Calcium is best known for its critical role in maintaining bone mass. Eating plans that are low in calcium can lead to osteoporosis - the bone crippling disease that affects about one out of every three post-menopause women. Calcium needs are 1,000 mg per day for pre-menstrual women and men under 70. Requirements jump to 1,200-1,500 mg after menopause for women and for men 70 and older. There have also been studies on calcium regarding other health benefits. Eating an adequate amount of calcium helps maintain blood pressure, relieves symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and even helps protect against colon cancer. A few small studies even showed that those who consumed 1,000 mg of calcium per day were able to burn more body fat than those who ate less calcium. More research needs to be done, but his is certainly a good reason for you to drink milk! The average calcium intake for women in the US is 600 mg per day - far less than the RDA. Discuss with your physician or your personal trainee about the use of calcium if you are not able to meet your calcium needs through diet alone.
Studies are beginning to reveal the heart-healthy benefits of nuts. One of the most important studies comes from the ongoing Nurses Health Study at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and the Harvard School of Public Health, which has been monitoring the health of 86,000 nurses. Results of this study reported that nurses who ate more than five (5) ounces of nuts per week had one third fewer heart attacks than those who rarely or never ate nuts. Another study of vegetarians showed that eating about two ounces of nuts more than five times a week significantly reduced the risk of higher amount of nuts reduced their risk of coronary heart disease by 60 percent.
The downfall with nuts is their high fat content. What these studies tell us is the fat they do contain -either mono- or polyunsaturated fat - is actually good for the cardiovascular system. Nuts provide protein, vitamins and minerals like selenium, magnesium, and vitamin E. All nuts contain flavonoids, which are potent antioxidants and can help protect against cancer and heart disease.
Another way to control your portions is using plate as a guide. Imagine your plate is a clock and the time is 3pm. The section between the numbers 12 and 3, bordered by the big and little hands, should be filled by your meals or dairy servings for that meal. At dinner, this might be a piece of chicken or fish; at breakfast, a serving of yogurt or a cup of milk. If your meat or dairy portion is larger than the space on your plate, you're eating too much. The rest of your plate should be rounded out with servings of grains, fruit, and vegetables. Besides reading labels and weighing and measuring foods, practice these portion control techniques.
Food Groups:
1 slice of bread; 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal; 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta.
1 cup of raw leafy vegetables; 1/2 cup of other vegetables; cooked or chopped raw; 3/4 cup of vegetable juice
1 medium apple, banana, orange; 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit; 3/4 cup of fruit juice
1 cup of milk or yogurt; 1-1/2 ounces of natural cheese; 2 ounces of process cheese
2-3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish; 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans; 1 egg counts as 1 ounce of
lean meat; 2 tbsp of peanut butter or 1/3 cup of nuts count as 1 ounce of meat