Tuesday 17 December 2013

Healthy Eating Tips For The Holiday!



Christmas is a time of celebration, but it also tends to be a time of high-fat, high-calorie food.  Mention of Christmas brings to mind Christmas Lunch, Christmas Dinner, Work Christmas Functions, Christmas Drinks and other Christmas get-together. 

 It's that party season again! How can we avoid putting on extra weight while having a great time?

Christmas need not mean the end of your diet or a struggle through January to compensate. There are ways to keep your diet healthy during the Christmas season.

Keeping things in moderation is a major key to the Christmas overeating issue. It is easy to say “eat and drink in moderation”, here are some ideas for moderating what you eat this festive season.

  •  Use a smaller plate ~ your mind will consider it a full plate regardless of its size!
  •  Don't go to a party hungry: we often eat faster and more when we are hungry - therefore eat a wholesome breakfast and lunch on the day to avoid overeating at the party.
  • Eat a healthy breakfast on Christmas morning. Include at least one fruit or vegetable and some protein such as eggs or nuts. This will help stave off hunger and prevent overeating high-calorie snacks while waiting for the big lunch or dinner to be served.
  • Where there are choices, take a little of many things rather than lots of one thing. This ensures you are getting a balanced meal and not overloading on a fatty food.
  •  Supply a fruit platter or fresh fruit salad ~ a hot Christmas day makes this most appealing!
  • Consume a healthy snack or small meal every three to four hours throughout the day. This helps keep blood sugar levels stable and is much healthier than consuming a single large meal.
  •  Make your own mixed drinks with real fruit juice instead of canned drink.
  • Many products such as mayonnaise, cheese, cream soup, sour cream have lower-fat versions so experiment with them in your cooking.
  •  For every glass of alcohol or soft drink, have a glass of water. Water fills you up, has no calories or side effects, is cheap and will help wash out the excesses. Remember: Calories from alcohol tend to be stored in the abdomen. People who are overweight actually gain weight more easily when they consume alcohol.
    Drink plenty of water: alcohol and coffee can dehydrate your body 
  •   Help clear the table as soon as everyone finished eating rather than sitting and picking at leftovers.
  • Pack a snack to bring with you in case you can't find anything healthy to nibble on between meals. An apple or orange and a small bag of nuts makes a good portable snack.
  •  Salad dressings can liven up a salad without adding calories. Try lemon or lime juice, vinegar (many types!) and fresh herbs.
  •  Load your plate with healthy options first. Instead of heading straight for the calorie and fat-laden side dishes, choose some lean turkey or chicken and vegetables for your first plateful. You can have some higher-calorie options when you're ready for seconds and already somewhat full.
  • Trim as much fat as possible from meat before cooking.  Make a conscious choice to limit high fat items: high fat food items can be found in fried food, cream-based soup, cheese-filled casseroles, pies, processed meats such as salami and sausages, some pastries and baked goods. Serve some fresh fish or seafood instead of roast red meat
  • This is a good opportunity to make Christmas a bit different this year ~ for instance, try a picnic this year with lots of salads rather than huge roasts or do an activity with friends instead of having a Christmas drinks night.                
  •  Instead of a bowl of lollies or chocolates for guests, why not have a bowl of cherries or grapes?
  •  Watch your portion: treat yourself a nice drink, dessert, chocolate or sweets without guilt, but always watch your portion.  Go for small portions. This way you can sample all the different foods. Moderation is always the key.
  •  Physical activity: take nice brisk walks with your  loved ones and enjoy their company in the holiday season.
DIET365GLOBAL Wishes you a Happy Holiday Season.

Tuesday 10 December 2013

NUTRITIONAL POWER OF EGGPLANT


 Eggplant also known as garden eggs come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Their skin may be purple, white, with a common characteristic feature which is the whitish color of its flesh and seed.
They are widely used in cooking and are also consumed raw.
Their ability to form a soft, tasty sauce with eggplant flavor and delicious with plain, boiled vegetables like potatoes, yams and plantains, eaten raw with spicy peanut butter in Eastern Nigeria.











The vitamins in eggplant consist primarily of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), B vitamins, folate and vitamin C. Eggplant is also rich in minerals, boasting a large quantity of potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorous. It has no fat, has low carbs and yields 27 calories in a 1-cup serving.

They are a low calorie fruit, which makes them good news for weight watchers. Eggplant is a good source of dietary fiber, which can help protect against type 2 diabetes and keeps the digestive system regular. Eating them is also of benefit in cases of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. They act as gentle laxative because of its cellulose (vegetable fiber) content.

