Calculate How Many Fruits and Vegetables You Need Everyday

I found an interesting tool from Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) to calculate how many cup of fruits and vegetables you need to consumption everyday to meet the recommendation. The calculation is base on your age, gender and physical activity level. Enter the information as I mention above can calculate the amount that;s right for you. Let's have a try through the URL::

 http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/fruitsvegetables/howmany.html

Complementary Feeding: How much to Feed?

Complementary foods need to be appropriate to baby's stage of development. Amount of complementary food to babies at different stages of age are slightly different. Here I share the quantity of complementary food recommended by a Cookbook which was published by Nutrition Society Malaysia.

Why 5 A Day?

Why 5 A DAY?

Base on the advice from WHO, consume a minimum of 400g of fruit and vegetables a day to lower the risk of health problems such as heart disease, stroke, type  two diabetes, and obesity.  Hence, your five portions of fruit and vegetables will contain different combinations of fiber, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients for diseases prevention.

What count towards 5 A DAY?

Almost all fruit and vegetables count towards your 5 A DAY.

The following count towards your 5 A DAY:

• Fresh fruit and vegetables.
• Frozen fruit and vegetables.
• Tinned or canned fruit and vegetables without added sugar or salt.
• Dried fruit, such as currants, dates, sultanas and figs. 
• Fruit and vegetables cooked in dishes such as soups, stews or pasta dishes.
• A glass (150ml) of unsweetened pure fruit or vegetable juice. (Juice counts as a maximum of one portion a day, however much you drink. That's mainly because juice contains less fibre than whole fruits and vegetables)
• Smoothies. A smoothie containing all of the edible pulped fruit and/or vegetable may count as more than one portion but this depends on how it's made. Smoothies count as up to a maximum of two portions per day. 
• Beans and pulses. These only count as one portion a day, no matter how many you eat. That's because they contain fewer nutrients than other fruits and vegetables.
• Fruit and vegetables in convenience foods, such as ready meals and shop-bought pasta sauces, soups and puddings. Some ready-made foods are high in salt, sugar and fat, so only have them occasionally or in small amounts. You can find the salt, sugar and fat content of ready-made foods on the label.  

*Sweet potatoes, parsnips, swedes and turnips do count toward your 5 A DAY, because they are usually eaten in addition to the starchy food part of the meal.

 *Potatoes and cassava don’t count because they mainly contribute starch to the diet.

Source: www.nhs.uk

Case Study 1

Today my customer Mr Adrian drop by and we had a long chat. His main concern is to reduce visceral fat.

He sent me this image and need some feedback from us. We will use this as a case study, with the permission from Mr Adrian. The picture below show his plan for lunch. Steam fish with lady's finger, tomatoes, ginger, red chillies.

Additional information:
- Mr Adrian is an active swimmer

Colour nutrition feedback:

Similar with weight control, follow a low-calorie and high fiber diet is crucial in visceral fat control. In my opinion, Mr Adrian’s recipe is a good example of low-calorie cooking method which is steam. Besides, this recipe contains 2 food groups which are protein (fish) and fiber (lady’s finger, tomatoes). However, kindly take note to avoid fried onion and the frying oil which is commonly used as taste enhancer in steam fish to reduce the fat content in this recipe. Mr Adrian’s lunch could be balanced after adding starchy food (for example, rice) and a serving of fruit/ fruit juice. Finally, I would like to remind Mr Adrian that exercise regularly is very crucial for visceral fat control. Exercise for at least 30 minutes most of the day in a week is very important in visceral fat control.

It has tomatoes, which provide the RED colour. Below is the nutrition values for tomato:

Tomato contain nutrients such as niacin, folate and vitamin B6. All this have associated with the reduction of heart disease risk. One study found that women who ate 7 to 10 servings of tomato products per week had a 29 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease than women who consumed less than a serving and a half of tomato products each week.

Tomato has been shown to protect against thrombosis (blood clots in the blood vessel). Drinking tomato juice can reduce blood levels of TNF-alpha by 34%. TNF-alpha causes inflammation. High levels of TNF-alpha have been found in individuals with most chronic, degenerative diseases such as heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s.

It has lady's finger (or known as OKRA), which provides the GREEN colour.  It’s high in vitamin B6, fiber, calcium, and folic acid.

The superior fiber found in okra helps to stabilize blood sugar as it curbs the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract. Okra’s mucilage (sticky sticky) binds cholesterol and bile acid carrying toxins dumped into it by the filtering liver.

The okra fiber helps prevent and improve constipation, by absorbing water and ensuring bulk in stools. Okra also helps to support the structure of capillaries.Okra is used for healing ulcers and to keep joints limber. It helps to neutralize acids, being very alkaline, and provides a temporary protective coating for the digestive tract.

MyPlate in Malaysia

In Malaysia, we have healthy eating plate, which is also known as pinggan pemakanan sihat for our toddlers and children. Portions of all food groups were categorized according to age groups, which were 1-3 years old, 3-4 years old and 6 years old and above. The line on the plate may help the mummy to serve balance and adequate amount of food to their children.

The 3 plates shown above might look alike. However, the portion is different for different age group. This is pretty straightforward for parent to just serve according to the portion shown on the plate.

We have this plate at home now and although it may seem not attractive enough, but it does serve its purpose to guide parent to serve their kids with the right portion.

