Old Guidelines for New Resolutions

January is a time for reflection and resolutions. Many of our resolutions involve eating, exercise, health & weight. Read the following before investing in the latest infomercial product or the newest revolutionary diet book.Most of the popular resolutions related to health can be accomplished by focusing on the basics, like eating from each food group and eating a variety of foods from each food group. But it's also important to remember there are better choices than others to be made within each food group.Here's a simple reminder of the different food groups and how to bite more of some things & less of others from each group to maximize your body's needs & help you keep your resolutions. Research continues to tell us that eating more of the Bite this foods can help you maintain a healthy weight, lower blood pressure & cholesterol, and reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. So what are you waiting for, get started today & make this a happy & healthy new year!Bite this:Whole grains. Less processing means more fiber, vitamins & minerals.  The recommendation is to make at least half your grain servings whole grains.  Set a goal based on how many you are already eating.Not eating any whole grains, start by making 1 or 2 substitutions (i.e. whole wheat bread for white bread, brown rice for white rice) & work up.  Already eating all whole grains, try some new ones (i.e. quinoa for brown rice).Not sure how to figure out what's a whole grain? Don't be fooled by the name or claims on the front of the package – check out the ingredient list, the first word needs to be whole then you'll know it's a whole grain.Fruits. Eat more fruit without a food label for great sources of vitamin C, potassium and fiber without added sugar. Incorporate different kinds of fruits (citrus, berries, etc) and think about eating the colors of the rainbow (different colors provide different nutrients). The recommendation is 3-5 servings a day so increase one serving at a time until you reach the daily recommendation.Vegetables. Just like fruits, vegetables are great sources of potassium and vitamin C, but most of us find it harder to get the recommended servings of vegetables daily.  Before you give up remember the serving size is just ½ cup for cooked & 1 cup for raw vegetables.  As with fruits, continue to eat a variety of colors & work on adding more vegetables without food labels.  Add extra veggies to soups & sauces to help you work toward the daily guidelines.Lean & plant-based proteins. Skinless chicken & turkey breasts and beef & pork tenderloins are lean protein sources but don't forget the plant-based protein sources that also provide fiber, potassium and magnesium for fewer calories.  Try substituting beans or lentils for an animal-protein at one meal, gradually working up to 4 to 5 meals a week.Nuts & seeds are also plant-based protein sources that can be substituted for meat.  They aren't lean but unlike animal products, the fats are heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.  And like beans & lentils they're high in fiber & magnesium.  Replace the grilled meat with nuts or seeds on your next salad or make a snack out of a handful and gradually work up to 4-5 servings a week.Low fat dairy foods. Skim or 1% milk, fat free or low fat yogurt & light cheese are all good choices for reaching the dairy serving recommendations without increasing cholesterol.  Try for 2-3 servings of low fat dairy foods to get enough calcium, potassium, & magnesium- minerals good for your bones & controlling blood pressure.  Soy products can be substituted if you prefer more of a vegetarian plan.Not that:White bread, white rice, etc. Products made from processed grains have had the fiber, vitamins & minerals stripped away.  These products aren't filling and tend to lead to over-eating.  Food companies have admitted to finding flavors to add to many processed foods that leave you wanting more.Fruit (with added sugar). Go easy on the fruit cups packed in syrup or the fruit “sauces” with added sugar. You end up with extra calories and added sugar with little or no fiber.  If you occasionally need to rely on fruit cups or canned fruit go for those packed in water or juice and rinse well before eating. Avoid frozen fruit with added sugar as it's more like a dessert.Vegetables (with sauces & sodium). The sauces & sodium indicate greater processing (less fiber, vitamins & minerals).  The sauces add extra calories and the sodium can negatively affect blood pressure. If you need to rely on frozen or canned veggies make them sans sauces and choose the added salt variety.Proteins (high in saturated fat). These high-calorie, cholesterol-raising proteins high in saturated fats are commonly found in certain beef, pork (bacon, hot dogs & sausage) and poultry (skin) products.Dairy foods (high in fat). Whole milk and other high fat dairy products are still good sources of calcium, potassium & magnesium but their positive effects are greatly discounted by the high calories and saturated fats are fats that can raise your LDL (lousy) cholesterol and lower your HDL (good) cholesterol. Stick to fat free or low fat dairy foods whenever possible.