1

Table of Contents
1.) Quality Levels3 2.) My Nutrition Profile.4 3.) Perfect Plan Analysis13 4.) Superfoods.16 5.) Farm to Table: #1 Super Food21 6.) My Plate23 7.) Water.25 8.) Fiber27 9.) My Wellness Life29

Part 1: Quality Levels

DRI QUANTIFIED
DRI GOALS NUTRIENT Unit RDA/AI A

GOOD SOURCE 10-19% (COLUMN=10%) B=A*.1 0.37 251.5 7.257 40.6 3.8

EXCELLENT SOURCE 20% (COLUMN=20%) C=A*.2

0.74 503 14.514 81.2 7.6 SKIP SKIP

Water Kcals PROTEIN CHO Fiber LIPIDS Saturated EFA: n-6 EFA: n-3
Thiamin Riboflavin Niacin B6 B12 Folate Vitamin C Vitamin D Vitamin A Vitamin E Calcium Iron
Magnesium
(RAE)

L Kcal

3.7 2515

MACRONUTRIENTS
G G
G G G

72.57 406
38 97 25

G
G

17
1.6

1.7 0.16

3.4 0.32 0.24 0.26 3.2 0.26 0.48 80 18 3 180 3 200 2.88 80 940 3.3 SKIP

VITAMINS mg mg mg mg mcg mcg mg mcg

mcg mcg mg mg mg mg mg
mg

1.2 1.3 16 1.3 2.4 400 90 15

900 15 1000 14.4 400 4700 16.5 1500

0.12 0.13 1.6 0.13 0.24 40 9 1.5 90 1.5

MINERALS
100 1.44 40 470 1.65

Potassium Zinc Sodium

Part 2: My Nutrition Profile

1.) Deficiencies a.) Water Main Function: Water helps to maintain homeostasis in the body. For example, it functions as a coolant to maintain normal body temperature. In addition, it also facilitates the transport of nutrients to the cells. Result of Chronic Deficiencies: When there is a shortage of water in the diet, humans suffer from dehydration. Some of the symptoms associated with dehydration include dry skin, tiredness, headache, dizziness and constipation. Sources: Watermelons, apples and pineapples

b.) Fiber Main Function: Fiber provides the bulk that is necessary to provide for improved defecation. Additionally, it assists in maintaining normal blood glucose levels Result of Chronic Deficiencies: When fiber is not present in sufficient amounts in the diet, many problems can arise. Specifically, as fiber helps with the process of defecation, a deficiency of fiber can result in constipation. Moreover, diverticulitis and heart disease are also associated with fiber deficiency. Sources: Beans, brown rice, and nuts

c.) Lipids Main Function: Lipids serve as a source of energy, and can also increase the absorption of fat soluble vitamins Result of Chronic Deficiencies: Lipids provide a great deal of energy for all parts of the body. It therefore makes sense that a deficiency of lipids can have a wide variety of effects. For instance, achy joints can be seen in the cases of people with diets that are deficient when it comes to lipids. Furthermore, dry or brittle hair, fingernails and toenails can also be seen. Sources: Butter, margarine, and whole milk
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d.) Omega 3 Fatty Acids Main Function: These fatty acids play an important role in neurological development and growth. Furthermore, they serve as precursors for the formation of eicosanoids. Result of Chronic Deficiencies: A deficiency of Omega 3 Fatty Acids means there will be a scarcity of eicosanoids. Because eicosanoids are not going to be present in large numbers, all types of problems can result. For instance, someone with omega-3 fatty acid deficiency can have heart problems, asthma and poor wound healing. Sources: Flax seed oils, fatty fish, and canola oil

e.) Omega 6 Fatty Acids Main Function: Omega-6 Fatty Acids have a structural role in that they are essential parts of membrane lipids. Additionally, they are involved with cell signaling and are required for normal skin function. Result of Chronic Deficiencies: A deficiency of Omega-6 Fatty Acids means there will be a shortage of eicosanoids. When the body does not have enough eicosanoids, some of the adverse effects include arthritis-like conditions, heart disease and poor wound healing. Sources: Nuts, seeds, and corn oil

f.) Vitamin D Main Function: The main function of Vitamin D is to serve as a regulator of the serum calcium and phosphorous levels. Result of Chronic Deficiencies: When people dont receive enough sunlight, they are prone to Vitamin D deficiency related diseases. In children, this manifests as Rickets, while adults are afflicted by osteoporosis. Sources: Flesh of fatty fish, fortified milk products, and fish liver oils

g.) Vitamin A Main Function: Vitamin A has many different functions including maintaining normal vision, gene expression, embryonic development, and immune function.
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Result of Chronic Deficiencies: When young children and pregnant women dont receive enough Vitamin A, a condition known as Xeropthalmia can arise. This is the inability to see in low light and it can eventually lead to blindness.

