02.06.03

You've only got 30 minutes to grab a quick bite for lunch. So what are you going to choose?   If you're like many Americans a quick trip through the drive-through for a hamburger and fries will likely be your choice. But what if you're trying to improve your eating habits, then what?  Many fast-food places today offer a variety of healthier choices, such as salads and chicken entrees. You can also try substituting those fries for a baked potato.  Still have your heart -and stomach - set on a hamburger?   Well, simply think smaller instead of that double with cheese.

Sure, it's definitely easier said than done. No one knows that any better than this reporter who has eaten her fair share of cheeseburgers and hot dogs - but has also steadily seen her blood pressure and LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) slowly creep up.

The key to adopting a healthier lifestyle, according to Laughlin Memorial Hospital dietitian Ashley Head, is to gradually include healthier food items in your meal plan.  "If you make sudden changes, then you probably won't stick with it," Head said on Thursday morning during a Passport 55 educational lecture held at Roby Fitzgerald Adult Center. (The lecture series is held on the third Thursday of each month at 10 a.m. at the senior center, which co-sponsors the program along with Laughlin Hospital.)

When discussing healthy eating habits, Head said she doesn't like to use the word "diet" because folks tend "to get a little scared and really don't want to talk about it."  Instead, the dietitian said she likes to talk about "healthy meal plans" and ways that persons can gradually move from unhealthy eating practices to healthier ones.

"With a healthy meal plan, you want to make sure that you eat three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner, and maybe a little snack in between," Head said. "You want to eat right with every bite, though, and be aware of what you're getting ready to put into your body."
The three most important parts, she said, to a healthier meal plan are:
* decreasing your salt (sodium) intake;
* decreasing  your saturated fat intake, and
* decreasing your cholesterol intake.

Decrease Salt
The American Heart Association recommends that a person have no more than 2,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium each day. This is equal to about 1 teaspoon of salt.
"Unfortunately, some Americans consume about 9 grams - or 9,000 mg - or more of sodium each day," Head said.

In addition to enhancing the flavor of food, salt is also used as a preservative. Many canned foods and other "convenience foods" such as frozen dinner are very high in sodium, Head warned.  "Fruits and vegetables are naturally very, very low in sodium," Head said. "It's just whenever we start canning or freezing them that we must add a preservative."  One of the ways that you can start lowering your sodium intake is to remove the salt shaker from the table.

"This way you don't have the temptation to salt your food while eating," Head said.
Instead of salt, Head recommended using herbs and other seasoning to flavor foods. For example, bay leaves are good to use in lean meats, poultry and soups.  Allspice is a great flavor enhancer for lean ground meat, tomatoes, peaches and gravies, Head added. Basil is good for fish, lamb, ground meats, stews, salads, soups and sauces. Ginger compliments chicken and fruits, and rosemary is wonderful for chicken, veal, lean beef, lean pork, potatoes, peas and lima beans. (Please see related story for more use of herbs and spices.)
Choosing fresh fruits and vegetables instead of canned ones can also tremendously help lower sodium intake, Head said.

When you used canned fruits and vegetables, however, Head recommended rinsing with water them before cooking. "This will wash away about half of the sodium that was used in the preserving process," she said.

Another option with canned food is the choice of low-salt or no-salt added varieties. Even if you go this route, Head still recommended rinsing the food before cooking to further reduce sodium.

Many condiments, such as steak sauce and bar-be-cue sauce, are also high in sodium. So be sure to go easy of them.

Did you also know that certain medications may contain high amounts of sodium?
Two tablets of Alka Seltzers, for example, have 1,134 mg of sodium, Head said. "This equals to almost one-half of your daily recommended sodium intake," she said.
"Not all medications are going to have that much sodium, but this is just one example of certain medications sold over-the-counter that contain such high amounts of sodium - which maybe you weren't aware of," she said.

Cut Fat & Cholesterol
Most people only need about 1,800-2,000 calories per day; and only about 30 percent of their total daily calorie intake should come fat, Head said. This means no more than 65 grams of fat each day.

There are different kinds of fat:

* Saturated fat is the "bad" kind of fat, which tends to raise your cholesterol.
These fats, which harden at room temperature, are found in most animal products and hydrogenated vegetable products.   Some examples of food with saturated fat include: fatty cuts of meat, butter, cream, whole milk, cheeses made from cream and whole milk, hydrogenated shortening, coconut oil, cocoa butter, and palm oil (which is used in most commercially prepared cookies, pie fillings and non-dairy cream substitutes.)
"You want to limit your saturated fat intake to less than 10 percent of your total daily calories (or just 20 grams daily,)" Head said.

* Polyunsaturated fat tends to lower the cholesterol level in the blood, but unfortunately it lowers both HDL (good) cholesterol as well as LDL (bad) cholesterol, Head said.
These fats are found in liquid oils of vegetable origin, such as safflower oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil and sesame seed oil.

* Monounsaturated fat tends to have a slightly lowering effect on LDL (bad) cholesterol and may help raise HDL (good) cholesterol. These fats can be found in peanut oil, peanuts, olive oil, olives and avocados.  "Monounsaturated fat is the best for cooking," Head said.
When selecting food items with less fat, remember that the leaner cuts of meat are best, Head said.  "You're still going to have fat and cholesterol in lean ground beef, but you will be making a healthier choice," she said.

A quarter pounder with cheese from McDonalds, for example, has 29 grams of fat and 93 mg of cholesterol, Head said. One hot dog has 11g of fat and 35 mg of cholesterol.  "Such high-fat, fast-food items are convenient for us who lead busy lives, but our bodies tend to pay for it," Head said. Turkey hot dogs and ground turkey are available and are healthier alternatives to the traditional beef hamburger and hot dog. Soy burgers and soy protein are also wise choices for meat substitutes, she said.  The choice to reduce fat intake can also be made while shopping at the dairy section of the grocery store.

Skim milk has much less fat and cholesterol than whole milk. Plus, skim milk still has the same amount of calcium and vitamin D as whole milk. (Basically you'll get the same nutrients with less fat and cholesterol.)

There are also "in-between" choices of milk, such as 1 percent and 2 percent. These can be good to use for those who want to gradually "step-down" from using whole milk, Head said.
One of the gentlemen in the audience at the lecture said, "Skim milk just doesn't have a good taste."  In response, Head recommended gradually "weaning" yourself from whole milk. To begin, mix one-half whole milk and one-half 2 percent. After a period of drinking this mixture, go entirely with 2 percent milk. Next, start mixing one-half 2 percent with one-half 1 percent or skim milk, then gradually continue to wean yourself from there.

Why Worry?
You may ask yourself, "Why even bother with all of this." However, Head reminded that "a healthier meal plans means a healthier you" by:
* lowering your risk for heart disease;
* lowering your blood pressure;
* lowering your risk for type II diabetes, and
* increasing your individual well-being.

"Many of our children today are overweight because of a lack of exercise, due in large part to heavy computer and video game use, an excess of fast food intake, and the list goes on and on," Head said.

Because of this, many more children today are developing type II diabetes, a form of the disease that was traditionally found among adults, Head said. (Obesity is one of the risk factors for type II diabetes.)  "I'm not saying that it's easy to change the way you eat," Head said. "But I'm recommending that you set little goals for yourself.  "Cut back slowly and allow yourself a reward every once in a while," she said.

In addition to watching what you eat, Head also recommended fitting more exercise into your daily life.

Exercise can come in many forms, she said. "Even walking in the grocery store, cleaning your house, or gardening are all forms of exercise," she pointed out. 

By LISA WARREN
Health Editor 
The Greeneville Sun