Truth, Healing, and A Bright Future

The hardest part is the always the truth, and the truth is:
I am an emotional eater.
I struggle with my weight and most of it is because I have spent a big portion of my life with an eating disorder resulting from emotional and physical abuse when I was a child.
I eat too much sugar and trans-fat.
I have little to no self-control when I am stressed, overwhelmed, or upset.

(Shauna.Marie, The Cycle of Emotional Eating)

However, despite the truth about my negative eating patterns, there is hope. I have turned to the Lord for healing to the underlying causes so that truth can change. So my life can change. I started my journey towards healing about 2 years ago, and since then the Lord has placed people in my life to guide me, encourage me, teach me, and help me the way that no one else ever could have. The healing has most recently taken me to the path of forgiveness for people who have hurt me, and I have found that the more I travel down this road, the more in control I am and the better my choices have been, and not just nutritionally. God has broke the chains of tobacco addiction and I will celebrate 2 years smoke free with my husband in 1 week. At that time, I do have plans to begin a 12 week weight lifting training which is complete with a nutritional plan of attack with a carefully researched and designed diet that will not only enhance my physical goals toward health but will be realistic and healthy enough to become a lifestyle that I can carry for the rest of my life. The healing will still be taking place, but I have faith that through this process of healing, learning, and growing I will not only have a bright future where God has broken those chains for me, but will hopefully be able to share my story with others and help them on their own road to healing and becoming healthier.

(Michelle, Hebrews 12:1-2)

(Gethin, 12 Week Trainer)

References

Gethin, K. (Performer). (2013). 12 Week Trainer [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/kris-gethin-12-week-daily-trainer.html

 Michelle. (Performer). (2013). Hebrews 12:1-2 [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.pinterest.com/pin/394768723557977051/

Shauna.Marie. (Producer). (2014, January 09). The Cycle of Emotional Eating [Web Graphic]. Retrieved from http://shaunnamarie.com/emotional-eating/

Nutrition Through the Stages - Pregnancy to Adulthood

Nutrition recommendations for pregnancy:
A woman’s body during pregnancy supplies the nutrients for her own body, but also the growing body of her unborn child. During this period, her body goes through many changes and the baby will be on a journey of rapid growth, both require important nutrients. A pregnant woman’s caloric need do not increase during the first trimester of her pregnancy, however they increase by 340 calories daily during the second trimester and 450 calories daily during the third trimester (Sizer & Whitney, 2014). Recommended servings from the food groups are as follows for pregnant women:
Dairy group – 3 cups per day
Meat/ Beans group – 5.5 oz. per day
Fruit group – 2 cups per day
Vegetable group – 2.5 cups per day
Grains group – 6 oz. per day
Oils/Healthy Fats – 6 teaspoons per day
(Smith, 2009)

( UniversalHealthCarela.com, Nutrition during pregnancy)

Nutrition recommendations for infancy:
When a baby is born, the woman’s body is already equipped to provide food to the infant via breast milk, and as long as the woman’s diet is nutrient dense, the only nutrient the infant will not get from the mother is vitamin D, which is typically absorbed through direct sunlight, but since this is not suggested for infants, there are supplements available (Sizer & Whitney, 2014). There are certain times when breast milk is not best, such as when the mother is sick, is taking drugs, or is physically incapable to provide sufficiently for the infant and in these situations there are iron fortified formulas that replicate the nutritional needs of the infant (Sizer & Whitney, 2014). This is also a time when a mother if breast feeding should increase her nutrition as well so she can remain healthy and provide for her child and a breast feeding mother should eat more than a pregnant mother (Sizer & Whitney, 2014).

(NiDerLander, Breastfeeding )

Nutrition recommendations for childhood:
The childhood years, from about 2 years old until around 12 years old, is a more difficult time frame to nail recommendations to because a child’s individual needs will vary based on age, activity level, growth patterns and gender; typically the older a child is, the more calories they will need to consume to meet their energy needs (Sizer & Whitney, 2014). Regardless of these large variances, children of all ages need to be consuming nutrient dense diets that will give them the vitamins and minerals they need to grow. The daily recommended servings for a child are:
Fruit – 1 to 1 ½ cups daily
Vegetables – 1 to 1 ½ cups daily
Grains – 1 ½ to 2 ½ oz daily
Meat/Beans – 2 to 4 oz daily
Dairy – 2 to 2 ½ cups daily
Oils/Healthy Fats – 3 to 4 teaspoons daily
(USDA, N.D.)

(Keeler, If they like it)

Nutritional recommendations for adolescence: It is during the adolescence years that children begin to make their own diet choices, and it is also a time in life when they will reach an important growth spurt that changes the whole body, including the brain (Sizer & Whitney, 2014). The caloric needs of an adolescence will differ based on age, gender, body composition, growth patterns, and activity level, but a nutrient dense diet is still healthy and highly recommended (Sizer & Whitney, 2014). The daily recommended servings for adolescence are:
Fruit – 1 ½ to 2 cups daily
Vegetables – 2 to 3 cups daily
Grains – 3 to 4 oz daily
Meat/Beans – 5 to 6 ½ oz daily
Dairy – 3 cups daily
Oils/Healthy Fats – 5 to 6 teaspoons daily
(USDA, N.D.)

(CDC, Smart snacks in school)

Nutritional recommendations for adulthood:
Once a person reaches adulthood, the body stops growing and things begin to regulate, or in some cases even reverse. For instance metabolism-controlling hormone thyroxin diminishes, reducing the body’s resting metabolic rate by 3 to 5 percent per decade, which causes the body to have a lower caloric need (Sizer & Whitney, 2014). Although most adults need the same amount of protein as they age, they need less calories and therefore should strive to get more calories from protein rich foods than they needed before (Sizer & Whitney, 2014). The daily recommended servings for adults are:
Fruit – 2 cups daily
Vegetables – 2 to 2 ½ cups daily
Grains – 3 to 4 oz daily
Meat/Beans – 5 ½ to 6 ½ oz daily
Dairy – 3 cups daily
Oils/Healthy Fats – 5 to 7 teaspoons daily
(USDA, N.D.)