Eggplant skin contains a powerful anthocyanin called nasunin, an antioxidant that protect cell membranes from oxidative damage. They contain additional anti-oxidants called phenolic acids contained within eggplant particularly chlorogenic acid. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service found chlorogenic acid to be the dominant antioxidant compound in eggplant. They report that this is significant because chlorogenic acid has a great capacity to fight free radicals  the chemicals that cause oxidation  and is also able to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Chlorogenic acid is also antimutagenic, which means it can protect cells from mutating into cancer cells; and it is also antiviral.

The peel/skin (purple/deep blue varieties) have significant amounts of phenolic flavonoid phytochemical called anthocyanins. Scientific studies have shown that these antioxidants have a potential health effects against cancer, aging, inflammation, and neurological diseases. Phytochemicals may be called antioxidants, flavonoids, flavanols, flavanones, isoflavones,  anthocyanins, anthocyanidins,  carotenoids, polyphenols, phenolic acids, and many other names. Phytochemicals refers to a wide variety of compounds made by plants, but is mainly used to describe those compounds that may affect human health. Phytochemicals are found in plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains. Phytochemicals are promoted for the prevention and treatment of many health conditions, including cancer, heart disease, inflammation, diabetes, and high blood pressure. There is some evidence that certain phytochemicals may help prevent the formation of potential carcinogens (substances that cause cancer), block the action of carcinogens on their target organs or tissue, or act on cells to suppress cancer development.
 
Eggplant makes an excellent addition to any diet and they can be added as part of our regular diet.

Saturday 7 December 2013

Nutritional Management Of HIV




An estimated 35 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. New HIV infections are declining globally, with nearly three-fourths of the 2.3 million new HIV infections worldwide occurring in sub-Saharan African countries.

Adequate nutrition is more than 70% of the measures one need to take to stay healthy, prevent disease or speed up recovery from illness.

Nutrition intervention is crucial in the management of HIV/AIDS because good nutrition will help improve immune function, response to treatment, quality of life of the infected person so that they will be able to live a productive life.

The most common and often disturbing symptoms of HIV, reported in 95%-100% of all patient with advanced disease, is loss of muscle tissue and body fat, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, reduced immune function and competence, increased susceptibility to secondary infections, increased nutritional needs because of reduced food intake and increased loss of nutrient leading to rapid HIV progression.

OBJECTIVE OF NUTRITIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR HIV/AIDS

- Improve nutritional status by maintaining weight, preventing loss of muscle mass and weight loss.

-Ensure adequate nutrient intake by improving eating habits, and building stores of essential nutrients including carbohydrates, proteins, important antioxidant nutrient and other vitamins and minerals necessary for the functioning of the immune system.

-Preventing food borne illness by prompting food safety and hygiene.

-To protect the body against opportunist infection, thereby reducing the cost and time in medical care and also extending the period between HIV and the development of AIDS.

 

NUTRITIONAL PROBLEMS IN HIV/AIDS

-Soremouth and throat
-Nausea and Vomiting 
-Loose bowel
-Constipation
-Severe Diarrhea
-Weight Loss
-Hyperlipidemia
-Diabetes
-Obesity
-Cardiovascular disease

DIETARY MANAGEMENT

The consumption of a good mixed diet that comprises of adequate amounts of all basic food nutrient from the five basic food group is recommended.

This includes:

Cereal, Grains and Product : 8-12 Servings

Food Sources: yam, rice, potatoes, maize, wheat etc

Pulses, Legumes : 3-4 Servings

Food Sources: beans, cow peas, groundnuts, nuts etc

Milk  And Meat Products: 3-4 Servings

Food Sources: Yoghurt, cheese, fish,egg,chicken, pork,beef, crayfish etc

Fruits and Vegetables : 4-5 Servings

Food Sources: spinach, yellow and orange fruit e.g pawpaw and mango as well as orange, yellow and colored vegetables such as carrot, red pepper and tomatoes, bananas, avocado etc

Fats And Sugars: 2 servings

Food Sources: butter, groundnutoil, groundnuts.

Where dietary modification is necessary an individualized menu plan is carried out based on the recommended dietary allowance for health and disease state.

Wednesday 20 November 2013

Oats 'Lowers Cholesterol'




Oats are the most nutrient rich of any grain, they are rich in numerous essential nutrients that help to boost the immune system and fights against various life threatening conditions.

Oats are a great source of phosphorus, selenium and manganese. They’re a good source of soluble dietary fiber, iron and magnesium, vitamin B1. 
 
Health Benefits of Oats 

Oats for Weight Loss
Studies have revealed that starting the day with a nutritious, fiber rich meal such as oats can help with maintaining a healthy weight. Oats has been found as having the highest satiety value of all breakfast meals, giving a feeling of fullness for longer.

