Food trapezoid

A glance at the food pyramids and you will notice the less expensive foods recommended for healthy living. I started researching and found out that the high food prices created the food pyramid not for healthy living but for surviving and filling the mouths of families with food, any food. 

  In 1972, Sweden's National Board of Health and Welfare developed the idea of "basic foods" that were both cheap and nutritious, and "supplemental foods" that added nutrition missing from the basic foods. The National Board's "dietary circle," was a cake divided into seven slices, but not indicating how much of each food should be eaten.
Then they suggested a triangle displaying basic foods at the base. The first food pyramid, was introduced to the public in 1974 in Vi magazine. The pyramid was divided into basic foods at the base, including milk, cheese, margarine, bread, cereals and potatoes; a section of supplemental vegetables and fruit; and an apex of supplemental meat, fish and eggs.
The Food pyramids were developed in other Scandinavian countries, as well as West Germany, Japan and Sri-Lanka.

In 1989, the World Health Organization, in conjunction with the Food and Agriculture Organization, published guidelines to prevent obesity, chronic diseases and dental caries based on meta-analysis as a table rather than a "pyramid". The structure was similar in some respects to the USDA food pyramid.

A food guide pyramid is a triangular or pyramid-shaped nutrition guide divided into sections to show the recommended intake for each food group. The most widely known food pyramid was introduced by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1992. Then it was updated in 2005, and then replaced in 2011. Over 25 other countries and organizations have also published food pyramids

I like to see we replace the food triangle with a trapezoid. The truncation of the top of the triangle; therefore making it into a trapezoid, will be of the fats and oils. The reason being that the body will have it's recommended healthy doses of fats and oils from eating foods from other healthy recommended foods in the trapezoid.
I chose the new food trapezoid because it will not be a drastic change from the triangle one.
Here are the breakdown of the new food trapezoid.
Base: Water and exercise and fresh clean air(bigger portion)
Second layer from bottom: Fresh vegetables and fruits(preferably low glycemic vegetables and fruits)
Third layer from bottom: lean proteins, dairy, butter, and not cooked oils(nuts and seeds, lean animal protein, fish, healthy fats, such as avocados, and extra virgin olive oil)
last layer on top:  Whole-grains breads, cereals and pastas, Beans and legumes. (lesser portion)

MARCH is National Nutrition Month

The theme for March 2012 is "Get Your Plate in Shape." National Nutrition Month is a nutrition education and information campaign created annually in March by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.

For more information you can visit their site at: http://www.eatright.org/nnm.

What should we do?
Did you ever make a resolution to eat healthy, shed a few pounds, or get in shape and exercise. Well March is the month to do it. This month is a great time to start. Spring is around the corner and with the new season, you can begin a new "YOU".  Tune in all month to learn how!

Vitamin D

These days you can not help but hearing about vitamin D and it's many benefits. I wanted to do some research of my own since the first thing my doctor tells me when she sees me is to take at least 1000IU a day.
Here are outline of some of the new research and studies about Vitamin D:

Low Vitamin D Levels Tied to Obesity in Kids.
Vitamin D May Prevent Serious Respiratory Disease in newborn.
Mom's Vitamin D Levels Linked to Language Problems in Kids.
Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to More Aggressive Breast cancer.
MS in Blacks Linked to Low Vitamin D.
Vitamin D will cure menstruation cramps.

What is vitamin D and what does it do?

Vitamin D is a nutrient found in some foods that is needed for health and to maintain strong bones. It does so by helping the body absorb calcium (one of bone's main building blocks) from food and supplements. People who get too little vitamin D may develop soft, thin, and brittle bones, a condition known as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.
Vitamin D is important to the body in many other ways as well. Muscles need it to move, for example, nerves need it to carry messages between the brain and every body part, and the immune system needs vitamin D to fight off invading bacteria and viruses. Together with calcium, vitamin D also helps protect older adults from osteoporosis. Vitamin D is found in cells throughout the body.

How much vitamin D do we need?

The amount of vitamin D we need each day depends on our age. Average daily recommended amounts from the Food and Nutrition Board (a national group of experts) for different ages are listed below in International Units (IU):

• Birth to 12 months 400 IU
• Children1–13 years 600 IU
• Teens 14–18 years 600 IU
• Adults 19–70 years 600 IU
• Adults 71 years and older 800 IU
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women 600 IU

What foods provide vitamin D?

Very few foods naturally have vitamin D. Fortified foods provide most of the vitamin D in American diets.

• Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel are among the best sources.
• Beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks provide small amounts.
• Mushrooms provide some vitamin D. In some mushrooms that are newly available in stores, the vitamin D content is being boosted by exposing these mushrooms to ultraviolet light.
• Almost all of the U.S. milk supply is fortified with 400 IU of vitamin D per quart. But foods made from milk, like cheese and ice cream, are usually not fortified.
• Vitamin D is added to many breakfast cereals and to some brands of orange juice, yogurt, margarine, and soy beverages; check the labels.

Can we get vitamin D from the sun?

The body makes vitamin D when skin is directly exposed to the sun, and most people meet at least some of their vitamin D needs this way. Skin exposed to sunshine indoors through a window will not produce vitamin D. Cloudy days, shade, and having dark-colored skin also cut down on the amount of vitamin D the skin makes.

However, despite the importance of the sun to vitamin D synthesis, it is prudent to limit exposure of skin to sunlight in order to lower the risk for skin cancer. When out in the sun for more than a few minutes, wear protective clothing and apply sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 8 or more. Tanning beds also cause the skin to make vitamin D, but pose similar risks for skin cancer.
People who avoid the sun or who cover their bodies with sunscreen or clothing should include good sources of vitamin D in their diets or take a supplement. Recommended intakes of vitamin D are set on the assumption of little sun exposure.