(Okea, Adult Nutrition)

References

CDC. (Designer). (2014, June 05). Smart snacks in school [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/nutrition/standards.htm

 Keeler, L. (Producer). (2011). If they like it [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.readysetgrowmag.com/index.php?page_id=269&id=1368

NiDerLander. (Photographer). (2014). Breastfeeding [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/Hea-Irr/Infant-Nutrition.html

Okea. (Photographer). (2014). Adult Nutrition [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/A-Ap/Adult-Nutrition.html

Sizer, F., & Whitney, E. (2014). Nutrition - concepts and controversies. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Smith, K. (2009). Nutritional needs of pregnancy and breastfeeding. Agricultural Administration, Ohio State University Extension. Retrieved from http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/pdf/5573.pdf

UniversalHealthCarela.com. (Designer). (2013). Nutrition during pregnancy [Print Map]. Retrieved from http://universalhealthcarela.com/nutrition-during-pregnancy-images/

US Department of Agriculture, Nutrition and Health. (N.D.). Myplate kids' place. Retrieved from website: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/kids/

Wait, Weight?

People can be separated into 5 different catagories:

Underweight
Normal Weight
Overweight
Obese
Morbidly Obese

( texasmama12 , Body weight and BMI)

The above picture can give you a good idea of what these each would look like on a person of the same height and what the weight range would be, as well as the BMI or body mass index. People who fall under the first catagory, the underweight, face the problem of not having enough nutrients or stored energy within their body. This is a good indication of something wrong, such as an eating disorder or a medical problem, although there are times when this is not always true, being underweight, especially severely underweight can cause severe and adverse health problems that can lead to death. The larger a person gets beyond a normal weight, the higher the risk for just as severe and adverse health problems as those who are severely underweight. It is estimated that today in America about 68% of the population is overweight or obese, and about 35% of those fall into the obese category (Sizer & Whitney, 2014). Those in these categories face many obesity related diseases, such as:
▪ Diabetes.
▪ Heart disease.
▪ Hypertension (high blood pressure).
▪ Gallbladder stones.
▪ Nonalcoholic fatty liver leading to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and cancer.
▪ Other cancers.
▪ Stroke.
(Sizer & Whitney, 2014)
Also, it is estimated that about 70% of those in these categories have at least one of these disease, and some have more than one (Sizer & Whitney, 2014)

A healthy diet could help those who are underweight to increase their weight in a healthy manner, as well as helping those who are overweight to lose weight in an equally healthy manner. The nutritional needs of those within these categories may be different, but they all require nutrient dense diets rich in macro and micro-nutrients in balanced amounts without excess fat, sugar, sodium and other unnecessary components that can be found in foods yet are not good for a person no matter what category they fall under. With this diet change, a person who wishes to change the category their body is in should also partake in an appropriate physical activity, as this will help to build strong muscles and a strong cardiovascular system.

If a person is currently at a normal weight, eating enough nutrient dense food and partaking in appropriate physical activity will keep them from falling into the underweight category, while avoiding overeating, especially foods and beverages that are full of empty calories, excess sugars and fats, will help to keep them from gaining the unwanted weight and fat that would push them into the overweight and higher categories.

References

Drasin, R. (Producer). (2010, April 09). Healthy weight [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/lifestyle-for-healthy-weight-loss.htm

 Sizer, F., & Whitney, E. (2014). Nutrition - concepts and controversies. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. 

texasmama12 (Producer). (2012, Aug 13). Body weight and BMI [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://healthylifestyle-2012.blogspot.com/2012/08/prevention-of-underweight-overweight.html

Digestion, Absorption, and Metabolism Baby!

 Digestion is the process of food being broken down through the body through mechanical and chemical processes so the body can obtain the macro and micro-nutrients that it needs from substances it can use (Sizer & Whitney, 2014).  When macro-nutrients are digested, it begins in the mouth where enzymes are released to chemically break down food and the teeth mechanically break down food so it can be swallowed, in the stomach an enzyme called pepsin to digest proteins and carbohydrates are broken down into sugars that the body then absorbs and uses for energy (Food and Digestion, 2004). Carbohydrates, such as starches like bread, need amylase to digest within the chemical process, the proteins, such as nuts, need protease to digest within the chemical process, and fats, such as olive oil, need lipase to digest within the chemical process and this takes place in the food's next stop - the intestines where the body absorbs nutrients (Food and Digestion, 2004). The small intestine is responsible for secreting the enzymes and absorbing the nutrients into the blood and lymph and is made possible by the villi and micro-villi covering the inside of the intestine that create an extreme amount of surface area which allows for vast amounts of absorption (Food and Digestion, 2004), while the small intestine then reabsorbs water and minerals then passes the wastes such as fiber, bacteria, and unabsorbed nutrients to the rectum (Sizer & Whitney, 2014). After digestion and absorption, nutrients are then carried to the cells in the body and are changed into energy through the process of metabolism, this happens through either aerobic metabolism or anaerobic metabolism (Sizer & Whitney, 2014).

(Jenny4ever, Absorption)

References

Food and digestion. (2004). Retrieved June 16, 2014, from http://digital.films.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=18596&xtid=35548  

Jenny4ever. (Producer). (2012, Dec 10). Absorption [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/story.php?title=chapter-3-nutrition

Sizer, F., & Whitney, E. (2014). Nutrition - concepts and controversies. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.