Excellent Source of Fiber: Three grams of oat fiber can be had by eating about 1 bowl of oats. An adult should consume at least 25 gm of fiber every day. Fiber is essential for preventing and relieving various health ailments including hemorrhoids, constipation and diverticulitis, a condition characterized by the development of abscesses within the intestine, which may cause severe infections. Consuming enough fibers also helps to control high blood pressure and reduce inflammation. The soluble fibers are useful for lowering the blood cholesterol levels as well.

Oats for Cholesterol
Researchers have identified a substance in oats called beta-glucan which significantly reduces LDL(Bad) cholesterol. In people with high cholesterol levels, the intake of the equivalent of three grams of oat fiber daily generally reduces total cholesterol by 8 to 23 percent.

Protein
Oats contain a distinct protein called avenalin, which is similar in structure to proteins found in legumes. According to the World Health Organization, the quality of protein present in oats is nearly equal to that of soy. 100g of oats contains approximately 17.6g of protein


Energy Booster: Various studies show oats to help increase the metabolism and boost the energy levels when consumed shortly before some exercise.
Increased Immune Response: Researches suggest the beta-glucan contents of oat bran to be effective in enhancing the immune response. However, further research is necessary for finding out the effects and usefulness of this immune-boosting property of the food.

Diabetes Control: The bran helps to reduce the insulin and blood glucose responses. Controlling the levels of glucose and insulin in the blood helps to prevent Type 2 diabetes and certain complications associated with it.
A number of studies demonstrate that individuals with high whole grain consumption had from 28 – 61% less risk of type 2 diabetes in comparison to people with the lowest whole grain consumption.

 Oatmeal Recipe Ideas

-Oatmeal With Mango and Coconut

Turn breakfast into a tropical treat with toasted coconut and diced fresh mango. 

-Oatmeal With Dried Fruit and Pistachios

Dried fruit and nuts are typical oatmeal garnishes; mix things up with a variety of fruit (cranberries, cherries) and nut (pistachio).

-Oatmeal With Peanut Butter and Grapes

stir in peanut butter and top with fresh grapes.

-Oatmeal With Banana

Choose to be creative when having your oat-meal, you can include bananas, apple (cubed), nuts, berries and other nutrient rich fruits and nuts when having them. 

If you are looking for a meal that can provide you with energy, vitamins and minerals; cleanse your intestines; and decrease your risk for major diseases, then you should include whole oats as part of your diet.

Tuesday 12 November 2013

AVOIDING CONSTIPATION






Constipation is defined as difficulty in defecation, it is accompanied 

  • By expulsion of hard amount of hard feces
  • Reduction in defecation to less than three to four times a week
You may have pain while passing stools or may be unable to have a bowel movement after straining or pushing for more than 10 minutes.

Common Causes

Constipation is most often caused by:
  • Low-fiber diet
  • Lack of physical activity
  • Not drinking enough water
  • Delay in going to the bathroom when you have the urge to move your bowels
Stress and travel can also contribute to constipation or other changes in bowel habits.
Other causes of constipation may include:


  • Colon cancer
  • Diseases of the bowel, such as irritable bowel system
  • Mental health disorders
  • Nervous system disorder
  • Pregnancy
  • Underactive thyroid
  • Use of certain medications                                                                 

    Avoiding constipation is essential to enjoying good health

     

    1. Drink enough water : If the body is not properly hydrated, the large intestine extracts water from the feces this dries them and makes them difficult to expel. Drink at least 13 glasses of liquid each day.                                                                                               

    2. Eat a proper diet:  Avoiding constipation requires a proper diet, increasing the intake of fiber. 
  • The foods that contribute most to constipation prevention are
    -Fresh Fruits : Eat fruit with all of its pulp instead of drinking fruit juice-Vegetables 
    -Whole Grains
    3. Consume Enough Fiber: Plant based foods are the only ones that contain the fiber necessary to, among other things, move the feces normally through the intestine.
    4. Educate The Bowels: Laxatives (natural vegetable fibre and pharmaceutical preparations), enemas, glycerin, suppositories and other remedies may relieve an acute case but not chronic constipation.                                                                                                                                 
    Avoiding constipation requires the learning of good toilet habits from childhood and educating the bowel
    -Do not ignore the physiological need to defecate
    -Try to evacuate at the same time of the day
    -Perform some type of physical exercise

Wednesday 30 October 2013

HYPERLIPIDEMIA: A RISK FACTOR FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE


Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death, a number of factors including hyperlipidemia, cigarette smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, age, sex, genetics have been recognized as contributing to the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Hyperlipidemia refers to elevated levels of lipid and cholesterol in the blood and is also identified as dyslipidemia. 
The medical term for high blood cholesterol is lipid disorder, or hyperlipidemia.

