New Pyramid Diet |
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Should You Avoid Dairy? |
Nutrition Page 2 |
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Drink To Good Health |
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1. DRINK WATER.
A body requires about two quarts of water each day to survive and function
properly. Care for eight 8 ounce glasses of water? That's a LOT of water
to drink! Fortunately, water is present in most fruits and vegetables and
also found in most drinks. The water naturally in foods helps meet the
body's water requirement. Concerns about the safety of community tap water
and the need to have water during physical activity has helped the growth
of the bottled water industry. Studies have shown that the safest water
to drink has been pasteurized. But few bottled water companies pasteurize their
water. Bottled water sold in stores can be drawn from natural and mineral springs, wells and even the community tap. Some bottled water is no safer than the average community tap water supply, and a lot more expensive! Check the source of bottled water before becoming a regular customer. If you are unsure of the safety of your water, boil it or distill it. A variation is to place 1 or 2 slices of fruit in an 8 ounce glass of water. This is easy to do in most restuarants and only the greedy charge extra for it. Just resist the temptation to add sweetener. |
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2. DRINK VEGETABLE
AND FRUIT JUICE.
One good way to consume a portion of the body's water
needs is to drink vegetable and fruit juice. Consume 100% vegetable or
fruit juice for the healthiest benefits.
Calcium fortified 100% orange juice is a better source of
calcium than milk.
Many vegetable and fruit juices
have been diluted with water, heavily salted and/or sweetened, have coloring,
preservatives, barely pronounceable chemicals added, and may actually contain
less than 5% vegetable or fruit product. Avoid these food artifacts. Study
the Nutrition Food Label and the ingredients label. When it comes to the
ingredients in fruit and vegetable juices: more is not better. Be aware
that differences occur even within the same brand name. Avoid fruit"ades",
fruit "sodas" and fruit "punches". Avoid vegetable and fruit juices with
less than 75% fruit or vegetable product. Drink a variety of vegetable
and fruit juices. Be aware that fruit juices naturally contain high amounts
of sugar (simple carbohydrates) so limit the servings to 2 per day. Remember,
a small glass (6 fl. oz.) of fruit or vegetable juice is 1 serving. |
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3. DRINK "SPORTS DRINKS"?
Your answer to this question depends on your lifestyle and the circumstances. YES. Drink "Sports Drinks" during strenuous physical activity to replenish electrolytes (sodium, potassium, etc.) your body loses during heavy perspiration. Most "Sports Drinks" also add a shot of quick burning carbohydrates that are touted as performance enhancers.
NO. Do not drink "Sports Drinks" during periods of inactivity and when you are not perspiring. The reality is, most individuals reading these pages should not drink "Sports Drinks". There's a psychology produced by the hype that suggests drinking a "Sports Drink" makes one believe or is an attempt to convey to others that they are more active than they really are. But there is a real danger to be aware of: elevated sodium and potassium levels cause serious problems. If you are not "working up a sweat" then don't add more sodium and potassium to your body by drinking "Sports Drinks". |
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4. COFFEE OR TEA?
Moderation is the key word here. True, coffee and teas can help satisfy
the body's water requirement. But coffee and teas also contain strong dyes,
as anyone who has removed their stains can attest. Inside the body, the
kidneys try to remove the coffee and tea coloring to provide clear water
to the body. Some medical research links the formation of kidney stones
to moderate (3-4 cups) to heavy coffee and tea consumption. Other medical research discovered that light consumption of coffee and/or tea limited the growth of certain cancer cells in certain people. Limit the amount
of coffee and tea to 2 cups per day (or 1 cup of coffee and 1 cup of tea
per day). Always choose decaffinated coffee and teas. Yes, even some herbal
teas contain caffiene. Study the Nutrition Facts Label and ingredients.
Limit the amount of dairy and sweetener added to coffee and teas to as
little as possibly tolerated. |
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5. MILK?
Go up
to the top of this page a read "Dare Drink or Eat Dairy Products?". The
fact is, dairy products are included in the ingredients list of so many
food products that a dieter may very likely consume 1 serving from the
dairy group without really being conscious of it. Add a little milk to
cereal and a spoon of dairy product to coffee and that person is working
on 2 servings from the dairy group...the "Pyramid Diet" maximum. Always
choose no-fat and low-fat (1/2% or 1%) milk and dairy products for recipes.
Otherwise, it is probably best to avoid drinking milk. |
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6. COLAS?
