Fresh Start

Blog Post 7: Following My New Diet

(2 photos of what meal includes for each meal)

Breakfast: Raisin Brand 1 ounce with 1 sliced & diced up banana.

Let me start by saying organic food is EXPENSIVE, but bare with me. There are ways to save your pockets! I decided to have Raisin Bran with my bananas today just to try it. I would always see my aunt eat it together and wanted to see how it would taste. Consuming 1 cup as a serving of Raisin Bran contains 189 calories and 1 gram of fat. That same cup of cereal supplies 4.5 grams of protein. This is a nutrient that is necessary for muscle growth and maintenance to keep your body as healthy as it can be.  A single cup of Raisin Bran also provides 7.8 grams of fiber, which according to Mayo Clinic Staff is 31 percent of the 25 grams of fiber women, like myself, need each day[1]. Fiber helps with digestion, which can lower my risk of constipation, and it also helps reduce my cholesterol levels, which we learned in our textbook. I will get 10.8 milligrams of iron in a cup of raisin bran. “60 percent of the 18 milligrams women should have every day”[2] (Mayo Clinic Staff). Iron plays a central role in energy production. A cup of Raisin Bran delivers 1.48 micrograms of vitamin B-12. I will get almost an entire day's worth of folic acid too. Raisin Bran in addition to these benefits also supplies zinc, potassium, niacin and vitamin A. Just like any food, there are benefits and disadvantages of consuming raisin Bran; the sugar content decreases the nutritional value of the cereal. A cup of Raisin Bran contains 20 grams of sugar, which is equal to about 5 teaspoons. Too much sugar can cause any individual to gain weight, and being overweight raises anyone’s risk of heart disease and other medical conditions.

As for having bananas in my cereal, it helps ultimately with digestion by having high levels of fiber. It also helps with restoring electrolytes just in case I have the runs (diarrhea).  As we learned in the text we need carbohydrates in order to restore our energy. Instead of me drinking coffee as much as I do in the morning to start my day, it was a great source of energy. Bananas have ultimately many small amounts of vitamins and minerals, such as: “iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A, vitamin E, folate, carotene and choline”[3] According to Rachel Swalin, “Bananas are known for their high potassium content, with over 400 mg potassium in a single medium-size banana. According to Colorado State University Extension, potassium is necessary for good nerve and muscle function as well as for maintaining a healthy balance of fluids in the body. The potassium in bananas can help prevent muscle cramps after exercise”[4]. I didn’t really enjoy the combination of the cereal with the bananas only because it made the bananas too soft for my liking. I don’t even eat bananas as much as it is recommended, but I gave it a try and is probably something I wouldn’t do on a regular, in addition Raisin Bran isn’t as healthy as I thought it would be, however compare to other choices I’ve made in the past it seems to be progress to a good start.

Lunch: 1 cup of stemmed broccoli, 9 pieces of steamed shrimp, 1/2 cup of Quinoa, 1 cup water

I am a lover for Broccoli! Just like my bananas, I like for them to be firm and not soft. The benefits of Broccoli are that it “enhances detoxification, great source of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory a benefit, supports digestion, lowers our risk for cancer and much more”[5] (The Worlds Healthiest Foods). “Broccoli can provide you with some special cholesterol-lowering benefits if you will cook it by steaming. The fiber-related components in broccoli do a better job of binding together with bile acids in your digestive tract when they've been steamed. When this binding process takes place, it's easier for bile acids to be excreted, and the result is a lowering of your cholesterol levels. Raw broccoli still has cholesterol-lowering ability—just not as much” (The Worlds Healthy Foods). “As for Iron it is a cofactor in vitamin D activation; contributes to collagen synthesis[6]” (Contemporary Nutrition, Table 11-5). The text states, “The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans in ‘Food and Nutrients to increase,’ recommends an increase amount of a variety of seafood consumed “(Contemporary Nutrition). Water of course is good with any meal. Water has many benefits such as keeping our temperature at a normal state; it lubricates our joints and tissues as well as getting rid of wastes like perspiration, bowel and urination.