Causes

For many people, abnormal cholesterol levels are partly due to an unhealthy lifestyle -- most commonly, eating a diet that is high in Fat. Other lifestyle factors are:
  • Being overweight
  • Heavy alcohol use
  • Lack of exercise and living an inactive lifestyle 
There are many types of cholesterol. The ones talked about most are:
  • Total cholesterol - all the cholesterol combined
  • High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol - often called "good" cholesterol
  • Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol - often called "bad" cholesterol                                                                                                                                                                           
  • Your General targets should be:                                               -LDL: 70-130 mg/dL (lower numbers are better)                        -HDL: more than 40-60 mg/dL (high numbers are better)     -Total cholesterol: less than 200 mg/dL (lower numbers are better)                                                                             -Triglycerides: 10-150 mg/dL (lower numbers are better)        
Dietary modification is effective in achieving and maintaining improved serum lipid levels.
Nutritional care is provided by a dietitian, ensure you see a dietician for nutritional care that includes individual dietary and self assessment, formulating an appropriate dietary regimen, education and follow up assessment.

The key nutritional interventions are as follows

  • Reduce dietary fat and cholesterol
  • Read food labels and choose foods with low cholestorol and saturated fat levels
  • Choose whole grains instead of refined flour
  • Choose low-fat protein source
  • Remove skin of chicken or turkey to reduce fat
  • Limit or exclude red meat as it high in saturated fat
  • Choose less fatty fish
  • Limit Fried food, and use healthy oils in cooking
  •  Increase the amount of fiber you eat, by increasing your fruit and vegetable group
  • Many diary product are extremely high in fat, they should be avoided or replace with a low fat or fat free diary products  
  • Lose extra weight, a weight loss of 10 percent can go a long way to reversing your risk of hyperlidemia                                                                                                       
Check your family history of high cholesterol, Are you prone to high cholesterol based on genetics? If so take steps to minimize your risk through diet and exercise

Monday 28 October 2013

DIET AND BREAST CANCER



Cancer is a disease characterized by abnormal cell growth and can occur in any organ. In some ways the genes lose control of cell growth, and reproduction becomes unstructured and excessive.

The recent alarm on rising global incidence of cancer by the World Health Organization (WHO) should worry African countries including Nigeria, where the disease is most prevalent. 

Breast cancer accounts for 40 per cent of women cancers, closely followed by cervical cancer of 17.9 per cent, lymphomas and ovarian cancer are next. Experts have predicted that by 2020, the number of cancer patients in Nigeria is going to rise from 24 million to 42 million as speculated 21 years ago. It is also feared that by same 2020, death rates from cancer in Nigerian males and females may reach 72.7/100,000 and 76/100,000 respectively.

Good nutrition may reduce the incidence of breast cancer and risk of breast cancer progression or recurrence.There appear to be associations between food and cancer- both good and bad. For example certain substances in food are thought to be carcinogenic, nitrites in cure and smoked food such as bacon, and ham can be changed to nitrosamines (carcinogens) during cooking, also high fat diets have been associated with breast cancer.

Newer studies point to dietary changes that can offer the most hope for preventing breast cancer or re-occurrence.

What increases the risk of developing breast cancer:

  • Over the age of 50(though younger women also develop breast cancer)
  • Having a family history of cancer
  • Exposed to a high level of the hormone Estrogen. This may occur if you have never, given birth or if you had your first menstrual period at a young age.
  • Overweight or obese especially after menopause
  • Drinking alcohol, whether you choose beer, wine or liquor, drinking too much alcohol may increase breast cancer risk
  • Eating a high fat diet, a low fat diet may help prevent weight gain, which in turn may prevent breast cancer risk

Guidelines for a Healthy Diet

  • Plant Based Diets 
  • Plenty of Fruits and Vegetables. Note; Vibrant intense color is one indicator of Phyto nutrient content
  • High Fibre- whole grains and beans/legumes
  • Limit Red Meat; avoid processed meat such as sausage, delimeat and hot dogs
  • Low fat diet with emphasis on Healthy fats
  • Limit processed and refined Grains (flours) and sugar
  • Drink plenty of fluids
  • Be physically active to help achieve and maintain healthy weight                                                                                                                                                                                              Eating a variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains daily, avoiding processed and high-sugar foods, and being physically active are very important ways we can take control of our risk of cancer.