New Dietary Guidelines

Patience is not inherited. It is an art, an attitude, a way of dealing with the world that is available to all of us. What do you need to do to become a patient person? How will you know when you have gotten there? What benefits will you realize? ~Twyman Towery

Recently the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were announced. The Dietary Guidelines are revised every five years and these most recent recommendations are the healthiest yet! 

The Dietary Guidelines are jointly published by the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The guidelines provide advice on how to eat in order to achieve good health and avoid chronic diseases. Many health professionals take part in developing these guidelines, including dietitians.
The Guidelines for 2010 can be viewed in full at: http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/

A few frightening statistics they share in the report are:

• 37% of the population has cardiovascular (heart) disease
• 16% of the population has high cholesterol
• 34% of the population has high blood pressure
•  Another 36% has pre-hypertension (the step before hypertension / high blood pressure)
• 11% has diabetes, most of which is Type 2 diabetes
• 35% has pre-diabetes
• About 1/3 of our country is considered obese and more than double that are considered overweight

We all can eat healthier and we all should eat healthier. We should do it for ourselves and we should do it for those around us. We know what is good for us and what is not - it's time to start choosing the right foods and exercising our bodies to achieve good health throughout our lifespan.
Below are some changes that you can implement based on The 2010 Dietary Guidelines:

• Reduce daily sodium intake to <2,300 milligrams per day for those age <51 years
• Reduce daily sodium intake to <1,500 milligrams per day for those age >51 years
• Consume less than 10% of calories from saturated fat
• Consume less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol per day
• Keep trans fat intake as low as possible (ideally none)
• Reduce calorie intake from solid fats and added sugars
• Limit the consumption of refined grains
• Consume alcohol in moderation (1 drink/day for women, 2 drinks/day for men)
• Increase fruit and vegetable intake; increase variety of produce intake
• Consume at least half your grains as whole grains
• Increase intake of fat-free and low-fat dairy products
• Choose a variety of protein foods (seafood, lean beef, poultry, eggs, beans, soy, nuts/seeds)
• Increase amount and variety of seafood intake
• Replace solid fats with oils
• Eat more foods rich in potassium, fiber, calcium, and vitamin D

We need to remember that we are all created creative and can invent new scenarios as frequently as they are needed.~Maya Angelou