GOOD NUTRITION IMPORTANT FOR GOOD HEALTH

If you are a patient of Jon Mills, D.O., you will likely learn about nutrition and the benefits of a healthy diet. As Dr. Mills explains: “Your diet is not only important to help you reach a healthy weight, but also important to reduce your risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, and diabetes.”Unhealthy food choices have helped create an obesity epidemic. In Garfield County, 41.6% of the population is obese. This is significantly higher than the state average of 36.5% and the national rate of 31.3%. Oklahoma is the sixth most obese state in the nation. Junk food, and unhealthy meal options are contributing to an increased prevalence of hypertension and type 2 diabetes in children.“Setting good dietary habits in childhood, can carry into adulthood,” Dr. Mills says. “Teaching children about healthy eating is just as important as the other life lessons we instill in them.Dr. Mills says good nutrition isn’t just about your weight, however. Even for people at a healthy weight, poor nutrition can be linked with health conditions including: heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and certain types of cancer.The link between eating healthy and being healthy is too strong to ignore.The U.S. Department of Health And Human Services offers these tips for eating healthy:

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables: Choose colorful vegetables like tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, along with other vegetables for your meals. The more colorful you make your plate, the more likely you are to get the vitamins, minerals, and fiber your body needs to be healthy.
• Make half the grains you eat whole grains: An easy way to eat more whole grains is to switch from a refined-grain food to a whole-grain food. For example, eat whole-wheat bread instead of white bread. Read the ingredients list and choose products that list a whole-grain ingredients first. Look for things like: "whole wheat," "brown rice," "bulgur," "buckwheat," "oatmeal," "rolled oats," quinoa," or "wild rice."
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk: Both have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but fewer calories and less saturated fat.
• Choose a variety of lean protein foods: Meat, poultry, seafood, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are considered part of the protein foods group. Select leaner cuts of ground beef (where the label says 90% lean or higher), turkey breast, or chicken breast.
• Compare sodium in foods: Use the Nutrition Facts label to choose lower sodium versions of foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals. Select canned foods labeled "low sodium," "reduced sodium," or "no salt added."
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks: Cut calories by drinking water or unsweetened beverages. Try adding a slice of lemon, lime, or watermelon or a splash of 100% juice to your glass of water if you want some flavor.
• Eat some seafood: Seafood includes fish (such as salmon, tuna, and trout) and shellfish (such as crab, mussels, and oysters). Seafood has protein, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids (heart-healthy fat). Adults should try to eat at least eight ounces a week of a variety of seafood.
• Cut back on solid fats: Eat fewer foods that contain solid fats. The major sources for Americans are cakes, cookies, and other desserts (often made with butter, margarine, or shortening); pizza; processed and fatty meats (e.g., sausages, hot dogs, bacon, ribs); and ice cream.

Dr. Mills says it’s never too late to start making healthy choices. “If you start making small changes in your diet, it can go a long way to improving your health.”