Sources: Dairy products, fish, and darkly colored fruits

h.) Vitamin E Main Function: Vitamin E serves as a non-specific chain-breaking antioxidant. In other words, Vitamin E aids in stabilizing the chain of free radicals which were damaging the cell. Result of Chronic Deficiencies: As Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin, there is a certain amount of fat that needs to be in the diet in order for Vitamin E to be absorbed. If this does not happen, certain diseases can arise such as cystic fibrosis and crohns disease. Furthermore, as Vitamin E can serve as an antioxidant, the potential for damage brought on by free radicals increases without this protection. This can result in certain diseases such as atherosclerosis. Sources: Vegetable oils, nuts, and meats

i.) Magnesium Main Function: One of the most important functions of Magnesium is its role as a cofactor which can be seen with certain enzyme systems. An enzyme system is a complex set of enzymes which work together towards a common goal. An example of such a system is the Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex which involves many different enzymes. In order to keep this system running smoothly, a mineral is needed to serve as a cofactor. Precisely, this mineral is Magnesium. Result of Chronic Deficiencies: While a magnesium deficiency is generally not dangerous, it is nonetheless known that magnesium helps to protect against cardiovascular diseases and immune dysfunction. Therefore, a deficiency of magnesium can leave humans in a vulnerable to health problems. Sources: Nuts, milk, and green leafy vegetables

j.) Potassium
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Main Function: Potassium serves as a regulator of intracellular fluid levels. Potassium can be found in high levels on the inside of cells, which attracts a certain amount of water and keeps it within the cell. If potassium were not present on the inside of cells, it would be harder to maintain the intracellular fluid volumes.

Result of Chronic Deficiencies: When humans dont obtain enough potassium, the adverse effects include dry skin, fatigue, and irritability. However, some more serious problems can result. For instance, a deficiency of potassium can also cause an increased risk of osteoporosis.

Sources: Dried peas, nuts, and meats

k.) Zinc Main Function: Zinc serves a vital component of many proteins and enzymes. Furthermore, it plays a role in selecting which genes are expressed and which ones are not. Result of Chronic Deficiencies: If humans do not obtain enough zinc in their diet, there are many adverse results. For instance, zinc deficiencies can cause slow growth in infants and children, impotence in men, hair loss and diarrhea. A decreased ability to taste food and poor wound healing can also be seen with zinc deficiencies. Sources: Red meats, oysters, and dark chocolate

2.) Excesses a.) Thiamin Main Function: The main function of Thiamin is that it serves as a coenzyme, or helper, to an enzyme. Specifically, Thiamin helps catalyze reactions that either synthesize of break down carbohydrates and branched-chain amino acids. Result of Chronic Excesses: In general, Thiamin is not considered dangerous when taken in excess amounts while found in food. In fact, it can only have any sort of adverse effects when it is taken in excess intravenously, which can potentially result in anaphylactic shock. b.) Riboflavin
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Main Function: The main function of Riboflavin is that it serves as a coenzyme in oxidation and reduction reactions. Oxidation and reduction reactions are extremely important for the maintenance of the wellness of the body. It is extremely important that these reactions go as planned because they are tied so closely to the formation of antioxidants, which can protect the cells from harmful radicals.

Result of Chronic Excesses: Riboflavin, when eaten excessively in the form found in foods, is generally considered harmless. It can only be toxic when injected in large quantities.

c.) Vitamin B6 Main Function: Vitamin B6 serves as a coenzyme in the metabolism of amino acids and glycogen. In other words, Vitamin B6 is needed to help the enzyme which is responsible for the synthesis and break down of many amino acids and glycogen. Result of Chronic Excesses: Excessive intake of Vitamin B6 found in foods almost never causes adverse effects. However, the form of Vitamin B6 that is found in supplements can lead to many problems. Specifically, it has been found that excessive intake of Vitamin B6 supplements has been shown to destroy the dorsal root ganglia, an essential part of the brain. d.) Vitamin B12 Main Function: Vitamin B12s main job is to serve as a coenzyme, or a helper. When the body wants to either build or break down nucleic acids, an enzyme is required. In order for this enzyme to work, Vitamin B12 must be present as a coenzyme. Result of Chronic Excesses: While excess Vitamin B12 is usually not very dangerous in most people, it can become a problem to those with certain diseases. For instance, to people that are affected by Lebers disease (Optic Nerve atrophy), exposure to Vitamin B12 can be lethal. However, all in all, excessive levels of Vitamin B12 is not generally dangerous. e.) Folate

Main Function: Folate serves as a coenzyme in many of the metabolic processes in the human body. Specifically, for the metabolic processes involving nucleic acids and amino acids, Folate is essential. In other words, the body would not be able to synthesize and degrade many nucleic and amino acids without the help of folate.

Result of Chronic Excesses: While there are many harmful effects of an excessive amount of folate, the most lethal effect deals with the human brain. For instance, when there is a deficiency in Vitamin B12, many neurological complications can occur. However, if someone were to take in an excess of folate, the neurological complications from Vitamin B12 deficiency would be hidden. In other words, although the neurological problems would still be present, they would just be harder to find and treat.

g.) Calcium Main Function: The main function of calcium is bone formation and metabolism. Specifically, 99% of the bodys calcium can be found in the teeth and the bones. Here, it helps provide the bones with strength. As it is very important for humans to grow big and strong, it makes sense that we would need healthy bones. Thus, calcium is very important to the human body. Result of Chronic Excesses: An excess intake of calcium can result in many negative effects. For instance, calcium is used to regulate the amounts of many other nutrients that the body needs. Therefore, if there is an excess intake of calcium, the regulation of many other nutrients can be disturbed. Furthermore, an excess of calcium can cause anorexia, heart arrhythmias, fatigue, and soft tissue calcifications (hardening). h.) Iron Main Function: Iron serves as a vital component of many enzymes. However, the most important function of iron is that it serves as a central component of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is an oxygen carrying protein that is found in blood. Without hemoglobin, the body would not be able to get oxygen down to its tissues in an efficient manner. In this way, iron serves as an extremely important component

of what may be the most important protein in the body.

