Getting Protein as a Vegetarian

Getting Protein as a Vegetarian

In my own life I have attempted to be as healthy as possible.  I try to get plenty of rest, exercise daily, and avoid toxic habit such as smoking, substance abuse, and excessive alcohol.  But the best way to be healthy is through proper diet.

I have chosen to be eat a whole foods diet to be more sustainable and healthy.  I eat foods that are minimally processed and come from fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, sustainable, free-range or wild meats, and low fat dairy.

Because I have a diet that is made up of whole foods it is difficult to always get the amount of protein that is needed to keep me sustained.  I eat meat-free most days of the week.  

According to Nutrition.gov I should be eating 5 oz equivalents of protein on a daily basis. This is confusing so I looked  to the equivalents and according to Nutrition.gov that means "1 ounce of meat, poultry or fish, ¼ cup cooked beans, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or ½ ounce of nuts or seeds can be considered as 1 ounce equivalent from the Protein Foods Group" (Nutrition.gov).  So I don't necessarily have to eat meat to get my protein.

 

Some vegetables have more protein that meat does which makes it easy for me.

 

My goals are to start including more of these protein rich foods into every meal so that I can get the right amount of protein on a daily basis.  An egg at breakfast, potato and broccoli at lunch, bananas after my workout, and beans, quinoa and green leafy veggies at dinner.

I plan to use some of the following recipes to help me with my protein intake and maintain my daily intake of vegetables and whole grains along with low fat dairy.

 

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

 Sesame Garlic with Greens and Teriyaki Tofu

 
Rustic Chard Potato and Goat Cheese Tart

References:

Nutrition. (n.d.) Protein Foods. Retrieved from http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/protein-foods.html

My Recipes. (n.d.) Meatless. Retrieved fromhttp://www.myrecipes.com/search/site/meatless 

USHCGShots. (March 18, 2013). Meatless Protein Sources for Vegetarians. Retrieved from  http://ushcgshots.com/articles/meatless-protein-sources

Expand your Lifespan Through Nutrition

Expand your Lifespan Through Nutrition

Nutrition is important throughout life, but different stages in life have different nutritional requirements.   

Pregnancy

Get enough nutrients to help with growth.  During the first trimester more nutrients are not necessary.  But  during the second trimester the mother requires an additional 340 calories daily and an extra 450 during the third trimester (Sizer & Whitney, 2013).  Eating these calories as additional nutrient-dense food is the best way to make use of the energy so as not to put on extra weight that could cause problems.  Prenatal vitamins are also a great way to get the added folate, iron and calcium needed without any excess.

Infancy

 

Intense growth in the first year of life creates a need for a continuous supply of nutrients, Vitamin A, D, and Calcium.  An infant requires "100 calories per kilogram of body weight per day" (Sizer & Whitney, 2013).  The most important nutrient is water because the younger a person is the more their body is made up of water.

Childhood through Adolescence

 

Balanced energy consumption and use are important during childhood.  The American Heart Association makes this recommendation "Keep total fat intake between 30 to 35 percent of calories for children 2 to 3 years of age and between 25 to 35 percent of calories for children and adolescents 4 to 18 years of age, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils" (American Heart Association, 2015).  They also recommend females ages 4 to 8 1200 k/Cal per day and males 1400 K/Cal per day.  Adolescence should also maintain good energy intake/expense balance.  The American Heart Association recommends that adolescents ages 9 to 13 females should take in 1600 K/Cal per day and males 1800 K/Cal per day, and ages 14 to 18 females should take in 1800 K/Cal per day and males 2200 K/Cal per day (American Heart Association, 2015).    Both childhood and adolescent should be consuming lots of low fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains on a daily basis.