Colas
contain far more nutritional negatives than positives. Avoid drinking all
colas. Think of colas as a heavily sweetened chemical soup. Colas are at
the tip-top of the Food Pyramid - foods to avoid. Great taste aside, one
look at the ingredients list of a cola should warn the health conscious
consumer not to put it inside a body. Avoid colas with Phenylalanine. Remember,
food (and drink) are medicines. True, "diet" colas are preferable to non-diet
colas; "clear" colas to colored colas; but documented health risks associated
with moderate to heavy cola drinking warrants consumer caution. If you are in a situation where you "must" drink a cola, choose a clear "diet" cola (i.e., a Diet Sprite or a Diet 7-Up). It is best to avoid drinking
colas, even "diet" colas. |
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7. ALCOHOL? Some
studies (sponsored by the alcohol beverage industry) have suggested that
a little alcohol may have some health benefits. Early studies concluded
that red wine increased HDL (good cholesterol) and discouraged clot formation
leading to heart attacks and strokes. Recent studies have shown that the tannins in red/purple grapes used in both wine and grape juice are responsible and not the alcohol in wine. White wines do not have the same coronary benefit. Red grape juice proved as beneficial as red wine because both contain tannins and moderately high anti-oxidant levels. There is some evidence that suggests that drinking NO MORE than 4 oz. of alcohol (beer, wine or liquor) per day may contribute to a lower risk of coronary heart disease in some people. Most researchers refuse to credit the alcohol content with the health benefit, but this is being researched. Not so well advertised, and the alcohol industry understandably keeps quiet, is the findings that higher alcohol intake (more than 4 oz. per day) increases risks for high blood pressure (regardless of weight), stroke, heart disease, certain cancers, accidents, suicides, birth defects and overall mortality (deaths). Alcohol abuse may cause cirrhosis of the liver, inflammation of the pancreas, brain cell damage, coronary damage and pulminary damage. Heavy alcohol drinkers also risk malnutrition because the calories in alcoholic beverages substitute for those in nutritious foods. There are those who should not drink any alcoholic beverages at all. These include but are not limited to:
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Eat Foods Low in Sugars |
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Sugars are in foods under many different names. All dietary sugars are carbohydrates. During digestion carbohydrates break down into sugar, usually glucose, which the body cells use as fuel. Complex carbohydrates (listed as "Other" carbohydrates on Nutrition Facts Labels) take longer to digest and break down into fuel. Simple carbohydrates (found in most sweets) digest quickly into glucose. Sugars occur in milk (lactose) and fruit (fructose), some vegetables and grains (i.e. dextrose in corn). A healthy ratio to remember is eat 2/3 low sugar carbohydrates (low glycemic) and 1/3 high sugar carbohydrates (high glycemic) each day. Some may find it easier to remember to limit to 2 daily servings from high sugar carbohydrate fruits (found on the Fruit Meal Planner page in this website). Many chemical and natural sugars and sugar substitutes are added to processed food not only to sweeten the product but to function as natural preservatives, thickeners and baking aids. These are listed in the ingredients as names less known to be a sugar. The body, however, cannot distinguish between naturally occurring and added sugars. When looking at the ingredients label, a general rule is if it ends with "-ose" then it is a sugar. Sugars, along with starches, promote tooth decay. The longer sugars and starches remain in the mouth before brushing, the greater the risk of tooth decay. Make an effort to brush teeth quickly after meals. Many attribute hyperactivity and diabetes to eating too much sugar but scientific evidence does NOT support this. Sugar levels in the blood does influence the release of hormones, particularly insulin. The most common diabetes occurs mostly in overweight adults, not adults with high blood sugar levels. Avoiding sugars alone can not correct overweightness. Avoid foods that are loaded with sugars but have few nutrients. These foods are located at the top of the Modified Food Pyramid in the Dairy, Fats, Oils, Sweets and "White" Breads Groups. Sorbitol, saccharrin and aspartame are dietary/chemical sugar substitutes found in many foods, especially "diet" and "low-calorie" items. Several recent scientific studies raise important concerns about the long-term effects of sustained sugar substitute use that may warrant consumer caution. Saccharin (sodium saccharin) is required to display a health warning label because research shows that long term use causes cancer in animals. It is often found in the "pink" sugar substitute packet. The "blue" sugar substitute packet usually contains aspartame which is required to display a health warning because it contains phenylalanine. You can't "win"! So the dieter is well advised to choose foods and drinks low in sugar content whether naturally occurring, added or substitute. |
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Pass (Up) The Salt |
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Sodium and sodium cloride (NaCl) is salt that usually occur in small amounts naturally in foods. Often salt and other sodium compounds are added to foods during processing or in serving. People develop a taste for salt that diminishes with time forcing them to add even more salt. It is a dangerous cycle that can be broken. Salt is essential inside the body to regulate fluids and blood pressure. Numerous studies confirm that high sodium intake is associated with higher blood pressure regardless of weight. Other factors also interact with sodium to raise blood pressure, most notably overweightness. The body needs about 2000 mg of salt per day. In household measure, one LEVEL teaspoon of salt contains about 2,300 mg of sodium. Unfortunately, most people consume much more than this amount of salt daily. High salt users should start weaning themselves of their salty palate. Eat more vegetables and fruit naturally low in sodium. Avoid prepackaged foods loaded with salt. Study the Nutrition Facts Label to identify and avoid foods with high sodium content. Some "Low Sodium" items are not low enough. Use herbs and spices to flavor foods instead of salt. And when at the table...pass up the salt! |
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What About Vitamin, Mineral & Fiber Supplements? |
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Diet|New Pyramid Diet|New
Pyramid Diet: Eat Right For Life! | Dare Eat Dairy?
This new "common sense" diet is simply one of the best diets available. And it is free! This diet can help you lose weight, maintain healthy weight, eat healthier and live longer. This diet can lower risks for heart disease, certain cancers, osteoporosis and conditions. The $mart $hopper Guide can help you become a wiser consumer and save money on groceries. The New Pyramid Diet is the last diet you will ever need. It is a diet for the rest of your life. |
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