Result of Chronic Excesses: Excessive intake of iron results in a condition called hemochromatosis. This disease results in certain problems such as lack of energy, abdominal pain, joint pain, and an overall darkening of skin color.

i.) Sodium Main Function: Sodium is an electrolyte that plays a vital role in maintaining extracellular fluid levels. There is a greater quantity of sodium found on the outside of cells compared to the amount found within the cell. The high sodium levels on the outside of the cell play a role in regulating the water levels on the outside of the cell. A high sodium concentration on the outside of a cell means a high water level on the extracellular side of the cell as well. On the other hand, a lower extracellular sodium level causes the water levels on the outside of the cell to drop. Result of Chronic Excesses: If there is an increased intake of sodium, there would be many adverse effects. The most obvious one, however, is the effect on blood pressure. In order to balance out this higher amount of sodium on the outside of the cell, the body needs an increased amount of water on the outside of the cell. As the extracellular fluid levels increase, they mix with blood, causing an increased blood pressure. Furthermore, as a result of this excess sodium and the resulting increased extracellular fluid, the body compensates through fluid-decreasing methods such as sweating. Therefore, an increased sodium intake can also result in increased sweating.

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DRI GOALS vs. 3-DAY DIET RECORD

DRI GOALS WB1 3-day Analysis

NUTRIENT

UNIT

Intake vs. Goal (%)

RDA/AI

UL

Intake

Deficient <80%
Excess >120%

Water Kcals PROTEIN CHO Fiber LIPIDS

Saturated

3.7 2515 72.57 406 76 97 25 17 1.6

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

1.63
2314.18 78.05 356.75 21.43 68.16 28.69 3.96 0.69

44%
92% 108% 88%

Kcals g g
g

MACRONUTRIENTS

g g g
g

56% 71%
115%

EFA: n-6 EFA: n-3

Thiamin Riboflavin Niacin B6 B12 Folate Vitamin C Vitamin D Vitamin A Vitamin E Calcium Iron
Magnesium
(RAE)

23% 43%
141% 213% 115% 134% 138% 326% 94%

VITAMINS mg mg mg mg mcg mcg mg mcg

mcg mcg mg mg mg mg mg mg 1.2 1.3 16 1.3 2.4 400 90 15 900 15 1000 14.4 400 4700 16.5 1500 N/A N/A 35 100 N/A 1000 2000 100 3000 1000 1.7 2.76 18.4 1.74 3.3 1304.29 84.27 4.33 459.39 4.52 1490.98 25.93 267.85 2646.84 12.97 4352.66

29% 51% 30%

149% 180%

MINERALS
2500 45 350 N/A 40 2300

Potassium Zinc Sodium

67% 56% 79%

290%

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WB1
Nov 29, 2012 Kathan Shah, kathan88@gmail.com Profile: Kathan Shah, 3 Day Average

Intake vs. Goals for Oct 21, 2012, Oct 22, 2012, Oct 23, 2012
Nutrient DRI Intake %

Energy
Kilocalories Protein Carbohydrate Fat, Total 2515 kcal 72.57 g 281.0 - 406.0 g 55.0 - 97.0 g < 25 g * * * < 300 mg 2,314.18 kcal 78.05 g 356.75 g 68.16 g 28.69 g 12.86 g 5.32 g 0.17 g 158.9 mg 92% 108%

Fat
Saturated Fat Monounsaturated Fat Polyunsaturated Fat Trans Fatty Acid Cholesterol 115%

53%

Essential Fatty Acids

Omega-6 Linoleic Omega-3 Linolenic 17 g 1.6 g 38 g * 3.7 L * 1.2 mg 1.3 mg 16 mg 1.3 mg 2.4 g 400 g 90 mg 15 g 900 g 3000 IU 15 mg 1000 mg 14.4 mg 400 mg 4700 mg 16.5 mg 1500 mg 3.96 g 0.69 g 21.43 g 150.32 g 1.63 L 0g 1.7 mg 2.76 mg 18.4 mg 1.74 mg 3.3 g 1,304.29 g 84.27 mg 4.33 g 459.39 g 7,491.01 IU 4.52 mg 1,490.98 mg 25.93 mg 267.85 mg 2,646.84 mg 12.97 mg 4,352.66 mg 141% 213% 115% 134% 138% 326% 94% 29% 51% 250% 30% 149% 180% 67% 56% 79% 290% 44% 23% 43% 56%

Carbohydrates
Dietary Fiber, Total Sugar, Total

Other
Water Alcohol

Vitamins
Thiamin Riboflavin Niacin Vitamin B6 Vitamin B12 Folate (DFE) Vitamin C Vitamin D (ug) Vitamin A (RAE) Vitamin A (IU) Alpha-Tocopherol

