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Modern nutrition science is being used to update the notion of "healthy" food. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unveiled a proposal that would alter the criteria that manufacturers must meet in order to make the claim that their food or beverage product is "healthy." The previous definition, which was established in 1994, imposes stringent restrictions on how much sodium, cholesterol, total fat, and saturated fat a meal or beverage may contain. Additionally, it mandated that products include at least 10% of the recommended daily intake of dietary fiber, protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A, or vitamin C for an individual. According to the FDA, just 5% of packaged foods can currently be classified as "healthy," and more than 80% of Americans don't consume enough dairy, fruits, or vegetables. Regulators now want to emphasize the need of encouraging a well-rounded and balanced diet. According to the FDA's proposal, producers may label a food or beverage product as "healthy" if it includes a significant quantity of ingredients from at least one of the food groups or subgroups included in the Dietary Guidelines. These consist of food sources of vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and protein. So...what's "healthy"? This shift in thinking indicates that some foods that were formerly thought to be unhealthy are now viewed as essential components of a balanced diet by nutrition scientists. For instance, nutritionists increasingly recognize that the type of fats a person consumes is just as crucial to health as the quantity of fat they ingest. A few high-fat items can now be categorized as healthy under the new law. Salmon, specific nuts and seeds, avocado, and olive oil are a few of these. In fact, I am a firm believer that low-fat or no-fat trends that started to gain traction in the 1960's and the low-fat/no-fat labeled 'diet' foods that started flying off shelves by the 1990's are a HUGE contributor to obesity crisis now so prevalent. “ We’ve evolved so that now, when we talk about the right nutrition messaging around fat, it’s not just about quantity. It’s like your friends in life—it’s not about how many you have, but the quality of those friends. Will they be there for you when you need them?” said Hope Barkoukis, PhD, RDN, LD, FAND, chair of the department of nutrition at the Case Western Reserve University school of medicine. “We’ve made that huge transition—it’s not a focus exclusively on total fat, but rather the quality.” SO, WHY DOES THIS MATTER? Not only have the distorted definitions of what a healthy diet really looks like led to multiple generations of struggling, chronic dieters (which only compounds the problem), but also an influx in certain health conditions. A balanced diet has long been known to lower the risk of developing chronic diseases. A chronic condition like heart disease or type 2 diabetes, which are linked to diet and are preventable, affects half of the population in the United States. SO, WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT? Breaking the cycle of years and possibly even decades of misinformation and repairing a relationship with food in order to FUEL your body in the ways it truly needs to be healthy is absolutely hard. I know that it certainly was for me. But, it can be done. Yes, you can go it alone, but if you have been a chronic or recurring dieter following outdated ideas that lead to restriction extremes (either in specific food types, macronutrient types or even the 'timing' of your eating schedule, etc.), it can be even more challenging. You don't have to go it alone. I know that I would not have achieved the success I have in my own journey without an amazing support system to help me stay focused and motivated along the way. The RIGHT supplements can help take the edge of some of the inevitable cravings and/or binge patterns that have kept you on the diet hamster wheel so that you can give the necessary attention to fueling your body in a truly nutritious way and on your way to living your life in with a happier and healthier body and mindset!
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About meAfter struggling for years with my own career, marriage and health, I have discovered a whole new quality of life by changing my mindset, taking chances as well as finding and using the right tools to help focus on choices that lead to joy in the pursuit of health and happiness. Now, I'm called to share my journey, what I've learned and those tools so that they might help others, too! Archives
February 2023
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