LEARNING CONTENT

EATING HEALTHY AND NUTRITIOUS FOODS

DEFINITION:
The process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth.

World Health Organization. 2017. Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/topics/nutrition/en/)

BENEFITS OF EATING NUTRITIOUS FOODS:

1. Decreased risk of cancer
 Fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants, which are substances that
seek and neutralize potentially damaging cells called free radicals.
2. Decreased risks of heart attack
 Regularly consuming high-fat foods can increase your cholesterol and
triglyceride levels, which can cause plaque to buildup in your arteries. Over
time, this can lead to heart attack, stroke or heart disease. Eating a moderate
amount of healthful fats such as those found in olive oil, avocados, fish, nuts and
seeds helps protect your heart.
3. Increase productivity
 Because there is a lot of energy/ nutrients found in nutritious foods
4. Enhanced mood
 What you eat has an impact on your brain, including the parts that regulate
mood. Although there’s no single food that acts as a proven antidepressant,
maintaining stable blood sugar through regular, proper nutrition will help you
feel better overall on most days. Foods rich in vitamins and minerals, such as
fruits, whole grains and vegetables, have been associated with an overall lower
risk of depression, as have foods rich in omega-3 fats, such as nuts, salmon and
other fatty fish.
5. Live longer
 The same diseases that make you feel bad and cost a lot of money may also
lower your life expectancy. A diet of fruit and vegetables, in combination with
exercise, was associated with extended life expectancy for women in their 70s
6. Lose weight or maintain weight
7. Become more energetic
8. Beautiful skin
9. Better rest and sleep
10. Improves immune system

Elle, P. (2015). The advantages of eating healthy foods. American college of healthcare
science. USA. Retrieved from: http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/advantages-eating-healthy-
food-3731.html

STEPS HOW TO MAKE A MEAL PLAN

1. Look at your schedule for the next week.
2. Decide what days will need very simple solutions (15 minute meals, freezer cooking
meals).
3. Choose simple recipes with few ingredients to fill in the dinners.
4. Choose two or 3 options for easy lunches and breakfasts.
5. Create a shopping list of ingredients you will need for your menu.
6. Fill out your menu, indicating a recipe source and a time needed to cook.
7. Post your menu plan on your fridge, or in a schedule book that’s accessible to you
every day.
8. Refer to it daily to make sure that you’re following it and that food is thawed from the
freezer at the right time (about 2 days before use).
9. Choose pantry meals and post them on the fridge in case you need them.
Says, K. (2015). Meal planning for beginners. Pixel me designs. California USA. Retrieved from:
http://www.busybudgeter.com/simple-meal-planning-for-beginners-step-by-step-
instructions/

FORMULA HOW TO COMPUTE DBW:

 INFANTS (1-6 months)
DBW= BW (q) + ( age in months x 600)

 (7-12 months)
DBW= BW (q) + ( age in months x 500)

 CHILDREN ( 1-12 years old)

DBW= ( age in years x 2) + 8

 ADOLESCENT AND ADULTS (13 years old and above)

DBW= H in cm – 100

Adele Pillitteri. 2010. Maternal and child nursing. Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins, ©2010. 6th edition. Philadelphia.

CHOOSE MY PLATE:
MyPlate is divided into four sections of approximately:
30 percent grains
40 percent vegetables
10 percentfruits
20 percent protein
accompanied by a smaller circle representing dairy, such as a glass of milk or a yogurt cup.
PROPER NUTRITION FOR CHILDREN AGED 1-3 years old
 ENERGY- energy intake of 1300kcal/day. Age, activity and metabolism determine
energy needs.
 PROTEIN- 1.5-2g/kg of body weight. To provide for increase skeletaland muscle tissue.
 VITAMINS- sources green leafy vegetables and fruits.
 MINERALS- iron and calcium

DIET MANAGEMENT: Provide varied, nutrient dense diet; provide 3 meals plus 2-3 planned
snacks; modify diet as needed to avoid nutrition related problems.

Adele Pillitteri. 2010. Maternal and child nursing. Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins, ©2010. 6th edition. Philadelphia.

LIST OF MOTIVATIONS:
1. Set small measurable goals that will help you get to your overall large goal. For
instance – I will eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, incorporate leafy green
veggies into 3 meals a day, drink at least 68 ounces of water daily, etc.
2. Keep a food and exercise journal. This is extremely helpful to track how much you’re
eating – sometimes you don’t realize how many small bites here and there add up.
You can do a hand-written journal or go digital and log your food/fitness from the
computer or your smartphone. MyFitnessPal is a great resource for this.
3. Crowd processed junk food out of your diet by adding in nutritious whole foods.
4. Skip the pantry and head to the fridge. No one really keeps a lot of processed foods in
their fridge because they’re usually self-stable. When looking for an afternoon snack I
tend to stick with something from the fridge (non-fat greek yogurt, fruit, veggies with
hummus, edmamae, etc.)
5. Try new foods. Eating steamed broccoli and baked tofu every night can get old. Look
for new healthy recipes online, in cookbooks or magazines so you don’t get bored
with eating healthy. I know a good place for recipes.
6. Enlist support from your friends and family. Whenever I realize I need to get back to my
roots and clean up my eats the first person I tell is Isaac because he then knows not to
offer me sips of beer and chips.
7. Team up with a friend and hold each other accountable for eating healthy.
8. Eat something every 2-3 hours. This keeps your metabolism running and also makes
sure you don’t get ravenous and end up eating whatever is in sight when you get
home from work.
9. Keep nutritious foods on hand and ready to eat. Preparation is the key to eating
healthy! Having fresh vegetables and fruits, lean protein, healthy fats and smart carbs
each week is super helpful for staying on track. I like to make big batches of roasted
veggies and brown rice or quinoa at the beginning of the week so I have healthy
foods in the fridge ready to go for quick lunches.
10. Keep tempting foods that trigger you to overeat out of the house. For me this is cereal,
packaged trail mix, granola and other packaged foods. If the tempting foods are
already in your house because someone else bought them, I’ve found that putting
them away in a (high) cabinet is helpful. Out of sight, out of mind.
11. Always bring a healthy snack with you when you leave the house for more than a
couple hours. Apples, bananas, fruit and nut bars, homemade trail mix and carrots are
super portable. And healthy bars like Larabar are always good in a pinch.
12. Eat and enjoy your favorite foods in moderation. Deprivation tends to backfire so if you
really want a treat, then eat and enjoy it.
13. When going out to eat, look the at the menu for the restaurant online. Deciding
beforehand what healthy option you’re going to get can be helpful so you’re not
tempted by unhealthy options once you’re there.
14. Don’t let one set-back keep you from working toward your goal. Don’t get down on
yourself if you slip-up -just make sure your next meal is a healthy one!