Minerals
Calcium Iron Magnesium Potassium Zinc Sodium

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3.) Perfect Plan Analysis

Highlights:
Overcame Deficiencies Water -I had no idea that my diet was so deficient when it came to water. Before setting up my WB 4, my habits when it came to water were pretty simple: I would drink about 8 fluid ounces of water for breakfast and dinner. Lunch usually involved a carbonated beverage, such as Coca-Cola or Pepsi. Needless to say, I was not drinking enough water. To change this, I decided to increase the amount of water I consumed from 8 fluid ounces to 12 fluid ounces, and sometimes, even 16 fluid ounces. Furthermore, I included water in every one of my meals and sometimes in the snack category. By doing so, I was able to get myself out of the deficient range when comparing WB 1 to WB 4. Fiber -Fiber is an extremely important part of any diet. However, I was definitely not getting enough of it in the past. To combat this problem, I started to eat more foods that were good sources of fiber. For instance, my WB 4 diet featured a banana in almost every meal and most snacks. Omega-6 Fatty Acids -My diet featured in WB 1 included a huge scarcity of Omega-6 fatty acids. In fact, I was only getting about 23% of my DRI goal for these fatty acids. In order to overcome this deficiency, I included almonds in my diet. It was not even that difficult, as I began to eat cereals which included almonds. By doing this, I was able to get to 107% of my goal. Omega-3 Fatty Acids -While my shortage of Omega-3 fatty acids was not as extreme as was my deficiency of Omega-6 fatty acids, I was nonetheless not getting enough of them. However, I was very lucky because by increasing the amount of almonds in my diet to combat my shortage of Omega-6 fatty acids, I was also able to increase the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids in my diet. Vitamin D
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-While I was drinking plenty of milk in my previous diet, I was still not getting enough Vitamin D. For this reason, I decided to incorporate mushrooms into my ideal 3-day diet. The mushrooms alone provided me with 39.34 micrograms. This, along with the 1% milk that I consistently drink, was enough to allow me to overcome my Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin A -When considering Vitamin A, I noticed that I was only getting to about 51% of my goal in my previous diets. To fix this in my ideal diet, I added a great deal more of spinach. This allowed me to get to 147% of my goal. Magnesium -In my previous diet, I was deficient in magnesium by 33%. Indeed, I was only achieving about 67% of my goal for Magnesium. However, I cleared this hurdle by adding walnuts and beans into my diet. While just incorporating them into my diet for one meal, this was still enough to overcome my deficiency. Potassium -This electrolyte was not as abundant in my previous diets as it should have been. However, the solution to this problem was bananas. By including this fruit in almost every meal, I was able to increase my potassium intake. Overcame Excesses 1. None

Essay:
After completing WB 1, I noticed that I had a wide range of deficiencies. Specifically, I was not getting enough Water, Fiber, Omega-6 Fatty Acids, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Magnesium, and Potassium. This was slightly alarming, as the human body relies on many of these vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to maintain proper health. In searching for the solution to this problem, I did not have to look very far. All semester in class, we discussed how whole foods are the gold standard of nutrition because they provide us with a great deal of nutrients. At the same time, they do not add any unnecessary empty calories into our diet. In other words, they are very nutrient dese sources of food. By thinking along these lines, I decided to add many whole foods into my ideal 3-day diet in WB 4. The effect of doing this was nothing

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short of amazing. For instance, by including more bananas in my diet, I was able to overcome deficiencies in Fiber and Potassium. Almonds helped me to defeat my deficiencies in both Omega-6 fatty acids and Omega-3 fatty acids. The importance of mushrooms, spinach and walnuts was through the roof, as these foods allowed me to overcome deficiencies in Vitamin D, Vitamin A, and magnesium, respectively. According to the DASH diet, sodium intake should be limited to between 1500 mg and 2300 mg daily. However, in my WB 1 diet, my sodium intake was 4,352.66 mg. After making many changes to get to my WB 4 levels, I was able to reduce my sodium intake, but it was still too high: 2,900.57 mg. To decrease the amount of sodium in my diet, I can decrease the quantity of tomato sauce and cheddar cheese that I consume, as these two foods contribute heavily to sodium levels. Potassium, calcium, and magnesium are other minerals that must be closely watched. Potassium intake should be less than 4,700 mg. Calcium levels should be limited to 1,250 mg. Magnesium intake must be below 500 mg. According to WB 4, my top 3 food sources of potassium are bananas, grapes, and orange sections. Moreover, the 3 food sources that contribute the most to calcium are cheese pizza, strawberry yogurt, and Taco Bell bean burrito. Finally, my top 3 food sources of magnesium are walnuts, a Taco Bell bean burrito, and spinach pasta. The goal of the DASH diet is to help combat threatening problems such as hypertension. This plan was authored by scientists supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

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4.) Super Foods (From most used to least)

