Eating for a Healthy Body

Eating for a healthy body includes managing your weight and watching which foods you choose to eat.

Manage Your Weight

Each person's weight goals differ, but there are some general rules that can help all of us lead healthier lives, and feel better for it. Establishing healthy habits can improve our outlook and daily functions. Start with these steps:

• Set a short-term goal of losing a half pound or one pound per week
• Eat smaller, more balanced meals
• Do not skip meals
• Increase the amount of fiber in your diet
• Drink six to eight eight-ounce glasses of water daily
• Exercise regularly, as allowed by your health care provider

Our Dietitians with Outpatient Nutrition Counseling can help if you need more information or have specific questions. It's also a good idea to check with your physician on diet changes, proper exercise and ultimate goals.

Use this Ideal Weight Calculator to calculate your ideal weight range based on your gender, body type and height.

Choose Foods That Will Help Lower LDL Cholesterol

LDL Cholesterol is considered the "bad" cholesterol because it contains the largest amount of cholesterol.  It increases the build-up of plaque that attaches to your blood vessels. 

HDL Cholesterol is considered the "good" cholesterol because it helps the body get rid of the cholesterol in the blood.  HDL picks up cholesterol and plaque in the blood and carries it to the liver for excretion.

Physicians and nutrition experts recommend that you:

• Limit fat intake
• Use olive oil, canola oil and peanut oils moderately in cooking
• Choose monounsaturated fats over saturated fats
• Eat more fish such as salmon or tuna. The recommended amount of fish is at least three three-ounce servings weekly
• Include high fiber foods in your diet, such as oat bran and other whole grains 

Why Limit Fats?

A high fat diet has been linked to heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.  Extra pounds can make you more likely to develop high blood pressure and atherosclerosis (a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries).

Trans-fatty acids are formed by the partial hydrogenation (hardening) of vegetable oils.  These have been shown to raise blood cholesterol and LDL levels. Sources of trans-fatty acids include stick margarine, shortenings, and partially-hydrogenated oils used in cakes, cookies and fried foods. Nutrition labels are now required to include information on trans-fats.

Healthier fats include monounsaturated oils such as canola, olive and peanut oils and fatty fish. These types of fats help reduce cholesterol levels without decreasing the HDL cholesterol levels. Limit saturated fats found most commonly in animal fats such as butter, dairy products made from whole milk and red meat.

The amount and type of fat you eat can directly affect your blood cholesterol level. It is recommended that you avoid saturated fats whenever possible and substitute saturated fats with monounsaturated fats.  

Use this Body Mass Index Calculator for Adults to measure your body fat based on your height and weight.

Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA)

Polyunsaturated fats are essential fatty acids and must be obtained through food, as the body cannot make them on its own.  Vegetable oils such as corn, sunflower, safflower and soybean contain the omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids also appear to cause a decrease in plasma LDL cholesterol, decrease blood pressure and triglyceride levels, and increase clotting times. Salmon, mackerel, Atlantic herring and trout are rich sources of omega 3 fats. Flaxseed contains alpha-linolenic acid, which is one of the omega-3 fats. This is beneficial for protecting against heart and vessel disease and lowering cholesterol levels. Flaxseed oil also contains omega-6 fatty acids.

Sodium

Sodium is a mineral that is found naturally in many foods. The body needs only 500 milligrams of sodium daily. The greatest source of sodium is table salt, processed and convenience foods. A normal diet provides enough sodium even if you do not use table salt. The recommended daily amount of sodium for the average healthy person is 2400 milligrams per day. The average diet contains three times as much sodium as needed.

A build-up of sodium in the body can cause thirst, increased blood pressure, shortness of breath and water retention.  This may increase your risk of a stroke or heart attack.

To decrease your sodium intake, you may need to make some changes in your eating habits.  Your taste buds will adapt as you decrease your salt intake.

Fiber Up

Fiber helps fight heart disease by lowering blood cholesterol levels. It also helps control weight by filling you up faster. Adults need 20 to 35 grams of fiber daily.

Some good, high-fiber foods include:

• Bran cereal
• Raisin bran cereal
• Popcorn
• Oat bran
• Baked potato with skin
• Green peas
• Apple with peel
• Berries
• Lentils, cooked
• Split peas, cooked
• Almonds, whole

Water - an essential nutrient

While a person may survive for several weeks without food, one can last only a few days without water.  The human body is comprised of 50-75% water and 8-12 cups are required every day.

Sip water throughout the course of your meal and this will help to slow your eating pace and increase satiety.  Distinguish between hunger and thirst between meals.  Often we reach for something to eat when we are really thirsty instead.

Fruits and Vegetables

Eating five fruits and vegetables each day can seem like an impossible challenge, but here are some simple ways to sneak them into every meal:

• Keep a fruit bowl or small portable snack-packs of applesauce, carrots or raisins close by
• Prepare handy snacks as soon as you come home from the grocery store
• Cut up vegetables and fruits and store them in ready-to-eat containers
• Add berries or sliced fruit to your breakfast cereal
• Drink 100% fruit juice every morning
• Add thinly-grated carrots or zucchini to soups, stews or casseroles
• In restaurants, always order a salad as an appetizer
• Use fresh spinach instead of lettuce in sandwiches
• Freeze 100% fruit juice to make healthy ice pops
• Stock up on dried and frozen fruit and vegetables

Fad Diets

There are a lot of different diets to consider. The goal should be to establish a moderate lifestyle that you can live with, successfully, long-term. Each person needs to find what works for them by moderating their intake of foods from all the food groups and team it up with increased activity levels.

Also find out more information from the American Heart Association,  the American Dietetic Association and Diabetes & Nutrition.