgrate it into your daily consumption. For seven days, work on eating the appropriate number of fruits, grains, or meat/protein. In some cases, you may have to add to your daily servings; in others, you may need to cut back. If, for instance, you know you max out on your meat servings at dinner time (as my husband does), consider having peanut butter and jelly for lunch instead of ham and turkey. Or go ahead and eat bacon for breakfast, but eat only one serving of pork chops for dinner. Planning to add more grapes to your day is no harder than what any other diet requires. Once you have gotten the hang of eating the appropriate amount from one food group, move on to the next one. If it takes you three weeks to feel comfortable with each section, that's fine, there's no rush. Remember, this isn't a diet, it's a dietary change. Think long term nutrition rather than short term weight loss.

Work with your weaknesses, too. Instead of cutting out your tendencies for the midday munchies, plan them into your menu. Think about what kind of nourishing snack foods you like and then set them in easy reach. Try a bowl of strawberries instead of a bowl of M&Ms, for instance. Or chow down on some yogurt or carrot sticks. This will not only help you fulfill your food pyramid requirements, it will also help fill you up a bit (on something healthy) before dinner, which means those small-seeming portions the FDA recommends won't seem so outrageous.

Finally, for an easy weightloss trick, try trading in your coffee, soda, or tea for water (save it for one week on your pyramid-changing campaign). You say H2O won't give you that caffeine buzz you need to stay awake? Experts agree that not drinking water makes us lethargic, tired, and irritable. It stands to reason that drinking water would combat these symptoms. After all, don't we find ourselves the same way if we miss our daily dose of java? Water will also help fill your stomach and keep you from being hungry all the time, not to mention its additional benefits.

You don't have to give up completely on coffee, chocolate, or whatever makes you happy to follow a healthy eating pattern. Just work on consuming in appropriate amounts. Fill up on something wholesome, and you'll find yourself craving junk food less and less. If you're a parent, you'll be teaching your kids good nutrition from the get-go, reducing their tendencies towards obesity, both as a child and as an adult.

Putting yourself on the right eating plan may not help you drop fifty pounds in a month (not a healthy goal, anyway), but over time, you will find yourself moving down to a healthy bodyweight. Of course, all the eating in the world won't help if you don't incorporate some physical activity into your program - but that's another article. In the mean time, if you plan to embark on a strange new diet, try to Pyramid Plan. The long term benefits will make it well worth your while.

See the FDA's interactive food pyramid web site for more details. http://www.mypyramid.gov/




Nola Redd is a freelance writer on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Fiction Writing. You can read more of her fiction and nonfiction at http://www.Writing.Com/main/view_item/user_id/scottiegaz?rfrid=scottiegaz.





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Food Pyramid Art Activities For Toddlers


The new food pyramid focuses on fruits and vegetables. The recommendation is to make sure half of your daily intake is from fruits and vegetables. I know from experience that getting a toddler to eat that many fruits and vegetables is very difficult but if toddlers see them many times and in lots of different kinds of activities, they might be more likely to eat them. Here are several ideas for food pyramid art activities.

1. Food pyramid collage: Cut out big pictures from magazines and cut them out. Your toddler can assist you with the cutting if able. Have your toddler decorate a big pyramid on poster paper.

2. Family picture collage: Take pictures of your child and other family members eating healthy foods - fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains. Then print them, cut them out and have your child glue them on colored paper. At the top write the words, "Me and my family eating healthy foods. "

3. Family picture book: Another idea with the same pictures above is to have your child make a book. The pages are, for example: Daddy eats apples, Mommy eats tomatoes, Justin eats plums, Grandma eats avocados, Grandpa eats papaya, and so forth. Kids love books with real pictures of their families in them. 4. Paint BIG pictures of healthy foods - Draw big pictures of healthy foods such as apples, oranges, carrots, lettuce. Then have your toddler paint them with washable poster paint or real paint. If you want to you can cut out the picture and glue it on another sheet of paper.

5. Several ideas using Google Images: Go online to Google Images and print out big (approximately 3 inches by 3 inches) pictures. There are a lot of different projects but here are some ideas:

a. Print out 5 red apples, 5 green apples and 5 yellow apples. Put them in a pile. Have your toddler sort them by color and glue them on big paper.

b. Print out 3 each of several different healthy foods. Have your child make ab patterns with them and glue them on paper. For example: carrot, milk, carrot, milk, carrot, milk, carrot, milk

c. Print out several different foods from each food group. On paper plates have your child make up meals from each group that he would like to eat. Then fix those meals from him. Better yet, have him help you shop for and cook those meals.

d. Print out several different healthy toppings for salads. On a piece of paper, draw a big salad. Have your toddler color it with green crayons or markers. Have your toddler add the healthy toppings to the salad and glue them in place.

e. Print out pictures from the internet and have your child make a picture book. Fold paper into a book. Glue the pictures and write the word for the picture underneath.