An Introduction to MyPlate

Myplate

MyPlate is the current nutrition guide published by the United States Department of Agriculture, depicting a place setting with a plate and glass divided into five food groups. It replaced the USDA's MyPyramid guide on June 2, 2011, ending 19 years of USDA food pyramid diagrams.¹ MyPlate will be displayed on food packaging and used in nutrition education in the United States.

MyPlate is divided into sections of approximately 30 percent grains, 30 percent vegetables, 20 percent fruits and 20 percent protein, accompanied by a smaller circle representing dairy, such as a glass of low-fat/nonfat milk or a yogurt cup.

MyPlate is supplemented with additional recommendations, such as "Make half your plate fruits and vegetables," "Switch to 1% or skim milk," "Make at least half your grains whole," and "Vary your protein food choices." The guidelines also recommend portion control while still enjoying food, as well as reductions in sodium and sugar intakes.

In unveiling MyPlate, First Lady Michelle Obama said, "Parents don't have the time to measure out exactly three ounces (~85 grams) of chicken or to look up how much rice or broccoli is in a serving. ... But we do have time to take a look at our kids' plates. ... And as long as they're eating proper portions, as long as half of their meal is fruits and vegetables alongside their lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, then we're good. It's as simple as that.”

1.    http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/myplate.htm

Diarrhoea - A Simple Guide

Diarrhoea is defined as an increased in frequency of bowel evacuation, with the passage of abnormally soft or watery faeces.

Below are the common symptoms:

• abdominal cramp
• flatulence (presence of excessive gas in the digestive system)
• weakness
• malaise (feeling of discomfort, illness, uneasiness)
• nausea and vomiting

The following are list of drugs that can cause diarhoea. Keep in mind that all this is very rare, but it might happen.

• Antacid (that contains magnesium salts)
• Antibiotics
• Antihypertension drugs (methyldopa, beta blockers like metoprolol)
• Frusemide
• Iron preparations
• Misoprostol

There are 3 main common treatments available in the market, well summarized by the diagram below:

From my practice in the retail pharmacy, some customer only want to stick to the 'same brand'. I would like to take this opportunity to state that as long as it contain the same active ingredient (what we call as generics), it is fine to purchase the medicine.

Some customer do ask me how much of water to give after each loose stool. Kindly refer to the simple chart below:

The usual advise that I will give to my customer are; no solid and oily food for the next 24 hours, and if possible avoid cow's milk, because lactase is inactivated during diarrhoea. Lactase is an enzyme that breakdown lactose to glucose and galactose. People who do not have enough lactase will get cramps and diarrhoea when they consume milk products.

Note : I try to use as much as possible simple word for your ease of reading. I will put a simple explanation for medical term or any jargon used throughout in this article.

5 A Day - The Colour Way

Nutrition research shows that colourful vegetables and fruits contain essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals that your body needs to promote health and help you feel great.

So what are the 5 colours??

REDS

When you add deep reds or bright pinks to your daily diet, you are also adding powerful antioxidants called lycopene and anthocyanins. Diets rich in these nutrients are being studied for their ability to fight heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s Disease as well as skin, breast and prostate cancers.

GREENS

Not only do green vegetables look great and taste wonderful, they are also rich in the phytochemicals (like lutein, zeaxanthin and indoles) and essential vitamins (folate), minerals and fiber that keep you healthy. These nutrients protect your eyes, and may reduce the risk of cancerous tumors.

YELLOW/ORANGE

The colors of the blazing sun are a must have in your daily diet. Yellow and orange vegetables and fruits contain beta-carotene (which turns into vitamin A), vitamin C, vitamin E, folate (a B vitamin) and bioflavonoids. Research shows that these nutrients reduce the risk for cancer and heart attacks, boost immunity, help maintain good vision and strong bones/teeth/skin.

BLUES/PURPLES

Blues and purples not only add beautiful shades of tranquility and richness to your plate, they add healthenhancing flavonoids, phytochemicals and antioxidants, such as anthocyanins, vitamin C, folic acid and polyphenols. These nutrients help your body defend against cancer, reduce the risk of age-related memory loss, help control high blood pressure and reduce the risk of diabetes complications and heart attacks.

WHITE

White fruits and vegetables vary from sweet to strong. Vegetables from the onion family, which include garlic, chives, scallions, leeks and any variety of onion, contain the phytonutrient allicin. Research is being conducted on allicin to learn how it may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure and increase the body’s ability to fight infections and cancer. Indoles and sulfaforaphanes and phytonutrients in cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower may also inhibit cancer growth.

The above article is adapted from USDA Food and Nutrition Services http://www.fns.usda.gov

Welcome to Colour Nutrition

Welcome to Colour Nutrition!!

Well, what is Colour Nutrition??

According to WHO definition:
Nutrition is the intake of food, considered in relation to the body’s dietary needs. Good nutrition – an adequate, well balanced diet combined with regular physical activity – is a cornerstone of good health. Poor nutrition can lead to reduced immunity, increased susceptibility to disease, impaired physical and mental development, and reduced productivity.

Why is it colour then??
The TREND now is choosing food by their colour. Doctors and nutritionists are becoming convinced that the pigments in food, also known as phytonutrients, is the key to better health.

USA and Australia is way ahead of us.