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Just One Thing! Health Habits for the Overwhelmed.

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July 8, 2009
	Jo Wehage : Head Operations Ego

THIS MONTH: Get more out of your calories and watch out for the $5 Footlong.  Suffering from wellness information overload? Each month we briefly cover one topic that will enhance your health and one topic that can threaten your health. Consider this your Cliff Notes of wellness habits.

 Just One Thing – To Do
Get more out of your calories.

For many of us getting the ideal amount of fruits and vegetables in our diet can be a bit of a struggle. To help fill that gap you might want to consider the nutrient density of the foods you choose. The nutrient density of food simply refers to the amount of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and fiber in a given portion of food.
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A piece of whole grain bread, for example, yields a much more complete array of vitamins, minerals and fiber than say white bread. But you already knew that, so let’s look at some ways you can give an extra nutrition punch to do the body good.

At breakfast, say you opt for an egg omelet; add a portion of spinach and gain plenty of beta-carotene, some folate and a touch of potassium, calcium and iron. Experiment with a couple of tablespoons of chopped sun-dried tomatoes and boost the morning with the cancer-fighting antioxidant lycopene, some fiber and vitamin C.  Throw in some yellow or red onions for a boost to the flavor and a boost to the phytonutrient quercetin, known for its anti-inflammatory and heart healthy properties.

Next, say you’re having your standard turkey sandwich for lunch.  Consider adding 2 Tbsp of hummus for a nice punch to your protein, fiber and a bit of iron. A couple of slices of avocado and you’ll gain 3 grams of the healthy monounsaturated fat, some disease-fighting, eye-promoting lutein as well as folate, magnesium and potassium. Jazz it up with a few roasted red bell peppers and get a generous portion of vitamin C along with a good bit of vitamin A and beta-carotene.

A burrito for dinner? Add a generous portion of black or kidney beans for added fiber and cell-protecting antioxidants like manganese and copper plus a boost of healthy protein. A tablespoon of guacamole adds a nice dollop of fiber and a gram of the heart-healthy fat; not to mention the bonus of vitamin K and fiber. Include chopped tomatoes for more fiber, vitamin A, beta-carotene, potassium and vitamin C.  

Don’t forget to toss some slivered almonds on your salad. Just 1 Tbsp brings one-third of your daily requirement for vitamin E + a bit of fiber.

In general – try to get as many colors in your food choices as possible. Add as many healthy foods to the main dish as part of the feature, not just as a side-dish.

Just One Thing – NOT To Do
Watch out for the $5 Footlong! While it might be easy on the budget, it’s not so easy on the body. 

Unless you’ve been under a rock, you’ve probably seen the ads and TV commercials for Subway’s $5 footlongs. Yeah, that irritating  jingle gets stuck in my head too. At any rate, when you’re in a pinch and even though I know you know better…a tempting way to make your on-the-go lunch or dinner budget stretch a bit. A word of caution: be sure all that stretching doesn’t expand the body in unflattering ways and clog your arteries in the process.

While some stores may vary, standards on the $5 menu include the Tuna, Meatball Marinara and Spicy Italian sub.  Gobble down the entire sandwich and you would gobble down a total of 62, 50 or 48grams of fat respectively. Yes, that entire tuna sub would equate to an entire day’s portion of fat intake for the average woman and an easy two-thirds for an active, athletic male.

If you find yourself at Subway, better choices would be the Oven Roasted Chicken Breast at 10 grams of fat or try the Veggie Delite (it may surprise you) at just 6 grams for the whole sandwich. Do I need to remind you not to add the mayo?

Question or comments, contact Jo:  jowehage@healthyalterego.org