All kids enjoy bath time in the tub and playing with their favorite plastic toys. Well this could be a source of bacteria which can lead to serious health problems. This is particularly a problem when the toys have holes in them.
The water collects in the toy and although it is squeezed out at the end of the bath, not all the water escapes. This moist environment promotes the growth of bacteria. When children suck onto the toys they are taking in the filth from the innards of the toys. Tests done on toys that were thought to be safe showed E.coli and other bacteria.It is recommended that if toys are used, do not get those with holes. Do watch the clip below. This was featured in the Today show on 03/03 /2010.
Over the years I have tried my hand at planting seeds and cultivating a garden with very moderate success. I always marvel at those who create beautiful flower and vegetable gardens. I imagine how rewarding it must make them feel to see the magnificent blooms and beautiful fresh vegetables. I hope to get that feeling this time.
My late mother was, and my sister is an excellent gardener. Their plants thrive and bloom. My mother used to supply the local grocery store with produce from her garden. I have had more success with flowers than vegetables.
I remember the time I had a very nice bloom of Zinnias. But the tomatoes I produce look sick and undernourished. I realize that gardening takes a lot of effort and as with anything, one has to put in that effort to achieve good results.
Well today, I cleared a small patch, removed the weeds, flattened the soil, and planted a few vegetable seeds and plants. I will monitor the progress that I make with this new venture.
The USDA Food Guide and the DASH Eating Plan are flexible to permit food choices based on individual and cultural food preferences, cost, and availability. Both can also accommodate varied types of cuisines and special needs due to common food allergies. Two adaptations of the USDA Food Guide and the DASH Eating Plan are:
Vegetarian Choices
Vegetarians of all types can achieve recommended nutrient intakes through careful selection of foods.
These individuals should give special attention to their intakes of protein, iron, and vitamin B12, as well as calcium and vitamin D if avoiding milk products.
In addition, vegetarians could select only nuts, seeds, and legumes from the meat and beans group, or they could include eggs if so desired.
At the 2,000-calorie level, theycould choose about 1.5 ounces of nuts and 2/3 cup legumes instead of 5.5 ounces of meat, poultry, and/or fish. One egg, ½ ounce of nuts, or ¼ cup of legumes is considered equivalent to 1 ounce of meat, poultry, or fish in the USDA Food Guide.
Substitutions for Milk and Milk Products
Since milk and milk products provide more than 70 percent of the calcium consumed by Americans, guidance on other choices of dietary calcium is needed for those who do not consume the recommended amount of milk products.
Milk product consumption has been associated with overall diet quality and adequacy of intake of many nutrients, including calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, riboflavin, vitamin A, folate, and vitamin D.
People may avoid milk products because of allergies, cultural practices, taste, or other reasons. Those who avoid all milk products need to choose rich sources of the nutrients provided by milk, including potassium, vitamin A, and magnesium in addition to calcium and vitamin D.
Those who avoid milk because of its lactose content may obtain all the nutrients provided by the milk group by using lactose-reduced or low-lactose milk products, taking small servings of milk several times a day, taking the enzyme lactase before consuming milk products, or eating other calcium-rich foods.
Some vegetarian calcium enriched foods include, soya products like tofu, & soya milk. Vegetables, like spinach, kale, several kinds of nuts, artichokes,oats, bulgur and some cereals also contain calcium.
This guideline from the USDA website explains how to estimate the number of calories that we need.
Estimated amounts of calories needed to maintain energy balance for various gender and age groups at three different levels of physical activity. The estimates are rounded to the nearest 200 calories and were determined using the Institute of Medicine equation.
a These levels are based on Estimated Energy Requirements (EER) from the Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes macronutrients report, 2002, calculated by gender, age, and activity level for reference-sized individuals. “Reference size,” as determined by IOM, is based on median height and weight for ages up to age 18 years of age and median height and weight for that height to give a BMI of 21.5 for adult females and 22.5 for adult males.
A USDA Overview of Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Obesity in the United States has doubled in the past two decades. Nearly one-third of adults are obese, that is, they have a body mass index (BMI ) of 30 or greater.
Over the last two decades, the prevalence of overweight among children and adolescents has increased substantially. It is estimated that as many as 16 percent of children and adolescents are overweight, representing a doubling of the rate among children and tripling of the rate among adolescents.
Overweight and obesity is a great public health concern because excess body fat leads to a higher risk for:
premature death
type 2 diabetes,
hypertension, dyslipidemia which is an abnormal amount of lipids & lipoproteins in the blood
cardiovascular disease, stroke, gall bladder disease
respiratory dysfunction, gout
osteoarthritis, and certain kinds of cancers
Ideally, the goal for adults is to achieve and maintain a body weight that avoids the risk of major health problems. For obese adults, even modest weight loss (e.g., 10 pounds) has health benefits, and the prevention of further weight gain is very important.
For overweight children and adolescents, the goal is to slow the rate of weight gain while achieving normal growth and development. Maintaining a healthy weight throughout childhood may reduce the risk of becoming an overweight or obese adult.
While overweight and obesity are currently significant public health issues, not all Americans need to lose weight. People at a healthy weight should strive to maintain their weight, and underweight individuals may need to increase their weight.
Eating fewer calories while increasing physical activity are the keys to controlling body weight.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
To maintain body weight in a healthy range, balance calories from foods and beverages with calories expended.
To prevent gradual weight gain over time, make small decreases in food and beverage calories and increase physical activity.
Find friends or family members who share the same concerns and are willing to support each other in the weight loss plan. It helps to be accountable to others and get hints, tips and encouragement.
Consult a health care provider about weight loss strategies prior to starting a weight-reduction program to ensure appropriate management of other health conditions.
A huge benefit when to physical activities is that research has shown that there is overall improvement in psychological health and reduced symptoms of depression.
Calories
When choosing a weight loss plan, go with the recommended calories that you should consume for a day. If it is 2000 calories then choose foods that will give you bulk and provide proteins, carbohydrates, and good fats.
If you simply cannot do without that delicious dessert, then do not deprive yourself completely. Make sure you can accommodate it in your allotted calorie amount for the day.
Portion Size
Here again you should be sensible about how much you really need to eat. So do try and curb the size of your portions. The smaller portion you eat the less calories you consume.
Conclusion
I have used some of the information for this blog from
http://jn.nutrition.org/nutinfo/
Watch out for more blogs on Calorie Intakes and Fats.