1. Bananas 1. Number of times used:14 2. Nutrients that are good/excellent: Good: Vitamin C Excellent: Vitamin B6 3.) I decided to incorporate more bananas into my diet because I knew they would provide me with Vitamin B6. I admit that perhaps I went a bit overboard by including 14 of them in my diet over the 3 day period, but all in all, Im glad I included them. In addition to helping me by providing me with Vitamin B6, the bananas also gave me fiber. 2. Almonds 1. Number of times used: 5 2. Nutrients that are good/excellent: Good: Potassium, Folate, Thiamin Excellent: Vitamin B6 3.) My motivation for using almonds was quite simple in that they provided me with a great deal of omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acid. Although this super food is not an excellent source of these nutrients (or even a good source for that matter), I was able to incorporate enough of them throughout my diet for them to make a difference. 3. Corn 1. Number of times used: 4 2. Nutrients that are good/excellent: Good: None Excellent: None 3.) I decided to include corn simply because I wanted to include a wider variety of food into my new 3-day diet. I noticed that in the past I had never really been a big fan of corn. However, I reasoned that its never too late to try new things. 4. Spinach 1.) Number of times used: 3.5 2.) Nutrients that are good/excellent: Good: Fiber, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Thiamin, Vitamin C, Potassium Excellent: Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin A, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium 3.) I decided to include more spinach in my diet because it is an excellent source of Vitamin A. I was not getting enough Vitamin A in my previous diet, but with the help of
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spinach, I knew Id get the much needed Vitamin A. In this way, I can improve my immune system and try to prevent any problems with my eyesight. 5. Carrots 1.) Number of times used: 3 2.) Nutrients that are good/excellent: Good: Vitamin B6 Excellent: Vitamin A 3.) I wanted to consume more carrots mainly because they are an excellent source of Vitamin A. As I have already mentioned my deficiency of Vitamin A, I want to elaborate on another reason I included Vitamin A: they taste amazing! 6. Strawberry 1.) Number of times used: 2 2.) Nutrients that are good/excellent: Good: None Excellent: Vitamin C 3.) My motivation for eating more strawberries was based on the fact that they are one of the juiciest fruits I have ever come across. With every bite into a strawberry, I feel like an explosion of flavor and juices is occurring. 7. Peas 1.) Number of times used: 2 2.) Nutrients that are good/excellent: Good: Protein, Niacin, Folate, Thiamin, Iron Excellent: Fiber 3.) I wanted to use peas because I knew my diet had a severe shortage of fiber. However, as peas are an excellent source of fiber, I was able to overcome this deficiency. Furthermore, as I enjoy eating vegetable stew, I knew peas would be a wonderful addition to this stew. 8. Garbanzo beans 1.) Number of times used: 1 2.) Nutrients that are good/excellent: Good: Protein, Omega-6 Fatty Acids, Folate, Magnesium, Zinc Excellent: Fiber, Vitamin B12, Iron

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3.) I decided to incorporate more garbanzo beans in my diet because they are a good source of protein. As a vegetarian, I sometimes struggle to get an adequate amount of protein. Furthermore, I refrain from eating eggs as well, which further contributes to my lack of protein. However, garbanzo beans help me to combat this problem. 9. Tomatoes 1.) Number of times used: 1 2.) Nutrients that are good/excellent: Good: None Excellent: Vitamin C 3.) I chose tomatoes as one of my super foods because I had been eating them as a part of most meals anyway. However, after learning more about the DASH diet, I know that high levels of sodium can contribute to high blood pressure. By discovering this, I can conclude that some foods are not all good or all bad. There are pros and cons to almost everything. 10. Grapes 1.) Number of times used: 1 2.) Nutrients that are good/excellent: Good: Vitamin B6 Excellent: None 3.) Grapes provided me with a good source of Vitamin B6. Furthermore, I chose them because I can include them in fruit salads to enhance the taste.

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DRI GOALS

WB1 3-day Analysis Intake vs. Goal (%) B

WB4 3-day

WB1 vs WB4

NUTRIENT

Unit

Intake A RDA/AI
UL

Intake C

Intake vs. Intake vs. Goal (%) Intake Goal (%) D E=(A-C) F=(B-D)

Deficient <80%
Excess >120%

Forgivable deficient
Forgivabl e excessive 3.3 2600 88.97 436 56 67.6 17.11 18.24 4.02 89% 103% 123% 107% 148% -1.67 -285.82 -10.92 -79.25 -34.57 0.56 11.58 -14.28 -3.33 -0.87 -0.52 -10.58 -2.89 -2.74 90.27 -56.58 -14.15 -859.23 -0.28 125.29 -15.19 -368.88 -2407.82 0.3 1452.09

Overcame deficiency
Overcame excess

Water Kcals PROTEIN CHO Fiber LIPIDS

Saturated

3.7 2515 72.57 406 76 97 25 17 1.6

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

1.63 2314.18 78.05 356.75 21.43 68.16 28.69 3.96 0.69

44%
92% 108% 88%

-0.45
-0.11 -0.15 -0.19

Kcals g g
g

MACRONUTRIENTS

g g g
g

56% 71%
115%

-0.92
0.02 0.47

69% 68%
107% 251%

EFA: n-6 EFA: n-3

Thiamin Riboflavin Niacin B6 B12 Folate Vitamin C Vitamin D Vitamin A Vitamin E Calcium Iron
Magnesium

23% 43%
141% 213% 115% 134% 138% 326% 94%

-0.84 -2.08
-0.74 -0.39 -0.66 -2.22 -114% 22% -0.63

VITAMINS mg mg mg mg mc g mc g mc mg g
mcg mcg mg mg mg mg mg mg 1.2 1.3 16 1.3 2.4 400 90 15 900 15 #REF! #REF! #REF! #REF! #REF! N/A N/A 35 100 N/A 1000 2000 100 3000 1000 2500 45 350 N/A 40 2300 1.7 2.76 18.4 1.74 3.3 1304.29 84.27 4.33 459.39 4.52 1490.98 25.93 267.85 2646.84 12.97 4352.66 2.57 3.28 28.98 4.63 6.04 1214.02 140.85 18.48 1318.62 4.8 1365.69 41.12 636.73 5054.66 12.67 2900.57 215% 252% 181% 356% 252% 304% 157% 123% 147%

29% 51% 30%

149% 180%

-94% -0.96
-0.02 0.12 -1.06

32%
137% 286% 159% 108%

MINERALS

Potassium Zinc Sodium

67% 56% 79%

290%

-0.92 -0.52
0.02 0.97

77%
193%

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SUPER FOODS MEAL PLAN USAGE

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

List Super Food Portion Size Breakfast Lunch Dinner Snack 1 Snack 2 Breakfast Lunch Dinner Snack 1 Snack 2 Breakfast Lunch Dinner Snack 1 Snack 2

