HEALTH BLOG

New U.S. Dietary Guidelines

Based on the most recent science, the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released at the beginning of 2016. Before you say, “Here we go again,” let’s take a closer look. The guidelines may sound familiar, but there are some differences from years past.1

Overall guidelines.
     For the most part, these guidelines don’t advise you about how much to eat of different foods, such as vegetables or meat. Instead, they focus on helping you fit healthy eating into their own unique lifestyle. To that end, they provide three examples of healthy eating plans: a healthy American diet, a Mediterranean-style diet, and a vegetarian diet.

      What these three types of diets share is an emphasis on more plant-based foods, healthy fats, and whole grains. The guidelines also suggest making meals and snacks from scratch. That helps avoid the common pitfalls of processed foods, such as high levels of salt and sugar.

     Overall, a healthy eating pattern includes:

        1. Any vegetable, but preferably a wide variety
        2. Fruits, especially whole ones
         3. Grains—with at least half being whole grains
         4. Fat-free or low-fat dairy
         5. A variety of protein sources, including seafood, lean meat, poultry, eggs, beans, peas, nuts, seeds, and soy products
         6. Oils1

     Specific guidelines. The last set of guidelines came out in 2010. They simply advised people to reduce their intake of added sugars, without giving numbers. The newest guidelines, however, are more specific. They suggest you limit added sugars to fewer than 10 percent of your daily calories. Right now, added sugars account for more than 13 percent of Americans’ daily calories. 1

     Soft drinks, fruit drinks, sweetened coffee or tea, flavored waters, and alcoholic beverages account for nearly 50 percent of all added sugars we consume. A recent study revealed that people who drink sugary drinks daily tend to put on more deep belly fat over time.2 That’s the kind of fat that surrounds vital organs and is linked to type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Other sources of added sugars are snacks and sweets, as well as foods like bread and prepared meals.

     The new guidelines also suggest that you limit saturated fats to no more than 10 percent of your daily calories. That’s a goal that fewer than a third of Americans meet. Sadly, these fats can increase levels of bad cholesterol, and your risk of stroke and heart disease.4 About a third of saturated fat comes from prepared foods containing cheese or meat—foods like burgers, tacos, and pizza—as well as dairy products, snacks, and sweets.

     Finally, the guidelines advise eating fewer than 2,300 milligrams per day of salt—a little less than a teaspoon. That’s a guideline that nearly all Americans are failing to meet. But it’s not something to ignore. That’s because too much salt can increase blood pressure, which also increases the risks of heart disease and stroke.3

     Don’t know where to begin? Stop by and we’ll have a chat. I can offer you a tip or two!

Nothing herein constitutes medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, or is a substitute for professional advice.  You should always seek the advice of your physician or other medical professional if you have questions or concerns about a medical condition.

Sources:

1.    HealthDay: “New U.S. Dietary Guidelines: Limit Sugar and Salt, Boost Fruit and Veggie Intake.” Available at: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_156575.html Accessed 1-29-16.

2.     HealthDay: “Sugary Drinks Tied to Increase in Deep Belly Fat.” Available at https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_156625.html Accessed 1-29-16.

3.     HealthDay: “Americans Still Consume Too Much Salt: CDC.” Available at https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_156574.html Accessed 1-29-16.

4.     AHA: “Saturated Fats: Available at: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Saturated-Fats_UCM_301110_Article.jsp#.VqveilLERUs Accessed 1-29-16.

Healthy Heart Habits: Life’s Simple 7

As you started into the new year, did you resolve to have healthier habits? Many people do. But a long-term study found that Americans are not doing as well as they were 20 years ago in maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle.  And that increases their chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or heart disease.

Life’s Simple 7. In the study, the percentage of Americans who met all these heart-healthy lifestyle goals—what the American Heart Association calls Life’s Simple 7—dropped from 8.5 percent to 5.8 percent:
Eat a balanced die

Be active.

Manage your weight.

Don’t use tobacco.

Maintain ideal levels of blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure.
Best for women. In the past, it was thought that hormones protected women from heart disease until menopause. Now we know that’s not the case. But two recent studies show that there may be subtle differences in what’s best for women and men.

In one study, women who followed these six habits cut their risk of heart attack by a whopping 92 percent:
Don't smoke.

Maintain a normal body mass index (BMI).

Exercise—moderately to vigorously—at least 2.5 hours a week.

Watch no more than seven hours of TV each week.

Drink no more than one alcoholic beverage each day.

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and fish or omega-3 fatty acids. Limit sugary drinks, processed and red meats, trans fats, and sodium.
Even women who adopted just one or two of these healthy habits lowered their heart risk, with a normal BMI having the greatest impact.