6. Fruit/vegetable Prints: Make prints from different types of fruits and vegetables - apples, oranges, potatoes, carrots, peppers, etc.

The possibilities for Food Pyramid art projects are endless. You just need a little imagination.




Kristin Whiting is a Mom and Special Needs teacher. She enjoys coming up with creative and fun ways to teach children. Go to http://www.myspecialneedsclassroom.com and check out some more ideas.





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One Size Pyramid Doesn't Fit All


Even if you don't follow a high fiber menu or a lot of high fiber recipes, have a half cup of orange juice at breakfast, a pear with lunch, and a salad along with a cooked vegetable at dinner. You've just met some of the standards from the new FDA nutritional guidelines, "MyPyramid".

It's all very simple. Eat a minimum of three one-ounce servings of whole grains daily along with at least five servings of fruits and vegetables. For the high fiber challenged, try a whole grain cereal at breakfast rather than the sugar-laden, empty calorie brand you stock in the pantry. Switch from white to whole grain bread for your lunchtime sandwich.

In April, 2005, the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) released it's interactive dietary guidleines called Mypyramid. Apparently we were long overdue for an updated version of the flawed and misleading former food pyramid. With the current growing awareness of the health benefits of high fiber food in today's diet, it's a wonder that Americans have made it this far without more effective guidelines. Or have we?

Two-thirds of Americans are now overweight, and some experts actually blame some of that on the food pyramid. The old one consisted of the "Four Basic Food Groups" that you remember growing up with as a kid. Too many kids today are faced with weight problems due to poor eating habits and lack of exercise.

MyPyramid is by design simple and encourages healthier food choices including whole grains and high fiber foods along with daily exercise.

Six bands of color from the peak of MyPyramid to the base indicate: orange for grains, green for vegetables, red for fruits, a tiny band of yellow for oils, blue for milk, and purple for meat and beans. The widths suggest the amount of food a person should select from each group.

A little figure running up the stairs acts as a reminder to get some exercise. Unfortunately, no mention is made of the differences between aerobic and anaerobic exercise, or the role of strength training

The new guidelines distinguish between 'grains' and 'whole grains', essential when choosing fiber-rich foods. Rather than just suggesting we eat fruits and vegetables', MyPyramid suggests eating a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables rather than the empty calories found in fruit juices.

The guidelines include healthy dairy choices that are low-fat instead of the highly saturated fats found in some milk and cheeses. The three recommended glasses of low-fat milk, however, can add more than 300 calories a day. Not great for those concerned about controlling their weight.

Also encouraged is replacing red meat with a combination of fish, poultry, beans, and nuts offers numerous health benefits. Be aware that these foods have different types of fats.

Basically, MyPyramid emphasizes good fats,like olive and fish oil, not butter and animal fat, and good carbs,like those from vegetables, whole grains and fruits, ot from processed grains and sugars.

MyPyramid contains interactive activities that make it easy to key in your age, sex and your amount of physical activity to create a more personalized recommendation for a daily calorie intake.

No doubt in the years to come, researchers will discover new evidence that will impact more changes for a healthy diet. But the results are in and here to stay: a high fiber diet is vital to long-term health. Pyramid. Period.




Stephanie Shank is a fine artist, creating canvases in oils and acrylics. When she is not painting, she is creating great food as a gourmet, healthy foods chef. Most recently, she creates the content for her new website, High Fiber Health []. And for even more, bookmark the High Fiber Health Blog [http://www.high-fiber-health.blogspot.com] for all you can digest on high fiber foods.





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2012年8月25日 星期六

USDA Food Pyramid For Kids


You have probably heard of or read in books or magazine about the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. The Food Guide Pyramid has been around for many years. It is a standard for good nutrition. However, you might have heard that with the recent updates the new name of the Food Guide Pyramid has become "MyPyramid". The new pyramid brings together exercise and nutrition and encourages:


Making the correct choices from every food group
Finding the right balance between meals and physical activity
Getting the most out of the calories you consume daily

Now, you probably have never noticed but the USDA has also developed a food pyramid for children. The named the pyramid "My Pyramid for kids".

Kids bodies develop and grow so fast, that the nutritional requirements that children need are so diverse. The need for children development are not so different from older children or adults, but the food pyramid that we are all use to seeing is modified slightly for children, meaning that you don't have to have such a learning curve to learn the nutritional requirements for youngsters.

I recommend that you start to build your nutritional knowledge by first looking at the new "My Pyramid for Kids. This will show you the basics where you can have a very good foundation, so you can really define the nutritional needs of your child. It's the starting point of all daily requirements. I would either make a copy of it or just write down the values on a piece of paper.




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Is the World Health Organisation's Food Pyramid Flawed?


World Health Organisation's Flawed Eating Recommendations.

