Every five years, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) jointly release a list of guidelines to follow for a healthy diet.¹ Following these tips from the USDA can help support your weight-loss and healthy eating goals.

Eat less sugar, meat and sodium.

Healthy diets should limit saturated fats and trans fats, added sugars and sodium. They should also include fruits (especially whole fruits), vegetables, protein, dairy, grains and oils. The dietary guidelines do not talk about limiting sodas and other sugary drinks, but they suggest limiting sugars and saturated fats to 10 percent of total calories, and sodium to 2,300 mg per day. For a 2,000-calorie diet means: 200 calories of sugar and 200 calories of fat. Learn more at heart.org and http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/executive-summary/.

Be aware of the sources of sodium in your diet. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 40 percent of our daily sodium comes from 10 types of food, some of which do not taste salty. These foods include cured meats and cold cuts, poultry, pizza, soups, cheese, meat dishes, snacks, rolls and bread, and pasta dishes (with the exception of macaroni and cheese).² It is also common to consume sodium from salad dressings, canned foods, condiments, boxed mixes, bottled marinades and sauces, frozen dinners, some ready-to-eat cereals and cheeses.³ In just one meal, a sandwich with deli meat, pickle relish and other toppings, it is possible to get over 1,500 mg of sodium.

Follow healthy eating patterns.

The guidelines also suggest that we follow a healthy eating pattern our entire life ¹

• Consume a variety of nutrient dense foods:
  • Eat dark green, yellow, purple, red, white, and orange fruits/vegetables
  • Incorporate whole fruits and grains
  • Have a variety of fat-free/low-fat dairy including milk, yogurt, and cheese, and/or fortified soy beverages
  • Vary your protein sources (lean poultry and meats, eggs, seafood, legumes, seeds, nuts, and soy products)
• Consume healthy oils
• Control portion sizes
• Consume healthier food/beverages

Increase activity level.

Americans need to be more physically active. Being inactive means there is no activity beyond those of daily living (ADLs).

• Per week, adults should have a minimum of:
  • 150 minutes of low-intensity physical activity (casual walking, stretching, slow dancing, fishing, light yard work)
  • 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (brisk walking, yoga, jumping on a trampoline, weight training, volleyball, tennis, canoeing, horseback riding).
  • 300 + minutes of high-intensity physical activity (running, jogging, step aerobics, jumping rope, boxing, swimming laps, skiing)
• Being physically active can:
  • Help maintain a healthy body weight
  • May improve bone health when weight-bearing exercises are incorporated
• If you have been inactive, gradually build your level of activity.⁴ It may be advisable to check with your health care provider to find out how much and what level of physical activity is appropriate for you.

Make a plan and track your progress.

• Check out the USDA Physical Activity tracker (https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/physicalactivitytracker.aspx)
• Try USDA food tracker to record your meals (https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/foodtracker.aspx )
• Learn portion sizes with choosemyplate.gov
• Explore the 2015-2020 dietary guidelines at http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines

Products by PURE

Many of our products, like Daily Build and Coral Calcium, help supplement your vitamin and mineral requirements, in addition to fruits and vegetables. Superfruits are a wonderful source of antioxidants, such as Mangosteen, Noni, Acai and Goji. Additional fiber and omega-3 fatty acids can be found in Mila. Don’t forget about ENERGY for pre-workout hydration or Hydration for post-workout hydration. The HealthTrim® line can supplement your diet as part of your daily calories and can help with weight management.

 

¹(Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020, 8^th Ed., online http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/?platform=hootsuite). According to the executive summary for the dietary guidelines (Dietary Guidelines 2015-2020. Executive Summary. Online http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/executive-summary/)

² (Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Last updated and reviewed August 21, 2014. Accessed from http://www.cdc.gov/salt/sources.htm. Accessed on January 25, 2016).

³(Keller, M. Seasonings of change. Today’s Dietitian. Oct 2009; 11: 10 (40) Accessed on January 25, 2016. Accessed from http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/100509p40.shtml)

⁴(Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, health.gov. Chapter 1: Introducing the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Last updated: January 25, 2016. Accessed on January 25, 2016. Accessed from http://health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/chapter1.aspx).