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Top Minerals |
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Diets -
Helpful Information
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 Three minerals are especially
important during the adolescent years, but that doesn't mean that total diet
isn't important, too. Teens won't get enough calcium, iron and zinc—plus the energy and protein they need to
grow—without eating a variety of nutrient-dense
foods.
Calcium: About 99 percent of calcium in the body is found in the bones and teeth. Because almost
half of the adult skeleton forms during adolescence, teens—especially
girls—need plenty of calcium (1,500 milligrams per day). Symptoms of calcium
deficiency aren't likely to appear until much later in life. Getting enough
calcium during the teen years helps girls fulfill their peak bone mass
potential. The more bone mass a girl builds, the better off she will be as bone
is lost later in life and osteoporosis becomes a threat.
Ironically, just when they need
calcium the most, young girls tend to consume less. Teenage girls shy away from milk and dairy products, the richest
sources of calcium, because they perceive these foods as fattening. As a
result, most young girls are likely not to get the calcium they need. But
recent studies show that girls can include dairy products in their everyday
diet without gaining weight. Substituting yogurt for high-calorie, high-fat
snacks and milk for high-calorie soft drinks are two steps in the right
direction.
Iron: Anemia can strike during infancy and adolescence—times when
the body is building trillions of new red blood cells to carry oxygen and
nutrients to a growing body. Teenage girls who diet and those who have heavy-
menstrual bleeding are at risk for developing iron-deficiency anemia. Symptoms
include fatigue, dizziness, headache and irritability. Girls who are not yet
menstruating require 12.5 milligrams of
iron daily. After menarche the requirement jumps to 18 milligrams daily.
Poultry, lean meats, legumes, green vegetables and iron-fortified cereal are
good sources of iron.
Zinc: Essential for protein synthesis and growth, zinc is also
particularly important for sexual maturation. For teenage girls the recommended
daily intake is 12 milligrams. Good sources are poultry, lean meats, dairy
products, legumes and whole.
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How to Choose a Weight-Loss Program |
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Diets -
Helpful Information
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 If you decide to try a
commercial weight-loss program, investigate your options carefully. Naturally,
you'll want a safe, reasonably priced program with features that will meet your
unique needs. Here are some questions to consider:
- Are you ready to commit to
losing weight and keeping it off? Try to focus on health rather than
appearance. You'll be more successful in the long run.
- Does the program you are
considering include ongoing weight-maintenance support?
Quick-fix
weight-loss programs won't give you long-term results. Learning how to
maintain your weight by changing eating and other lifestyle behaviors is the
key to lifelong health benefits.
- Does the program encourage
physical activity?
Exercise not only
promotes weight loss; it also helps you maintain a healthy weight. A good
program advocates physical activity and shows you how to increase your level of
exercise gradually and safely.
- What does the program
suggest as your goal weight and how long will it take you to reach it?
Your
goal weight should be realistic and based on your personal and family weight
history—not just height and weight charts. Remember even a ten-pound weight
loss will have positive health benefits. The slower you lose weight, the more
likely you are to keep it off. A one-half to one-pound loss per week is a safe
goal. (You may lose weight more rapidly at first, but this loss is mosdy
water.) If you plan to lose more than twenty pounds, if you have any health
problems or if you take medication on a regular basis, consult your doctor
before starting a weight-loss plan.
- What is the program format?
If
you need a lot of social support, you might want to join a self-help-style
group. If you are enthusiastic about exercise, investigate programs offered by
health clubs.
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How Important are Vitamins |
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Diets -
Helpful Information
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 In addition to acting as an
antioxidant, vitamin C plays an
important role in helping the body absorb iron. It is possible to get
enough vitamin C from a well-balanced diet, but studies have shown that some
elderly people are at risk for a deficiency, especially since the body doesn't
store this vitamin.
Although older people may ingest
less vitamin A, they seem to store it more efficiently than younger adults do.
Vitamin E deficiencies are rare and not considered a risk for elderly people.
There is some evidence that a high intake of vitamin E from food or supplements
may lower your risk for heart disease, cancer and premature aging.
B Vitamins: Folic acid lowers blood levels of a chemical called
homocysteine, which is linked to heart attack and may be involved in stroke as
well. Folic acid also helps in the manufacture of red blood cells, and a
deficiency may lead to anemia. A deficiency in vitamin B12 also can
result in anemia as well as in neurological problems like poor balance and
impaired memory. A B12 deficiency may develop in older people
because they become less able to absorb die nutrient. Some older adults may
need more B6 in their diets than the 1.6 milligrams needed daily by
younger people. A vitamin B6 deficiency can affect immunity.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D is especially important to older women because it
helps the body absorb and use calcium to retain bone. Older adults typically
have lower levels of active vitamin D because they consume less from food. The
body can manufacture vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunlight, but many
older people no longer spend sufficient time outdoors, and overexposure to
sunlight can cause skin cancer. Minerals: Both calcium and phosphorous are
critical to bone health in elderly women. The third player on the bone health
team is vitamin D, which is necessary for calcium absorption. Because many
elderly women cannot get enough of these micro-nutrients in their regular diet,
your doctor may want you to take a supplement.
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