nutrition composition of food

There USDA Nutrient Data Library is an excellent site to discover details of the food we eat. The site has details of the nutritional values of a host of different foods.

This data can then be used to make decisions on what foods one wants to include or cut out of one’s diet. For followers of certain dietary protocols, e.g. the alkaline acid diet, the data can be used to calculate whether foods leave an acid or alkaline ash.

Searching the database today I discovered that clams appear to be one of the best sources of iron in the diet. Oysters are one of the top sources of zinc.

Researching Wikipedia it discusses that both iron and zinc are essential nutrients but that over consumption is toxic to human health.

The message appears to be there is such a thing as too much of a good thing!

Weight Master blog carnival

Blog carnivals are an excellent way to discover new information on your field of interest. The Weight Master blog held a blog carnival recently on the subjects of fitness, general health, nutrition and weight loss.

There were some interesting posts including details of the alkaline acid diet and there was even a post from Japan!

The blog carnival is held monthly so check it out for health blog updates.

dietary guidelines part 2

In my first dietary guidelines post I wrote about chapter 5 of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans report. Today I want to discuss some of the other dietary guideline conclusions the report reaches and how we can use the report’s information to improve our own diets.

The report lists the following food groups as major food groups and suggests that we ensure we consme adequate portions from each group. Vegetarians may not be too happy about that!

fruits

vegetables

grains

milk, yogurt, and cheese

meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts

Personally I steer clear of some of the foods on this list. Having an allergy to dairy products means that I tend to avoid the foods listed in the fourth group above. Recently I have also began cutting down the amount of animal products that I eat. The largescale manufacture of animals for human consumption is putting me off. These foods are also often considered acid foods.

Greater fruit and vegetable consumption, in the region of between 5-13 servings a day is also recommended. Eating a high proportion of fruit and vegetables is associated with a reduction in certain cancers as well as type 2 diabetes. It can also be an important part of weight loss diets.

The report states that blood pressure levels are directly related to salt consumption. Therefore limiting salt intake is to be encouraged. On top of this, a high intake of potassium, of over 4,700 mg/day helps in counteracting the effects of sodium salts. Other positive effects that come from potassium are a reduction in the likelihood of developing kidney stones and decreased bone loss.

pandemic flu

Are the current cases of swine fever affecting people in various countries throughout the world deserving of the word pandemic?

As of today, not yet, according the the World Health Organization (WHO). They are currently classifying the influenza A(H1N1) virus at level 5, one below 6 which indicates a global pandemic.

So while it hasn’t yet reached pandemic proportions, the WHO website states -

 At phase 5 a pandemic is considered imminent.

So the virus is certainly something we need to be aware of.

The UK government Department of Health’s website lists 3 conditions that have to be met before a disease can be considered a pandemic.

• a new influenza virus subtype emerges
• it infects humans, causing serious illness
• it spreads easily and sustainably among humans.

Currently the swine fever virus already meets the first two conditions. Although it is desirable that it never meets the third condtion, we must be prepared for it to do so. Preparedness for a pandemic is one of the best ways we can deal with it when it does eventually occur.

References: World Health Organization | U.K. Government Department of Health