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Kimberly A. Searlc lie n t c----------.J www.mindbodybalance.com

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uring the holidays, we typi- include healthful food items in your 4 Beans, Whole-Grain Breads

Dcally hear a great deal about diet each week. Avoid adding too and Cereals. These are a few ofwhat not to eat. Regardless of much at once, though, since this time the food items that provide fiber.

the season, many of us have come to of year can be overwhelming enough. Most of us do not get enough fiberequate good nutrition with eating Instead, gradually make dietary (20 to 35 grams each day) in ourless. Today's nutrition experts, how- changes by planning ahead. Add new diets. Work at getting your quota byever, are sending a different message: items to your shopping list, meals and consistently planning high-fiber mealEat more, but eat more of the right snacks. When possible, stock healthy choices.things. foods in your car, next to your com-Why? Because attempting to puter or in other handy spots. In short,

restrict your daily diet too rigidly can spend less time thinking about whatmean eating an inadequate variety of you will not eat and more time plan-foods, resulting in an insufficient ning what you will eat.caloric or nutrient intake. Less con- Following is a list of foods yousumption may even cause a backlash: may want to increase in your diet,defiant overeating of high-fat and along with details on their reportedsugary food choices. Fortifying your health benefits:diet with health-conscious choicescan have the opposite effect, notablyreducing your interest in empty calo-ries by filling you up and fully satis-fying your nutritional needs.

Add Function to Your FoodAdding "functional foods" (alsocalled "nutraceuticals" or "designerfoods") to your diet can provide ben-efits beyond basic nutrition, such asprevention against heart disease andcancer. Nutrition consultant SusanKundrat, MS, RD, LD, notes thatfunctional foods can be plant- oranimal-based or engineered in a labo-ratory setting. Keep in mind, how-ever, that research in this area isemerging rapidly. Many results arenot yet conclusive, and individualresponses to nutrients can vary. Fornow, Kundrat advises eating a widevariety of foods, particularly thosewith known functional benefits.

Add Healthful Items to Your DietWant to feel healthier during theholidays? Make a serious effort to

1 Water. Daniel Kosich, PhD, inhis book GET REAL: A

Personal Guide to Real-Life WeightManagement, confirms that water isan extremely important nutrient. Ourbodies are not designed to alert uswhen we need water, so we cannotdepend on thirst alone to guide us.We need between six and eightglasses of water-at least eightounces each-per day when we areless active, more when we are active.

2 Citrus Fruits; Berries;Green, Leafy Vegetables. All

of these are good sources of vitaminC, an important antioxidant believedto boost the immune system, aid inthe absorption of iron, improvecholesterol balance and help lowerhigh blood pressure.

3 Nuts, Seeds, Wheat Germ.These provide vitamin E,

another essential antioxidant shownto promote heart health, prevent can-cer and provide numerous other bene-fits.

5 Garlic, Onions, Leeks,Chives. These are good

sources of allyl sulfides, which,among other benefits, may reduce therisk of cancer and heart disease.

6 Soy Products. Isoflavones insoy foods may lower blood

cholesterol and reduce the risk ofcancer, heart disease and osteoporo-SIS.

7 Honey, Bananas, Tomatoes,Barley, Rye. Phytochemicals

called "fructooligosaccharides" inthese foods may improve digestion,help calcium absorption, lower bloodcholesterol and reduce osteoporosisrisk.

8 Purple Grape Juice, RedWine, Green and Black

Tea.These are sources offlavonoids,which are believed to reduce the riskof cancer and heart disease.

9 Flaxseed, Canola andSoybean Oil. The alpha-

linolenic acid in these products mayreduce hypertension and inflamma-tion, as well as improve the immunesystem.

10 Cabbage, Kale, BrusselsSprouts, Cauliflower,

Broccoli. These foods contain indolesand isothiocyanates, which mayreduce your risk of colon, stomach,lung and rectal cancer.

This handout is a service of IDEA. the leading international membership association in the health and fitness industry.©2002 by IDEA Health & Fitness Association. Reprint permission is granted to IDEA members by the copyright owner, IDEA Health & Fitness Inc.

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