T o mato es

G ra pe s

A lm o nds

B a na na s

S t ra wbe rry

S pina c h

C a rro t s

P eas

G a rba nzo B e a ns

C o rn T o rt illa

1 c up

1 c up

1 c up

1 it e m

1 c up

1 c up

1 c up

1 c up

1 c up

1 it e m

DAY 1
0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

DAY 2
1.0 0.0 0.0

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

2.0 0.0

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0

DAY 3
1.0 2.0 0.0 3.0 0.0

Total Used

1.0

1.0

5.0 14.0

2.0

3.5

3.0

2.0

1.0

4.0

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5.) Farm to Table

One of the most nutrient-dense foods that we can consume is a banana. Not only does it provide fiber and potassium, but a banana can also help the consumer achieve his or her goals when it comes to Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, and Folate. While it is always very easy to simply eat a banana, it is not often understood how that banana gets to be within your reach. Indeed, the story of how the banana gets from the farm to your dinner table is quite interesting. This story begins with the Equal Exchange Company, which works with many of the mainstream banana companies such as Dole and Chiquita Bananas. This company has banana plantations in many countries, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean. While bananas are capable of growing in almost any climate, the best results arise when they are grown in equatorial regions such as Ecuador and Costa Rica. On the farms, the bananas are harvested all year long. They are picked when they are in their preclimacteric stage. This simply means that the bananas are picked while they are still green and hard. However, farmers are concerned mainly because the more times a banana is touched, the more likely it is to bruise, which means they may go to waste. Almost immediately after being picked, the bananas are refrigerated because it is important for them to be in a cool temperature to fully mature. Next, they are transported by trucks to packing plants. Once they arrive at the packing plants, workers dip the bananas in water and hang them upside down overnight. This is an essential step, as bananas must lose a layer of what resembles latex in order to be fully ready to send to grocery stores. The next day, workers check to ensure that bananas are indeed latex-free, before packaging them in their cartons. Bananas are packed in a very specific manner so that two rows of ten clusters of bananas are on the bottom of the carton, while two rows of eight clusters of bananas are on top. Finally, the bananas are ready to be sent to the grocery stores. While researching bananas, I found one bit of information which seemed to be very unique to this fruit. I learned that bananas mature in one of the most peculiar ways. As a banana ripens, the starch turns into sugar, which makes the fruit even sweeter. This means that the riper a banana gets, the sweeter it will taste. Most of the bananas that are grown in California are grown in Northern and Central California. Specifically, they are grown in parts of Pleasanton and Stockton. However, bananas are available at stores in Northern, Central and Southern California, as well as throughout the
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United States. For instance, at Trader Joes, bananas are available every day for the same extremely low price: Nineteen cents for one banana. A fairly simple recipe involving bananas is the banana health shake. There are very few ingredients required for this delicious product. In order to make two servings of this shake, simply collect one frozen ripe banana, one cup of non-fat milk, one cup of non-fat vanilla yogurt, one teaspoon cinnamon, one teaspoon cardamom powder, and one-fourth a cup of crushed almonds. Chop the banana into smaller pieces and pour the milk into a blender, along with the cinnamon and cardamom powder. Add in the yogurt and chopped bananas and blend for three minutes or until the contents of the blender turn smooth. Finally, add in the crushed almonds, stir, and enjoy!

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6.) My Plate
DATA
Grains -Goal: 9.0 oz Eq -Actual: 9.3 oz Eq -Percent of Goal: 103.3% Vegetables -Goal: 3.5 cup eq -Actual: 1.4 cup eq - Percent of Goal: 50.6% Fruits -Goal: 2.0 cup eq -Actual: 4.7 cup eq - Percent of Goal: 236.7% Dairy -Goal: 3.0 cup eq -Actual: 3.7 cup eq - Percent of Goal: 123.6% Protein Foods -Goal: 6.5 oz eq -Actual: 1.4 oz eq - Percent of Goal: 21.1% Empty Calories -Goal: 410 -Actual: 368.2 - Percent of Goal: 89.8%

ANALYSIS
The MyPlate Analysis incorporating the DRI goals turned out to be extremely insightful and helpful. Specifically, it is as informative as it is because it allows the viewer to see exactly how much of the needed grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy and protein he or she is actually getting. By comparing what the viewer is actually taking in to what his or her goal is for that category, this tool provides a percentage that is extremely easy to analyze and understand. Either you are achieving your goal and exceeding it, which occurs when the percentage is greater than 100, or you are not, which is the case when the percentage does not quite get to 100. Therefore, the MyPlate analysis is an extremely insightful.
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However, MyPlate itself, in my opinion, is not exactly an easy tool to use. For starters, not everybody is adept when it comes to working with computers. For those that have not yet acquired computer skills, My Plate can be a bit confusing. Furthermore, there are aspects of MyPlate which can be limiting. For example, if you are trying to search for a specific food to record as part of your diet, sometime MyPlate may not list it. In these situations, you would have to use the food that is closest to the one you set out to choose. Furthermore, MyPlate is not always user friendly because you can only compare 2 foods at a time. When there are scenarios in which you need to look at 3 foods or more, this can be a bit of a problem. Because of all of these limiting factors, MyPlate may not always be the most user friendly tool.

