USF-COM Department of Family Medicine

Patient Education Information on... For years now, everyone has heard about “eating smart” but what does that all mean to you?  Most people have been bogged down, blasted, lectured, and scolded by the latest reports, breaking news, most recent data, current research, and newest discoveries about nutrition and health.  The truth is, we’ve all been more than just a little confused about the link between “proper” nutrition and wellness.  The link is complex and tough to understand.  What should you eat?  How much or how little?  How often?  What should you avoid?  Well, to make things a little simpler, below is an easy to understand list of certain basics that can help put you on the road to better living.  On the last page, is a simple list of daily recommended of the below mentioned foods.

By using these basic steps as a starting guideline, you can start today with a sensible program of diet and exercise to help you reduce the risk of diseases such as heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes.  Eat smart, live long, and remember to always consult your physician before starting any diet or exercise program.

Index of Patient Education Topics

EAT MORE FIBER

Studies have shown that there is a link between reduced risk of colon cancer and increased fiber in the diet.  Also, increased fiber has been shown to raise “good” cholesterol and lower “bad” cholesterol.  This can prevent the risk for developing heart disease, our nation’s #1 killer.
A high fiber diet can also help curb increasing blood sugar in diabetics.  So how much should you eat?  Recommendations are that fiber intake should be between 25-30 grams a day.  This corresponds to about 5 or more servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day.  Eat green, leafy vegetables as much as possible and don’t drown them in oils, sauces, or salad dressings.   Fiber can also be obtained by eating other grain foods such as greads, cereals, rice, or pasta several times a day.  Check the packaging to see how much each serving of these foods provides as fiber.

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EAT LESS FAT

Eating less fat, especially animal fat such as red meats, can also help decrease the risk for developing diseases such as colon cancer.  Also, eating less fatty foods helps in keeping cholesterol within normal range, thus helping prevent heart disease.  Read the labels and choose foods low in fat, particularly saturated fat, and cholesterol.  In general, you should try to limit your fat to less than 30% of your total daily calories.  This usually works out to about 60-65 grams of fat per day.  Cholesterol intake should be limited to less than 300 mg per day.  Once again, read your labels for the fat skinny and avoid any foods that are too high in fat.  As mentioned before, don’t drown your lowfat foods in any sauces or oils that may contain a lot of fat.  This defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?

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EXERCISE

Aside from proper nutrition, a good exercise program is key to ultimate wellness and feeling good.  You don’t have to be a triathlete or pump iron like Arnold to get into shape.  All it takes is 20-30 minutes of moderate exercise such as walking, swimming, or bike riding 3 times a week.  You don’t want to overdo it, so staying within your target heart rate of 60-70% of your maximum  heart rate is important.  Subtract your age from 220 and you’ve got your max heart.  Now all you have to do is simply figure ot what 60-70% of that number is and you are on your way to healthier living.

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LOSE THAT WEIGHT

The vast majority of Americans are overweight.  Being overweight increases the risk for heart disease, diabetes, increased blood pressure, and stroke, just to name a few.   With proper nutrition and exercise, you can take that weight off and keep it off.  What is ideal body weight.  For women ideal body weight is 100 pounds plus 5 pounds for each inch over 5 feet tall.  For men, it is 106 pounds plus 6 pounds for each inch over 5 feet tall.  By using this as a rough guide, you can figure out where you need to be and start on the road to gettin there.

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Your Daily Food Guide

 
Bread Group
(cereal, rice, pasta, bread)
6-11 servings per day

Serving Size

  • 1 slice of bread
  • 1/2 of a bagel
  • 1/2 cup of rice or pasta
Fruit Group
2 - 4 servings per day


Serving Size

  • 1 piece of fruit
  • 6 oz fruit juice
Veggie Group
3 - 5 servings per day
 

Serving Size

  • 1 cup leafy vegetables, uncooked
  • 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables
  • 6 oz vegetable juice
Dairy Group  
2 -3 servings per day

Serving Size

  • 8 oz milk or yogurt
  • 1.5 oz cheese
  • 2 oz processed cheese
Meat Group
2 - 3 servings per day

Serving Size

  • 3 oz cooked, lean red meat, skinless poultry or fish
  • 1 egg

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Websites for more information on eating a low fat diet