Snack: 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 100 % orange juice minute maid’s, 1 apple fresh cut up, 1 granola bar oats and honey, vanilla yogurt, ruffles baked and sour cream chips

Just like the other foods I've consumed during the beginning of my diet, it is rich in vitamin c, fiber, and vitamin e. It helps boosts our body against infections. Fiber as I mentioned before helps with multiple diseases, obesity, digestion and much more. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant as I learned in my nutrition class, which is involved in the immune system and can help prevent diseases as well. It also helps with Urinary Tract Infections and protects our teeth! It is a great snack to grab when on the go instead of candy. Dried cranberries are something that I always have in my bag when I’m on the go. Next, of course minute maid’s “100% orange” is not truly the case.  Let me first mention how it is produced by Coca Cola. Yes, it has calcium, potassium and folate. “The Dr. Oz Show also revealed new information from orange juice researcher Alissa Hamilton about how orange juice is processed, including the use of flavor packs that give each brand its own distinct and consistent aroma and flavor. Those flavor packs are derived from essence and oils from the orange peel, where the fungicide used on oranges grown in Brazil can accumulate” [7](Mehmet Oz, MD). I would say the danger of our juice, and many others are that there are hidden chemicals, and the fact that most of them aren’t tested is extremely dangerous. However, even though this may be dangerous I think it is safe to say it will never leave its spot in our refrigerators. Next, are apples which help regulate blood sugar, have great levels of fiber, has cardiovascular benefits (water-soluble fiber and much more). As they say, “one apple a day keeps the doctor away”! I personally hate red apples they taste extremely dull, but I love green ones! I put the granola bar and mashed it into my yogurt. It is ultimately a fiber rich whole grain; however that is not what makes it necessarily healthy. When selecting my granola I had to be careful of high amounts of sugar and fat which choosemyplate.org recommended, especially saturated fat. However, I never knew I could make my own which could save my pockets and I can be more aware of what I’m consuming. When they are made whole with natural ingredients there is more health benefits than downfalls. I think it is important to mention that I consumed it in moderation, eating it with yogurt made the snack more enjoyable. Yogurt is a natural remedy for helping reduce vaginal infections and helps balance pH levels. Chips are such a common snack to eat, but let’s face it; there are no positives when it comes down to it. Ruffles sour cream chips and many others can add to stroke risks, weight gain, and tooth decay, but let’s be honest it’s too damn good to not eat. Possibly, there are other options like baked chips. These days we could make anything into a chip fruits or even veggies. Many of us just do not know that anything can be made healthier with just a little more love, time, and patience.

Dinner: 1 ounce (2 pieces) baked lean chicken breast, 1/4 cup of peas, 1 baked potato 1 cup water

Baked chicken breast allows us to take in more nutrients and minerals then it would if it were fried. “Eat a serving of baked chicken, and you take in 52.5 to 60 percent of the niacin, or vitamin B-3, you need each day. The niacin in baked chicken helps to improve your body's circulation and ability to make a variety of hormones. You also take in 42.1 percent of the daily recommended amount of selenium, which plays a critical role in fertility and protects your immune function. Additionally, baked chicken is a good source of phosphorus and vitamin B-6, and contains smaller levels of calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, folate, vitamin B-12 and vitamins A, D and K”[8] (Live Strong). I could say that this should be an alternative in many homes instead of eating fried foods all of the time. Peas are a good source of iron, and also contain vitamin A and lutein (plant pigment) which is good for our eyes, and aids into keeping our heart healthy! Water as I mentioned early is a great source of lubrication and releases different forms of waste. Eating peas with baked potatoes is always delightful, because I am able to place it all together instead of the pea rolling around on my plate. As I mentioned in my other blogs I always loved vegetables and fruit. My mother always made a veggie a part of my meal. One thing I can say that I do not enjoy is exercising.

Physical Activity: Treadmill 30 minutes, 10 push-ups

Aside from eating we must exercise or it will eventually catch up to us. It doesn’t matter if an individual has a fast or low metabolism. It controls our weight, fights health conditions and diseases, boosts our energy, mood, and much more. I have been excursing consistently four times a week since the Fall semester started. I see an improvement and change in my life especially when finals are coming around. The only downfall I can see in this is simply not doing the exercise correctly and harming your body by not setting realistic goals for yourself. Ultimately my dieting and exercising has helped me in my everyday life. This particular diet is something that is similar to what I eat throughout the week. I try to switch up the meats I eat, the vegetables and much more. I am also being aware of my portion control. My contemporary Nutrition class has definitely left an impact on my daily life, I didn’t see the change until I started with action and not just complain about my health and how unhappy I was with the standing of my health.

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[1] Nutrition and healthy eating (Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet)

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983

[2] Nutrition and healthy eating (Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet)

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983

[3] Nutrition and healthy eating (Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet)

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983

[4] 5 Reasons to Love Bananas (Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health)

http://news.health.com/2014/08/27/health-benefits-of-bananas/

[5] http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=9

[6] Contemporary Nutrition: A Functional Approach Wardlaw, 4e

[7] Juice: What You Need to Know (The Dr. Oz Show)

http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/mehmet-oz-md/juice-what-you-need-know