Improving My Diet - Part 3 (Drink Up!)

This article is the third installment of my series on improving my diet (and maybe yours too).  This week I will address water intake.  We all know that drinking water is good for us, but do we know why?  Even if you do know why, it is never bad to re-read it and to re-evaluate your current intake.

Because each person is different, we need different amounts of water.  But regardless of our shapes and sizes, we are all roughly two-thirds water and it makes since that our bodies would function best when properly hydrated.  A good rule of thumb is to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water each day.  So if you weigh 150lbs you should try to drink 75oz of water each day.  Start out with a glass of water when you first wake up; you’ll be surprised at how awake you feel.  Once you get into a habit of drinking water, it will come naturally.  You will start to crave water over sugary drinks.  

So why is water so important?  Let’s review a few of my favorite benefits to drinking water.  We all know that water has zero calories, but did you know that if you drink cold water, your body has to use energy (burn calories) to warm it up. Who doesn’t want to burn a few extra calories here and there?  Water is also a terrific appetite suppressant and it is an inexpensive alternative to sugary drinks when eating out. Drinking a glass of water before a meal helps you feel full faster and eat less.  When we get to the installment on portion size, you’ll be thankful that you are already in a habit of drinking water before eating!  There is no doubt, being well hydrated keeps our body functioning properly but have you heard that water is also helps keep skin looking young.  Think about a dried up grape, it turns into a wrinkly raisin.  Dehydration has a similar effect on our skin.  So drink up!  

I am not going to go into all of the beneficial effects water has on our internal organs because this article would become a book.  Just trust me, we need water because it’s really good for us!  A few tips I have found that help me drink more include starting out my day with a glass of water, drinking ice or cold water, and adding fresh lemon to my water.  Try some of these to help get started if you feel like water isn’t the drink for you.  Like I said earlier, the more water you drink, the more water you want!

Here is a great infographic that details the benefits of staying properly hydrated.  

As always, if you have questions, concerns, or just want to chat, please feel free to come by the Hunt County AgriLife Extension office, 2217 Washington Street, Greenville, Texas, 75401, call (903) 455-9885, or email Sarah.Latham@ag.tamu.edu.  

 

Improving My Diet - Part 2 (Eating A Rainbow)

As much as I would like to say that this article is about eating a big bag of Skittles, I am sorry, I am actually referring to another rainbow.   Last post I wrote the first part of a series on ways to improve my diet.  I began by addressing meal planning.  In this post I will address eating a rainbow of healthy foods. The more colors you add into your diet, the more vitamins and minerals you are getting form a natural source. 

Even though it is a fun and catchy thing to say, advice that you should eat a rainbow is really based in science.  Yellow and orange items are packed full of vitamins A and C, both of which are beneficial antioxidants.  Vitamin A is beneficial for many organs, including eyes, heart, lungs and kidneys.  Vitamin C helps block damage from free radicals (which play a role in aging) and it is needed to help with the growth and repair of our tissues.   Green foods provide an excellent source of vitamins K, B, and E.  Vitamin K helps us make proteins that support healthy bones and help with proper blood clotting.  The B vitamins include several names you’ve probably heard of (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, and folic acid to name a few). The B family of vitamins aid in energy production by transforming the food you consume while vitamin E is vital to our immune system.  Purple foods are a great source of vitamins C and K, already discussed.  Fruits and vegetables get their color from different phytochemicals (a fancy word basically meaning the characteristics of the plant, such as color and smell) that are found within them.

Knowing the vitamins that each color group is made up of can help ensure you get a variety of nutrients in each meal.  So as you are planning your weekly meals try to include a variety of different colors, both fruit and vegetable.  Remember to eat a rainbow, you’ll be glad you did!

As always, if you have questions, concerns, or just want to chat, please feel free to come by the Hunt County AgriLife Extension office, 2217 Washington Street, Greenville, Texas, 75401, call (903) 455-9885, or email Sarah.Latham@ag.tamu.edu.  

Improving My Diet - Part 1 (Meal Planning)

While working on a presentation for an upcoming event, I realized that I had questions about the topic I was covering.  What is healthy?  With the expansion of the internet and social media, there is so much information about health, it’s sometimes hard to keep it all straight.  I decided to look at it from a basic standpoint and address issues that are within my control.  Over the next few weeks, I will address different ways to improve my diet.  Maybe some of these tips will help you improve your diet.  

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a “state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”  Health is more than simply limited doctor visits, it’s an overall well-being.  There are so many things that influence our health, including but not limited to age, family history, diet, activity level, and environment. If I want to improve my health, I can address the factors that are within my control, diet and activity level.  

I’ve never really liked the word “diet.” It has such a negative connotation.  So first I think I must reprogram what I think of when I think of the word diet.  It is not just about losing weight (or for the lucky few that need to gain).  Our diet is, in general, the food we consume, both good and bad.  If I want to improve my diet, I need to take steps to intake more good food than bad food. 

This week I will address meal planning.  A good first step in addressing any diet issue is to create a meal plan.  Meal plans highlight problem areas and enable you to avoid them.  Meal plans are great help at the store, if you know all of your meals for the week, you can purchase only the items you need and save money.  Also, meal plans help create a diet full of variety.  Planning out each meal in advance provides you with a layout of your food intake and can help you break away from food ruts that you may be stuck in currently.   

To help you start meal planning, I have a uploaded great template available for download (click here to download).  This template has both a daily meal plan and a shopping list.  I will also have some available for pick up at the Hunt County AgriLife Extension Office.

As always, if you have questions, concerns, or just want to chat, please feel free to come by the Hunt County AgriLife Extension office, 2217 Washington Street, Greenville, Texas, 75401, call (903) 455-9885, or email Sarah.Latham@ag.tamu.edu.