Best for men. A Swedish study tracked 20,000 men and found that men with the following habits cut their risk of heart attack

by 86 percent:
Don’t smoke.

Eat a healthy diet.

Drink no more than two alcoholic drinks a day.

Stay physically active, for example, walking or cycling at least 40 minutes a day.

Maintain a waist circumference of less than 37 inches.

For men, healthy diet and moderate drinking appeared to have the most impact on reducing their heart risks.

Know your numbers. So where should you begin? One place to start is to know your numbers. That includes blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure—as well as your weight. The next step is to talk with your doctor about ways to improve.

I can also give you tips on tracking—and improving—these critical numbers. For example, if you want to track your blood pressure at home, I’ll advise you on how best to do that. Remember: High blood pressure is a “silent killer,” so the only way to know whether or not it’s lurking is to check it.

In fact, nearly 30 percent of Americans have high blood pressure. And, nearly half don’t have it under control with either lifestyle habits or medication.  If your doctor has prescribed blood pressure medication, be sure to take it. For some people, that’s the only way to keep it at bay.

Nothing herein constitutes medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, or is a substitute for professional advice.  You should always seek the advice of your physician or other medical professional if you have questions or concerns about a medical condition.
Sources:

HealthDay: Fewer Americans Than Ever Sticking to Heart-Healthy Lifestyle, Study Finds. Available at: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_155611.html

Accessed 12-11-15.HealthDay: Nearly Half of Americans

with High Blood Pressure Not Controlling It: CDC: Available at: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_155688.html  Accessed 12-11-15. WebMD: Top Healthy Habits for Your Heart. Available at: http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20150107/healthy-heart-habits Accessed 12-11-15.

Exercise is one of the few things that can help prevent or slow the development of most—if not all—major health problems. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, bone loss—to name a few. Topping things off, exercise can help ease the aging process, for example, by strengthening and stretching muscles and joints. (1) 

 In no time at all, you may also notice other subtle changes from exercise: more energy, less stress, firmer muscles, better-fitting clothes(1) Some pretty nice bonuses, don’t you think? 

Heart benefits. Your heart is one of the organs that benefits the most. That’s a muscle you really can’t afford to ignore. Exercise helps your heart by: 

Recent exercise research. Recent studies shed a little more light on the many benefits of exercise. For example, one study underscored the link between physical and emotional health: People who had exercised 10 years before having a heart attack were 20 percent less likely to have depression after the event than those who had been inactive. (2) 

And, then there’s the matter of mental health. Researchers at the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign used brain scans to compare the strength of brain
connections in younger and older adults. As expected, younger adults had
stronger brain connections. However, older adults with a low-to-moderate range of
endurance had stronger brain connections than those who were inactive. This
suggested that even moderate levels of physical fitness can boost long-term
brain function.

In other cases, short bursts of high-intensity exercise may have greater benefits. A new Canadian study suggests it might help people with type 2 diabetes more than longer sessions of less intensity activity. Participants in the high-intensity group had twice the improvement in blood sugar levels as those in the low-intensity group. Why is this so? Researchers aren’t sure. The higher-intensity workouts may use energy in a different way. Another plus? People can fit this kind of workout more
easily into their busy schedules. 

Walking tips. So what kind of exercise should you do? The possibilities are endless. Look at your daily routines for how to incorporate more walking, for example, you could walk up the stairs instead of using the escalator or you could set up a walk schedule with a friend.  For many people, walking is a great choice. It’s easy to do and doesn’t need to cost a dime. Now, that’s a cost-effective approach to aging and fighting disease! 

Try these tips: 

No matter the exercise program, start slowly, especially if exercise is new to you. Before you begin, talk over your plans
with your doctor or me. 

**Nothing herein constitutes medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, or is a substitute for professional advice. You should always seek the advice of your physician or other medical professional if you have questions or concerns about a medical condition.

1.WebMD: 10 Fitness Facts. 

Available at: http://www.webmd.com/men/features/exercise-benefits?page=3 Accessed 12-1-15. 

2.  HealthDay: The Physically Active Less Prone to Post Heart-Attack Depression. 

Available at: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_155572.html Accessed 12-1-15. 

3. HealthDay: Physical Fitness Linked to Mental Fitness in Seniors. 

Available at: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_155694.html Acessed 12-1-15. 

4. HealthDay: Short Bursts of Intense Exercise Might Benefit Type 2 Diabetics. 

Available at: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_155644.html Accessed 12-1-15. 

5. HealthDay: “Health Tip: Walk Correctly.” 

Available at: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_154789.html Accessed 12-2-15