Blog Post 4: Post Traditional Diet Analysis Part 2:

Now that I have my diet analysis calculation done, in addition to my two posts following my diet, I can make a more clear sense about what I currently like, and would like to change about my diet.

First, the three things I really like about my diet are:

1) It is clear from my calculations that I am getting a sufficient amount of calcium in my diet daily.
2) I am incorporating a sufficient amount of whole fruits into my routines.
3) I am taking the time to make sure to enjoy my meals with my family, and when they are not available, with friends or in a somewhat relaxing atmosphere


However, three things that I believe could be changed about my diet to improve it are:

1) I need more grains and complex starches incorporated into my daily routine
2) I am consuming too much saturated fat (and sodium)
3) I am not eating enough green leafy vegetables (I am more fruit heavy than vegetable balanced)

Lifestyle factors (such as diet, exercise, and smoking habits) play an impact on health, such as on the likelihood of succumbing to an sudden cardiac death (Chiuve et al. 2011).  Therefore, the above factors can be assessed for their ability to improve or decline my quality of life now, and as I age.

3 things I like about my diet;
1) Getting enough calcium in my diet is essential, since sufficient calcium can help to prevent the onset of osteoporosis (Roschger et al. 2008)

2) Incorporating whole fruits into my diet is providing me with a good intake of phytochemicals, that may help to reduce the risk of certain diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer (Rodriguez-Casado 2014).  Additionally, eating fruits helps to prevent me from poorer snacking habits, such as refined sugars (except for the exceptional eclair my wife brought home that day, but it was the only one I had in the whole month!)

3) Enjoying meals with family and friends brings joy to my life and also helps to remain less stressed, which in part may have an effect on my overall health (McEwan & Stellar 1993).

Items I believe should be improved:
1) I need to take in more whole grains and complex starches.  One of the issues I currently have is that I am in a rut and eat the same thing every morning before work.  What I need to do is vary my breakfast routine to bring my grains in better check.  Eating more complex starches can help to reduce my risk of developing type 2 diabetes (Jenkins et al. 2001).

2) I need to reduce my intake of saturated fats and sodium.  From looking at my diet, it is clear that this is a byproduct of my move to Paris, since I have increased my consumption of cheeses (soft and hard) to practically every meal of the day, while also switching from skim milk to 2% milk.  Having a good monounsaturated fat:saturated fat  ratio will also reduce my risk of developing cardiovascular disease (Schwingshackl &Hoffman 2014)

3) I need to increase my intake of green leafy vegetables according to the myplate diagram.   I found this surprising- until doing this blog I thought my fruit-vegetable intake was balanced, but I was quite incorrect!  By increasing my vegetable intake, I will increase my B vitamin intake, and also dietary fiber intake, which may help to prevent certain large intestine diseases (Otles & Ozgoz 2014)

Bibliography
1)Chiuve SE, Fung TT, Rexrode KM, Spiegelman D, Manson JE, Stampfer MJ, Albert CM. "Adherence to a low-risk, healthy lifestyle and risk of sudden cardiac death among women." JAMA. 2011 Jul 6;306(1):62-9. doi: 10.1001/jama.2011.907.
2) Roschger, P., Paschalis EP, Fratzl P, Klaushofer K. "Bone mineralization density distribution in health and disease"  Bone , Volume 42 , Issue 3 , 456 - 466
3) Rodriguez-Casado A. "The Health Potential of Fruits and Vegetables Phytochemicals: Notable Examples." Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2014 Sep 16:0.

4) McEwen BS, Stellar E.. "Stress and the Individual: Mechanisms Leading to Disease." Arch Intern Med. 1993;153(18):2093-2101
5) Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Augustin LS, Vuksan V.. "High-complex carbohydrate or lente carbohydrate foods?" Am J Med. 2002 Dec 30;113 Suppl 9B:30S-37S.
6) Schwingshackl L, Hoffmann G.. "Monounsaturated fatty acids, olive oil and health status: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies." Lipids Health Dis. 2014 Oct 1;13(1):154. 
7) Otles S, Ozgoz S.. "Health effects of dietary fiber."  Acta Sci Pol Technol Aliment. 2014 Apr-Jun;13(2):191-202.

TO THE AMAZING 'TEAM NUTRITION' STUDENTS: HERE ARE THE TWO WEBSITES TO USE TO FIND RELEVANT ARTICLES FOR CITING:
www.pubmed.gov
scholar.google.fr