Hiroki Nagamine writes:
Mr.Tanaka has some questions and problems. I'll answer them as his doctor.
First, he wonders what's the real difference between carbohydrates and
fats. "Carbohydrates" include all starches and sugars. They are the
body's main source of energy. Each gram of carbohydrate provides 4
calories. Most foods contain carbohydrates. The main sugar in food is
sucrose, which is everyday white or brown sugar. Other sugars include
lactose (found in milk) and fructose (found in most fruits and many
vegetables). Starches are a more complex form of carbohydrate. They
are more filling and contain more nutrients than foods with lots of
sugars, fats, or oils. Foods containing starches include beans,
breads, cereals, pasta, and potatoes. On the other hand, "fats" pack a
lot of energy. Each gram of fat provides 9 calories. There are three
kinds of fat: saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. Animal
and dairy fats, which remain solid at room temperature, are saturated
fats. Saturated fat is often called "bad" fat. Unsaturated fats
include vegetable fat and oils; they remain liquid at room
temperature.
Second, he seems to pay attention to eating red meat which has lots of
high protein, but he wonders if it's good enough. I think it's "not
enough". It is essential for a man to have proteins.
Proteins provide energy at 4 calories per gram, but they are more
important as the body's building materials. Muscle, skin, bone, and
hair are made up largely of proteins. In addition, every cell contains
proteins called enzymes, which speed up chemical reactions in the
body. Cells could not function without these enzymes. But, too much
proteins are needless. He should take 2-3 ounces of cooked lean meat,
poultry, or fish; 1 egg; 1/2 cup cooked beans; 2 tablespoons seeds and
nuts as one serving. And, he should have a number of foods plentiful
because red meat has little vitamins, minerals, fibers, and so on.
Third, he said that he doesn't have time to eat breakfast most
mornings. He should not skip meals, especially breakfast, even though
he doesn't have time to eat breakfast or want to lose his weight.
Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in
overeating. When you're very hungry, it's also tempting to forget
about good nutrition. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger, but
don't eat so much that your snack becomes an entire meal.
Fourth, he needs to intake fast food like cheeseburgers or udon and eat
a lot of meat, beef and pork mostly at lunch and dinner. I think he
had better change his style of eating, because his favorite foods
contain a lot of fats, specially mono saturated fats. It's true that
fat should be a valuable energy source and carry fat-soluble vitamins
needed for proper growth and development. It also contributes
important taste and textural qualities that are part of enjoying food.
Too much fat, however, can increase the risk of heart disease, obesity
and other health problems. When moderating fat intake, it's important
to consider these points: 1) Remember, the 30 percent refers to your
total fat intake over time, not single foods or meals. 2) All fats are
a combination of saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty
acids. Each of these types of fats have different effects on the body,
but all contain nine calories per gram. 3) Remember, it's the total fat
intake over time that's important. A food high in fat can be part of a
healthy diet as long as it's balanced with other lower-fat food
choices.
Fifth, he relies on vitamin supplements which he takes with four or
five cups of coffee in the morning and colas in the afternoon. He has
a false idea of coffee and colas. Coffee, tea, cola drinks,
chocolate, some pain relievers, and many over-the-counter energy aids
all contain caffeine. Caffeine is a drug that stimulates the central
nervous system, making you feel more energetic. As a diuretic, it
increases the blood flow through your kidneys, which produce more
urine. This is why cola drinks are not recommended for quenching
thirst. And, he want to know recommended daily amounts (RDA) of
vitamins and minerals for a man his age. RDA is as follows:
Sixth, he says that he exercises for only about a half an hour once a
week since he is so busy, and yet he feels this is enough to keep him
from becoming fat. I think he have full of mistakes. 1st, a half an
hour exercise once a week is not sufficient for keeping him from
becoming fat. If an adult aim at keeping proper weight, he must walk 30
minutes a day at least. In Mr. Tanaka's case, it's necessary to
exercise more because he wants to reduce his LDL, which is too high
(172). Of course, it's not necessary to have hard exercise. He should
take moderate exercise, for example riding a bicycle, walking fast for
a while and so on, and keep doing this "regularly".
Seventh, he says that he doesn't like vegetables. Vegetables provide
vitamins (especially A and C), are excellent sources of fiber, and are
naturally low in fat. For maximum nutrients, select dark leafy greens,
deep-yellow or orange vegetables, and starchy vegetables like potatoes
and yams. 1 serving = 1 cup raw leafy greens; 1/2 cup other vegetables
chopped; 3/4 cup vegetable juice.
At last, since he is confused of much information for health, I'll
advise him "briefly". He seems to gain weight or to develop diabetes
or other health problems on a high-carbohydrate diet. First, I suggest he should
eat a higher percentage of dietary protein. He can achieve a good
protein-to-carbohydrate balance by eating small servings of animal
protein with lower-carbohydrate vegetables instead of higher-carbohydrate grains. He
can eat a hormonally correct meal if he chooses a portion of low-fat
animal protein (poultry, fish or lean meats) about the size of the
palm of your hand, with a serving twice that size of nonstarchy
vegetables. A meal like this provides 30 percent of its calories from
protein and 40 percent from carbohydrates. This balance is best for
most people because it triggers a favorable hormonal response that
encourages health. Second, he should take moderate exercise, for example
riding a bicycle, walking fast for a while and so on, and keep doing
this "regularly", I said above.
B1: 1.0mg/day
B2: 1.4mg/day
B6: 2mg
B12: 0.002g
naiacine: 17mg
C: 50mg
A: 2000I.U.
D: 100
E: 8mg
K: 0.08mg
Ca: 600mg
Mg: 300mg
Fe: 10mg
No one food contains all of the above vitamins and minerals. It's
important for him not to have a lot of one food but to have
various foods.
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