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7.) Water
It is lunch time and you are contemplating what drink to have with your meal. You have tried the grande peppermint mocha with whip cream from your favorite coffee shop. Although it will cost you $4.99 and about 440 calories, you are tempted because of the festive flavors. Water, on the other hand, will cost you absolutely nothing in terms of calories and price and will provide you with increased energy and health benefits. What beverage would you go for? Most people face this dilemma on a daily basis, though I believe the choice is clear: I would go for a tall glass of water without whipped cream! Drinking water with every meal has many proven benefits. The human body is made up of about 60 percent water and every system in your body depends on water to function properly. When you drink a glass of water with your meal, you are helping your body flush toxins out of important organs. Furthermore, you are helping to regulate your bodys temperature and creating a moist environment in sensitive areas such as the eyes, nose and mouth. This will help prevent frustrating symptoms of dryness in your body! Drinking water between meals is also important. After you have that heavy meal, you want to ensure proper digestion so that you do not feel bloated or constipated. Digestion begins as soon as you start chewing your food! Food will mix with saliva, which contains water. Digestion needs enzymes that are found in saliva to help break down food and dissolve minerals as well as nutrients, which makes these important components accessible to the body. Water will also help your kidneys, liver, and intestines to flush out waste thereby preventing you from getting constipated. It will also aid in softening your stools and helps food move through the intestines, to prevent uncomfortable passing of stool. Nowadays, people are looking for new ways to lose weight and be healthier. Water, the universal solvent, also has a role in this process. According to a study by Davy et al, ingesting about 16 ounces of water before a meal reduces caloric intake among middle and older age adults by about 75-90 kcals. Drinking water before meals helps encourage weight loss as it will help fill your stomach, making you less hungry and less likely to overeat. Additionally, if you are drinking water, you are much less likely to be drinking beverages such as soda, juices and other higher calorie beverages. They concluded that drinking water is a low-risk way to lose weight.
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While most people like to have variation in beverage choice, and juices provide just that in terms of beverages, many juices contain an enormous amount of sugar and calories. I personally would advise against including juices in meal plans as water will provide much more benefit in the long run. Fruit juices contain little or no fiber and are less satiating than solid foods. Therefore, if you want to increase fruit intake, do so with whole fruit rather than fruit juice for weight management. Increased consumption of fruit juice is associated with weight gain when compared to decreased consumption. Fruit juice intake should be minimized due to their minimal nutritional value and energy content. After conducting all of this research, I am especially glad I was able to make the changes that I did in going from WB 1 to WB 4. Specifically, I realized that I was well short of my goal for water in WB 1. To fix this, I doubled the amount of water that I consumed for each meal, and sometimes included water in snacks as well. This definitely helped me achieve my goal, which is definitely a great achievement, as there are so many benefits of water.

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8.) Fiber
You are sitting at your desk around 3PM. You had a full lunch a few hours back and you now feel uncomfortable and constipated. Many Americans face this scenario daily and need to understand the nutritious benefits of consuming dietary fiber.

Fiber encompasses the parts of plant foods that the human body cannot digest or absorb. The body cannot break down fiber as it does fats, proteins or carbohydrates. Therefore, fiber passes intact through your digestive system and out of your body. It can play a huge role in wellness and meal plans for everyone. Fiber is broken down into two types: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber benefits us by helping lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Insoluble fiber would help the individual sitting at his desk uncomfortable in that it helps increase stool bulk, to aid in promoting regular bowel movements. Therefore, foods high in fiber such as oats, peas, beans, apples, nuts, etc are integral parts of meals as they can help promote regular bowel movements. Fiber also helps to maintain bowel health, and therefore decrease your risk of blood in your stool and decrease incidence of diseases affecting the colon.

It has been postulated that, because foods high in fiber require more chewing time, this will allow your body to release the enzymes necessary to realize you are satiated, and are less likely to overeat. I am not sure I fully agree that this theory works for everyone, though I do see the logic behind it. Some people may benefit from this while others benefit from the fact that high-fiber diets are less energy dense, meaning they contain fewer calories. Therefore, if you have one meal containing a certain amount of food, including fiber and another meal with the same amount of food but no fiber, you will ingest less calories with option one, due to the presence of the fiber even though you are eating the same amount of food, which is fascinating. Other studies have pointed to the fact that these diets make you feel more full and satisfied as they feel larger. Fiber does have its role in helping with weight loss, when part of a balanced diet and exercise plan.

Furthermore, fiber has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. Beans contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. This fiber can help lower low density lipoprotein levels. Other studies have indicated that fiber may have a role in decreasing blood pressure and inflammation.
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Finally, fiber has been shown to help control blood sugar levels, which is essential in people suffering from diabetes, which is currently a significant portion of the American population. Fiber works by slowing sugar absorption, which decreases blood glucose levels.

Whole fruits are also a good source of fiber. However, many people use fruit juice to satisfy the dietary requirements of fruit intake. Eating fruit whole is a much better way to satisfy this requirement as juicing has been proven to reduce the amount of fiber found in fruits. Furthermore, juicing prevents you from obtaining the health benefits found in the fruit skin and the fruit pulp. I would advise against including fruit juices with meals and would rather substitute them with whole fruits. As for a beverage, I would choose a nice tall glass of water to wash everything down. Hopefully our friend at his desk will start taking fiber a little more seriously, now!

