We Truly Are What We Eat

An Exercise in Good Diet

 

James Wise

Class: HCA300

 
Abstract

             Our assignment this week had me do an exercise in tracking my food intake.  An impressive government website allows entering your food intake for the day and tracking your choleric intake, nutritional values, and gives recommendations in all major food categories.  I will reveal the results of my exercise and compare it to “MyPyramid” recommendation.  I will begin with sharing my personal story in fighting my diabetes in regards to food intake.  I will conclude with whether I am doing well here or if I need improvement in my diet. 

My Personal Story

In attempting to control, diabetes through diet and exercise requires good knowledge and focus.  This is an area of my personal focus for 5 years now and has yielded amazing results.  When first diagnosed with diabetes I was eighty pounds overweight and a heavy drinker.  My medication prescription ballooned into ten pills per day and eighty units of insulin.  Truly, I had no focus on my health in general and I fault the structure of insurance companies’ policies as a contributing factor.  In the beginning, I had the best of Blue Cross and Blue Shield with nearly unlimited resource to health care services and prescribed medications. These types of policies can blind the patient to personal responsibilities.  It was not until I lost my insurance that reality came into focus that I had to take responsibility of my health issues if I were to stay well.  After much research and discovery of my disease, I began to apply what I learned.  In the beginning it was a two edged sword; when you are overweight fasting raises blood sugars from converting fat into energy.  Unfortunate for diabetics, eating any type of food spikes sugar levels, so I must only eat small meals throughout the day.  I also must stay away from empty calories found in most sugar type products; like soda or alcoholic drinks.  To end my personal story I am now at my ideal weight only 12% body fat and on now medications what so ever.  Therefore, when I had to do this exercise I was poised to do very well; let us look at my results.

Nutrient Intake

These results reflect the calculation of three days of the intake of the food I ate.  I will show the results in six main areas starting with protein.  My protein was double the recommendation at 119 vs. 56.  My Carbohydrates was also over twice recommendation at 285 vs. 130.  My total fiber was under the recommendation of 38 with my score being 22.  My total fat score was 75.1, which was in the range of the recommended amount.  My saturated fat score was below recommend amount, with a score of 19.8 vs. < 25.4.  The last category is my sodium intake at 4001 vs. no more than 2300.  I was surprised at this result considering I do not put extra salt on any of my foods and yet I scored so high.  I was not surprised on my protein intake, Generally lean meats do not produce sugar spikes when they are broken down in contrast to say rice, bread, pasta to name a few.  I was also surprised to see my carbohydrates so high, although this is not a true reflection when exercise is considered.  I was not the least surprise that both my total fat and saturated fat was under recommendations since this has been my focus in fighting my diabetes.  Finely I was shown that I am need of more fiber in my diet, which can be easily corrected.   Let us now look at my pyramid recommendations.

My Pyramid Recommendations

These recommendations are calculated in five main areas starting with milk.  I consume 3.8 in the milk category with the recommended amount of 3.0.   In the category of Meat and Been intake was not surprising given my protein intake which resulted in a score of 11.4 oz. vs. 6.0 oz.  My vegetable intake results were a little under recommendations at 2.1 vs. 3 cups.  My fruit intake was expected resulting in .8 cup above recommendation, considering I usually snake on apples between meals.  My grain intake was below recommendations at 7.0 oz vs. my score of 5.9, which is in line with needing more fiber in my diet. 

Conclusions

One statistical result worth noting was my total energy/choleric intake resulting in only 71 point above recommendations without taking in account my exercise program. In life and in all things there is always room for improvement.  With that said, I believe I am doing very well over all in my diet plan.  This online tool is exceptional and will be used by me often now that I am aware of its existence.  Which leads to my conclusion, society so disparately needs to know such government sites as this one exist; it truly brings into focus dietary concerns and helps empower people to make changes. Ultimately, the individual that takes responsibility of their health that yields the best results.  Websites like this one should be nationally promoted, as I will do my part to promote this new finding on my websites and social networks.

  

Reference:

Mypyramidtracker.gov  First accessed on November 5^th 2010 with results retrieved on November 7, 2010.