Adults

 

Adults should continue this same diet of low fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  As adults begin to age their metabolism slows so the amount of energy intake needs to be adjusted.  Physical activity is essential to combating the battle of slow metabolism as people age.  Protein intake can remain the same, carbohydrates and healthy fibers should be maintained to keep the brain and bowels functioning properly as old age makes this more difficult.  Eating the proper amounts of healthy fats is important to preventing arthritis.  Vitamins are still important as we age.  Vitamin A should be consumed at 20 micrograms per day, B`1 a2.4 micrograms per day, and Vitamins E and other antioxidants such as Zinc are important to maintain the immune system.  As with all ages water is extremely important (Sizer & Whitney, 2013). 

adulthood.  

 

 Developing healthy habits in children at a young age is the best way to maintain habits through adulthood.  Parents should begin at infancy and continue these habits until children are capable of making healthy decisions for themselves.  Children live what they learn.  Failure to maintain healthy habits can lead to poor decisions about health that can lead to chronic disease, weakened immune systems, and early death.

 

References:

American Heart Association. (January 12, 2015). Dietary Recommendations for Healthy Children. Retrieved from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/Dietary-Recommendations-for-Healthy-Children_UCM_303886_Article.jsp

Harvard School of Public Health. (n.d.) Food Pyramids and Plates: What Should You Really Eat?. Retrieved from  http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/pyramid-full-story/

Mehra, N. (January 12, 2011). Human Behavior. Retrieved from http://image.slidesharecdn.com/humanbehaviourppt-110112073952-phpapp01/95/human-behaviour-ppt-14-728.jpg?cb=1294839656

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13 ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning

Diet and Your Weight

Diet &Your Weight

 

In discussing weight it is important to understand the definitions of healthy weight.  Being underweight means that there is not enough nutrition to sustain the body, the person is under a healthy weight and has a "BMI below 18.5" (Sizer & Whitney, 2013).  Being overweight means that a person consumes more than is needed and has excesses in body fat with a "BMI between 25 to 29.9" (Sizer & Whitney, 2013).  Obese means that there is too much fat on the body that can cause the body ill health.  This would be a "BMI over 30" (Sizer & Whitney, 2013).

    

 

Determine your BMI here.

Being underweight can cause many problems.  In a situation where their body is fighting to survive they will not last because they have nothing to sustain their body.  If they end up in the hospital with a disease they can starve to death due to lack of nutrients.  Being underweight means they have no reserve of energy in their body to store the nutrients they need.   

Being overweight causes many problems as well.  Many chronic diseases are associated with being overweight.  According to the National Institutes of Health, Coronary Heart Disease, angina, heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes are all side effects of being overweight (National Institutes of Health, 2012).   Along with these big diseases there is also the risk of arthritis, gout, gallbladder disease, skin problems, respiratory problems, and sleeping problems (Sizer & Whitney, 2013).   

Being obese not only shares these same risks but it increases the possibility of death from these diseases. 

When not enough food is consumed to restore energy reserves the body cannot function properly.  However, when the body consumes more food than needed to replenish that energy it is stored as fat in the body.

In order to maintain a healthy body weight it is important to eat a healthy diet with the appropriate calorie intake for energy consumption, watch portion sizes, remain physically active enough that will burn fat and build muscle.  It is also important to understand that just because a person is larger than someone else that does not mean they are unhealthy.  Everyone's bodies are different.  Being healthy and active can make a world of difference.

References:

National Institutes on Health. (July 13, 2012).  What are the Health Risks of Overweight and Obesity?, Retrieved from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/risks

National Institutes on Health. (n.d.) Calculate your body mass index. Retrieved from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm

Organic Nutrition. (n.d.). What is BMI (Body Mass Index)?. Retrieved from http://www.organicnutrition.co.uk/articles/the-body-mass-index.htm

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.).  Mason, OH: Cengage Learning

Weight Loss. (n.d.). Weight Loss Diets. Retrieved from  http://www.weightloss.audio/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/top-healthy-dietsbest-diet-for-weight-loss-helps-you-stay-fit-my-health-4etult5g.jpg

The Ins and Outs of Digestion

The Ins and Outs of Digestion

When we become hungry it sends sensations to the the brain and hormones that it is time to prepare the body for digestion of macro nutrients fat, carbohydrates, and protein, to keep the body renewing.