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9.) My Wellness Life

Throughout my life, I have always been very careful about the food that I consume. While this may come off as a characteristic of someone who is extremely concerned about wellness, this is actually not the case. Rather, it is because of my faith that I have been pushed towards a path of wellness above all else. Due to religious reasons, I have been a vegetarian since birth. Naturally, I have always been trained to really think about what I am about to eat before I put it in my mouth. This has really weighed heavily on me during my childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. For example, as a child, at any birthday party, while I would have fun with all of the other children, I would not eat the cake or any cookies provided by the host. As an Ovovegetarian, I do not eat any kinds of meat or egg products. As a majority of cakes and cookies contain eggs in some form or another, I had to refrain from eating them. While I was usually bitter about this as a child, I cannot help but think that this was a blessing to me. Most of my friends from childhood today are extremely overweight. While the cakes and cookies are not the sole reasons for their size, the habits they developed as children definitely played a role in causing them to look the way they do today. As an adolescent, my religion had also guided me towards wellness and away from activities that could really have been damaging to my health. That little boy that loved to go to birthday parties as a child still loved to go to parties as a teenager. However, the definition of fun for teenage parties was a bit different from childhood. While many of my peers engaged in drinking and smoking at these parties, I knew deep down inside that this was against my religion. For this reason, I refrained from doing any drinking, smoking, or trying drugs of any kind thereby further contributing to my wellness. In my young adulthood, I am glad to say that I have continued the habits that I developed during childhood and adolescence in order maintain my health. In fact, according to my DA profile, my risk score for a heart attack is less than 1%. In other words, less than 1 out of every 100 people with my score will have a heart attack in the next 10 years. To obtain this

information, I entered in my age (24), gender (male), total cholesterol (160 mg/dl), HDL

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cholesterol (70 mg/dl), and systolic blood pressure (125 mmHg). Furthermore, I entered the fact that I am not a smoker and am not on any type of medication for high blood pressure. When I look at my wellness strategies (included below), it is not a coincidence that my risk score for a heart attack is so low. While I have not been able to accomplish and stick to all of my wellness strategies, I am pleased to say that I have been able to stay true to most of them. For instance, a major part of achieving wellness is making time for physical activity and exercise. There are certain activity requirements that I am able to achieve quite easily, while others require a bit more effort on my part. For instance, I can easily play basketball twice a week and stretch before exercising, but it is definitely hard for me to make the time to go for a jog once a week. However, if I want to do this in the future, I need to cut down the time that I spend watching television, and get off the couch to go for my jog. In other words, I need to make sure wellness is a priority for me. The reasoning is simple: wellness promotes good health, and good health leads to a longer, disease-free life. This is definitely something that interests me. In this class, I have learned many valuable lessons that can last me for years to come. However, the one that sticks out the most is as follows: NOTHING in this world is all good or all bad. There are always two sides to the story. We have learned this lesson in a wide variety of examples ranging from policy-making to actual nutrition. For instance, while the government may seem a bit ridiculous in enforcing policies that protect the delta smelt fish over the needs of humans, that same government also passes legislation which allows programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to exist. This program helps to feed more than 46 million people each month. Another example of the importance of this lesson comes into play when trying to decide between butter and margarine. While there are an enormous amount of negative side effects to margarine, such as the amount of trans-fats they contain, it is also true that margarine spreads can be rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Indeed, this lesson will come in handy for the next 20 years and beyond.

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WELLNESS NUTRIENT & ACTIVITY STRATEGIES

CARBOHYDRATE

PROTEIN

LIPIDS

FLUIDS

ACTIVITY

Increase my fiber intake by eating whole grains in brown rice as opposed to white rice

Include soy or whey proteins as protein shakes during snack between meals

Reduce intake of trans-fats by eliminating margarine from my diet

Stay hydrated during exercise

Play basketball twice a week

Decrease the amount of sugarfilled beverages I take in for lunch such as Coca-Cola

Increase my milk intake to get more protein

By refraining from melting cheese on pasta, I can reduce intake of saturated fats

Have more water during meals

Go for a jog once a week

Replace the orange juice I have for breakfast with an extra glass of water

Sprinkle pumpkin seeds into my morning cereal

Eat more pecans and walnuts to increase intake of Mono-unsaturated Fatty Acids and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids

Drink 8 glasses of water a day

Stretch before physical work

Use 100% whole grain bread to make a sandwich instead of white bread

For dessert, choose something with fruits and nuts instead of unhealthy ice cream

Eliminate fast food from my diet so I can avoid unhealthy belly fat

Eat foods with higher water content (like apples)

Stand up and walk after long periods of sitting

Mix in more vegetables with my salad

Try to include broccoli in my sandwich

Limit dessert to only twice a week so as to eliminate adding unnecessary fat

Carry water bottles around in case I get thirsty

Make time for team sports

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Bibliography
1.) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2864136/ 2.) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17228036 3.) http://www.h2ultra.com/downloads/H2Ultra_waterWeightLoss.pdf 4.) http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/mqanda.html 5.) http://www.everydayhealth.com/water-health/water-body-health.aspx 6.) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283 7.) http://vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/querymeta?v%3Aproject=medlineplus&query=benefits+of+water&x=0&y=0 8.) http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/08/23/drink.water.lose.weight/index.html 9.)http://google2.fda.gov/search?q=water&client=FDAgov&lr=&proxystylesheet=FDAgov&out put=xml_no_dtd&getfields=*&sort=date%3AD%3AL%3Ad1&entqr=3&entqrm=0&oe=UTF8&ie=UTF-8&ud=1&site=FDAgov&btnG=Search 10.) http://www.nutrition.gov/nutrition-and-health-issues/commonly-asked-questions-faq 11.) http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/drinks.html 12.) http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09333.html

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