HEALTHY AND ACTIVE | Healthy nutrition in 2016

Happy 2016! We’ve gone from the season of celebrations to the season of resolutions. Is this the year to fuel your body with good nutrition? 

A scan of the newsstand and Internet shows countless fad diets and gimmicks that can make picking a simple midday snack feel complicated. A healthy new year should start with nutrition basics.

One of the best ways to give your body energy is to choose foods that are as close to a natural form as possible. That means getting your fruits, vegetables and whole grains at the local farmers market or on the outer aisles of the grocery store, where foods tend to be minimally processed. Whole foods — including nuts, beans and legumes — and cuts of meat maintain more natural nutrients than when these items are processed and sold in a can or box. 

Getting in the habit of scanning labels of prepackaged foods will help you choose those with the most natural and fewest ingredients. If you can’t pronounce the chemicals in the ingredient list, it’s probably not a natural source of nutrition.

What you need

Protein is a necessary nutrient for muscle function and tissue repair. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends adults get 0.37 grams of protein per pound of body weight — that means a 135-pound woman should get 50 grams of protein daily. A serving of salmon has about 40 grams of protein, while a butternut squash enchilada may have 15 to 20 grams of protein. 

Cottage cheese, mixed nuts and hardboiled eggs are high in protein and can be a good midday snack. Eating a snack high in protein can stave off hunger for longer periods than a high carbohydrate sugary snack. 

Most Americans do not meet the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, according to the USDA’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines. These natural super-foods are low in calories and, when consumed regularly, reduce the risk of many diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure and some cancers. 

While activity level affects recommended intake, generally 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables is recommended daily. A small apple or eight large strawberries meets the fruit requirement, while a 1/2 cup of dried fruit such as raisins and apricots is the equivalent of 1 cup. Adding an ear of corn, a pepper or a yam to your dinner adds a cup of vegetables. 

Making 2016 a year of increasing your intake of these foods will give your body the necessary vitamins and minerals required to fuel and recover from your next run through the Washington Park Arboretum or bike ride down Lake Washington Boulevard. In addition, these foods decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 

To get the most out of your fruits and vegetables it’s important to store them correctly. Apples can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four months, while bananas should be kept at room temperature. To get the best flavor out of your vitamin-rich pineapple, make sure to store it at room temperature upside-down for a day to allow the natural sugars at the bottom of the fruit to spread evenly. Nearly all fruits and vegetables can be stored in the freezer with proper preparation and an airtight container or bag. 

Potatoes should be kept in a cool, dry place, but not in the refrigerator because the starch turns to sugar at cold temperatures and will make the potato “sweet.” 

Vitamins

In addition to being aware of protein, fruit and vegetable intake, we also need to be aware of our vitamins, including vitamins B-12 and D. Vitamin B-12 is found in most animal-derived foods, including fish, meat, poultry, eggs and milk products. This vitamin is important to the function of the brain and nervous system — even slight deficiencies can result in symptoms such as depression, fatigue and poor memory. 

Recommended intake for adults range from 2 to 3 micrograms per day. Because vitamin B-12 is rare from plant sources, vegetarians are most likely to suffer from vitamin B-12 deficiency. Eating foods fortified with B-12 or taking a dietary supplement can minimize the risk for deficiency. 

Vitamin D is of special concern for those of us in the Pacific Northwest. The body produces vitamin D from cholesterol, provided there is adequate UV light from sun exposure. There is only a sufficient amount of UV light coming from the sun when the UV index is 3 or higher, which does not occur for extended periods of time during our winter months. 

Vitamin D is found naturally in fish and eggs and is added to many dairy products. 

This vitamin is important for maintenance of healthy bones and teeth and is suggested to supply a protective effect against multiple diseases and conditions such as cancer, type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Supplemental vitamin D is associated with a wide range of benefits, including increased cognition, immune health and bone health. 

Consult your doctor, who can have blood testing done to determine the current level of vitamins in your body and the need for supplementation. For a thorough assessment of your overall nutrition consult with a nutrition therapy practitioner, who can help guide you to a nutritious 2016. 

AARON SHAW is an occupational therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist at MoveMend (www.MoveMend.info) in Madison Valley.