Grenada Lake Medical Center/ News

  Being Healthy Starts With What You Eat

 Did you know that………………

 ·        One coke has 46 grams of sugar. That is equal to 10 teaspoons of sugar. 

       Drinking 9½ cokes is the equivalent of 1 pound of sugar.

·        One pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories. Candy bars and chips range from 250-500 calories. By adding a candy bar or a bag of chips everyday to your diet, you will gain a pound every two weeks. That is equal to 2 pounds a month and 24 pounds a year.

·        One hamburger from a fast food restaurant has 400-700 calories and 20-40 grams of fat (equivalent of 5 – 10 pads of butter). This does not include the cheese or mayonnaise, which would add calories and fat.

·        That same hamburger has 800 – 1000 mg of sodium.  Normal adults should have between 3000 and 4000 mg the whole day.  Hypertensive patients should have no more than 2000 mg of sodium daily.

·        One small order of French fries has 270 calories. Ordering a larger size (super-size or biggie size) adds an additional 300 calories.  They also have 200 – 300 mg of sodium.

·        One slice of cheese pizza has 300 calories and 14 grams of fat (equivalent of 3 ½ pads of butter).  One slice also contains 900 – 1000 mg of sodium.  Toppings can add as much as 400 mg more!

·        Regular ice cream (1/2 cup) has 7 grams of fat but ½ cup of frozen yogurt has only 2 grams of fat.

·        Two slices of bologna has 16 grams of fat (equivalent of 4 pads of butter).

Healthy choices are important because…

 ·        Eating habits are harder to change the older you get.

·        Eating foods that provide excessive fat and sugar increase your risk for diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension.

·        Eating foods with no nutrient value and high in fat lead to weight gain.

·        Eating foods lower in sodium reduce risk for high blood pressure and heart disease.

·        For pregnant women, how you eat directly affects your baby’s health.

·        How well you eat can affect the way you look, feel, and perform in your daily life.

·        Choosing healthy foods help to keep your immune system up so that you are less like to get sick.

Food Guide Pyramid 

The United States Department of Agriculture designed the food guide pyramid as a guide for healthy choices. It is best to eat a variety of foods and limit foods such as fats, oils, and sweets. Some low-fat snack ideas are:  pretzels, low-fat popcorn, frozen yogurt, fruit, and raw vegetables. A healthy diet balances food with physical activity. Active adults should consume approximately 2000-2500 calories and should follow the serving guidelines on the food guide pyramid. If weight loss is desired, 500 calories must be cut daily to lose 1 pound in 1 week.

Quick, Easy, Healthy Recipes   

Strawberry Smoothie                                 Healthy Quesidillas

5 large strawberries                                                      2 soft tortilla (6 inches)

6 oz. light (reduced sugar) fat-free strawberry               1 small squash (cut into slices)  

yogurt-frozen                                                                3 oz. shredded low fat cheese

½ cup crystal light or other sugar free lemonade             3 oz. of baked chicken slices

Combine ingredients in blender                              Mix ingredients and place in

and blend until smooth.                                           a tortilla.

Staying Healthy- A Guide for Elder Americans

Staying Healthy

As your body ages, you have to make more of an effort to eat wisely. 

Prevent Bone Loss

As you age, you lose minerals from your bones.  The loss of bone minerals can lead to osteoporosis.  Osteoporosis causes your bones to break easily and take a longer time to heal.  Osteoporosis can develop in any man or woman but is most likely to develop in white or Asian women, thin people, and smokers. 

You can protect your bones in several ways. 

·        Exercise every day- Walking is a good form of exercise to keep bones strong.

·        Vitamin D – Your body can make its own vitamin D if you go out in the sunshine a few times a week.  Also, milk contains vitamin D.

·        Calcium- Calcium is important for strong bones.  Good sources of calcium are milk, yogurt, cheese, sardines, ice cream.  You can also get calcium from green, leafy vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, and turnip greens and mustard greens.  Make sure you choose lower-fat dairy products if you are watching your weight or trying to control your blood cholesterol level. 

 Drink Plenty of fluids

You need 6 to 8 cups of liquid each day, with at least two or three glasses being water.

The rest can come from other beverages, such as juice, lemonade, milk, coffee, tea, or soup. 

Beverages that contain caffeine- such as regular coffee, tea, and colas- should be taken in moderation.  Caffeine causes you to urinate more than usual and may prevent you from meeting your fluid needs.

If you have trouble remembering how much water you’ve drunk during the day, fill a jug or jar with 6 cups of water each morning and place it in your refrigerator.  When the water is gone, you’ll know you’ve met your water goal for the day.

Drinking water or liquids at mealtime can make chewing and swallowing easier.  Water helps your body get rid of wastes and to prevent constipation.  A cup of tea or warm water with lemon taken first thing in the morning may act as a gentle laxative.

 Eat Fresh Fruits and Vegetables 

Fruits and vegetables contain some important vitamins- such as A, C, and folacin- that are difficult to find in other types of foods.  Fresh fruits and vegetables provide an important source of fiber and can help with constipation. 

Chewing problems can prevent some adults from eating fruits and vegetables.  If this is your problem, try some of the softer choices: ripe bananas, baked or steamed winter squash, cooked fresh or frozen peas, sliced fresh peaches, baked sweet or white potatoes, and steamed cauliflower.

Maintain a Healthy Weight 

One of the best ways to stop gaining those extra pounds is to cut down on the fat in your diet.

·        Choose lean meat, poultry, and fish and trim all the fat before eating.

·        Bake, broil, microwave, or steam foods instead of frying them.

·        Take the skin off turkey and chicken before eating.

·        Use lower-fat or nonfat milks, and use less butter, margarine, cream, and sour cream. 

If sweets are your downfall, start by keeping fewer sweets around.  Some low-fat sweet suggestions are:

·        Fresh fruit on ice milk, frozen yogurt, or angel food cake

·        Sugar-free pudding made with skim milk

·        Fig bars, graham crackers, and gingersnaps, which have less fat than many other types of cookies 

Maybe you’re having the opposite problem: a poor appetite and weight loss.  If you fill up quickly at mealtime, try eating five or six small meals a day.

 Constipation 

Constipation is a stubborn problem for many people as they age.  There are several simple ways to prevent constipation:

·        Eat regular meals.  Chew food thoroughly and slowly.

·        Drink plenty of fluids, including water, milk, fruit and vegetable juices, and soups.

·        Exercise daily

·        Establish regular toilet habits

·        Eat a diet that includes high-fiber foods, such as fruit and vegetables, whole-grain breads and high-fiber cereals, and beans.

 Daily Food Guide