I'm quite amazed when I realised that I'm not an overweight adult, who grew up as an overweight kid. And looking at my parents and my brothers, none of us are overweight. Funny. I guess my parents did something right to keep our weight and health good while we were kids.

When I looked at the very well known food pyramid, I saw a couple of things that disturbed me. Our family's diet when I was a child, was mostly based on this food pyramid. For a while I was blinded by the fact that some big 'nutritional' companies also endorse this food pyramid. Most people in the western world saw it, I believe. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the World Health Organisation's Countrywide Noncommunicable Disease Intervention Program (CINDI) each designed a food pyramid. The reason for these pyramids is to give recommendations on how to eat 'healthy'.

To get the picture, go and watch this 30 second video on how Disney's Timon and Pumbaa also jumped on this bandwagon. Find the link to this video at the end of the article. They recommend that grain should be the base of this pyramid, which means that you should eat more grains that anything else. And then the previous USDA pyramid made protein almost an occasional food. As showed in this video clip, you 'need' a bag full of grain and small plates of everything else.

This is a recipe for disaster. I wonder why obesity got out of hand since these food pyramids were published in 1992? Is fat the problem that make people fat? I don't think so, because these food pyramids limit fats and oils in their recommendations.

It is true that we need everything that is listed on their food pyramids, but they got the balance all wrong.

In the early 80's, the USDA employed nutritionist Luise Light to give guidelines to replace and simplify the Basic Four of the time. She submitted the food pyramid, but when she saw the changes made to her pyramid, she was shocked. Despite her objections, they went on and accepted the revised pyramid.

Dr. Light's version placed fruit and vegetables at the base of the pyramid. Something that alarmed her was what they did with refined foods, baked from white flour, such as crackers and white bread. Light's team placed it at the the top, where your should eat it rarely. The USDA placed it right at the base of the pyramid, making it an daily essential!

With all this controversy going on, I went to the oldest handbook for human life that I know of, to find my answers there. In the Bible, right in Genesis 1:29 I found what God said the human race's food will be. There He said that we should eat he seed from plants, fruit and vegetables. Later in Gen 9:2-3 God gave fish, birds and animals as food too.

Where do we find the balance? Here are the broad guidelines that I follow myself and recommend to my clients.

Fruit and vegetables should be at the base of your pyramid. Eat plenty of it. In fact I believe that you cannot possibly eat too much of it. Eat it with as little as possible preparation (processing) and with unprocessed seasoning. Every time food gets processed, it loses nutritional value, which means that the nutrition-calorie ratio gets out of hand.

Next I recommend protein. Most people don't get enough protein in. Make use of a great protein supplement to provide you all the amino acids in the right quantities. In another newsletter I'll show you the importance of protein and how much you need daily.

Carbohydrates are good for you, that is when you eat complex carbs. Refined foods are simple carbs and unprocessed food is complex carbs. Grain falls in my third category. It mostly supplies energy and some other nutrients.

Lastly is junk food. That is not only the fast foods from the street, but also all kinds of snack food. In my opinion it doesn't classify as food. Our reverend once said that all things we eat, but for which we don't pray, is not food. You can eat these foods, and I certainly eat it myself. But moderation is the key. It should be no more that a weekly treat or in very small quantities. When people ask me, I answer that I allow myself to 'cheat' once a week.

Remember water. This is the single component in your diet that you need the most of. You don't drink two litres of milk daily, do you? Two litres of Coke daily will kill you in a short time. But you need about 2 litres of water each and every day.

The 2005 version of the USDA food pyramid added exercise. At least there is something they got right.

To eat healthy, forget about the established food pyramids, it's designed to make people sick and fat.

I grew up on mieliepap (porridge) and bread for two meals. The main meal was a cooked meal with protein, vegetables and some starch. Maybe I got enough of the good stuff in, and moderately of the bad stuff. Snack food and restaurants were a luxury in our house, so that cut most of that problem out for us. And we grew up outside of cities and towns, with lots of room to play outside.

What my parents did right, I'm not completely sure. But I'm grateful that I didn't grow up as an unhealthy, fat kid.

Here is the link to the Disney video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAFAhOTn058 Watch it now.




Copyright: J Francois du Toit, 2009

Maybe feel that you're to busy to live a healthy lifestyle. Maybe you can't find ways to fit a health routine into your schedule. Or you just don't have the time to find out what works best for you to feel end be healthy most of the time.

As a Wellness Coach, I spesialize in designing a personal health plan. We take your goals, schedule and preferences into account and develop a plan spesifically for you. As you implement and continue with this plan, I'm there to assist you. This way we make sure you reach your goals.

[Note: Let me help you to change your eating habits from where you make yourself sick and fat, to living a healthy lifestyle. We'll work out a personal health plan, specifically for you. I'll assist you in making these changes.]

Please find all the reference I used to research this article on my website at http://www.health2u.co.za/Newsletter/flawed_food_pyramid_22122009.html





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