To see a 3-D image of how the digestive system works click here.

Once foods enters the mouth the brain begins to send signals the rest of the body that it is time to begin to digest and absorb the food.  The purpose of the digestive tract is to give the body a large surface area to absorb nutrients into the blood stream, and excrete any unusable materials from the body.  The flexibility of the digestive system allows food to travel through the digestive system.  The food begins its journey through the mouth and travels through the throat, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and through the rectum into the anus.  Each of these areas of the digestive tract has a specific purpose for digestion and absorption of nutrients.  There are also organs on the outside of the digestive tract that help with the digestion of food; the liver, the gallbladder, and the pancreas. 

In the mouth the food is prepared for digestion by being chewed into little pieces using the teeth. The tongue and the jaw help to move the food around in the mouth so that it is masticated enough to be digested.   In the mouth there are acids and enzymes called amylase, as well as water, and mucous.  All of these form saliva that helps to break down the starches and start to break down fat.  

Through mashing and squeezing, otherwise known as peristalsis, the masticated food that is now in the form of a ball or bolus is then moved into the pharynx where this peristalsis pushes it into the esophagus.  The esophagus, which is about 25 cm long (The Digestive Tract, 2001), takes the bolus down through the cardiac sphincter into the stomach where the food is mashed into a "fine paste" (Sizer & Whitney, 2014) using the muscle layers of the stomach.  There are digestive juices in the stomach that help to break down the food.  These digestive juices are made up of Hydrochloric Acid, Pepsin, and Mucous.  The Hydrochloric acid breaks down proteins so that they are soft and can be digested easier.  Hydrochloric acid also acts as a way of protecting the stomach from bacteria.  Pepsin protects the stomach from being burned by its own acids and breaks down the proteins into amino acids.  Once the food has been sufficiently mixed and churned it becomes a liquid called Chyme.  

Now that the food is in Chyme form it will be controllably forced a little at a time through the bottom sphincter muscle called the pyloric valve.  This is the entrance of the small intestine known as the duodenum.  The small intestine is where the nutrients are absorbed through millions of little villi and microvilli.  This occurs over several hours before emptying into the large intestine or colon.    Once in the small intestine hormones signal the gallbladder to contract and release an emulsifier or bile.    The pancreas is also alerted that it needs to release its chemicals known as bicarbonate.  These have to be released in just the right amount in order to help reduce the stomach's acid.  The walls of the small intestines also have enzymes that help make the nutrients small enough to absorb carbohydrates, fats and proteins.  Some water, fiber, and minerals stay in the colon and are broken down by bacteria.  This fiber releases fat that is absorbed by the cells in the intestines for energy.

The large intestine is "wider than the small intestine but shorter in length" (The Digestive Tract, 2001).  The job of the large intestine is to eliminate the unused waste and reabsorb water that was freed in the early digestive process and absorb minerals.  There are not any enzymes released in the colon so there is no digestion occurring at this point.  From here the solids travel through the rectum and out through the anus where they leave the body.

       

A healthy body requires a healthy digestive tract.  When eating our body is signaled to begin the digestive process which consists of mechanical and chemical processes working together to break down the food so that nutrients and minerals as well as fats and proteins can be absorbed into the body to help with the constant renewal of the body and to provide energy.   Maintaining a proper diet and being in tune with the normal workings of the digestive tract can help to ensure healthy digestion and therefore a healthy body.

References:

The Digestive System. YouTube.  Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7xKYNz9AS0&feature=related

Cohen, B.G. & Wood D.L. (2000). Digestive System. Memmler's the Human Body in Health and Disease (9th ed.). Philadelphia Lippencott, Williams, & Wilkins.

The digestive tract. (2001). Chemist & Druggist, , 19. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/274881530?accountid=32521

Inner Body. (n.d.). Digestive System. Retrieved from http://www.innerbody.com/image/digeov.html

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.).  Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.