On Tuesday evening, March 19, the Navigating the Medical System Lecture Series featured a virtual lecture on maintaining a healthful weight, hosted by Congregation Etz Chaim.
Dr. Mel Breite, Founder and Director of the Lecture Series, shared that walking around Queens, with the exception of Downtown Flushing, he sees way too many people with large bellies. We want to keep everyone healthy. We want everyone to eliminate eating the wrong foods and to enjoy good food.
Nicole Santos, MS, RN, CNSC, Clinical Registered Dietician at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Queens, shared a very informative lecture on how to maintain a healthy weight through diet and exercise. She shared valuable tips and strategies that will be useful for everyone.
She began by sharing that March is national nutrition month, and there are many holidays in this month. The Academy of Dieticians named the theme this year, “Beyond the Table.” She asked the audience to think about what challenges they face to maintaining a healthy weight. Each person has different circumstances and factors that impact him or her. There is no one-size-fits-all for nutrition and eating healthy. We can all take strategies and tools from tonight’s lecture that will work for us.
Everyone wants a diet he or she can follow. It is not so simple. Instead, she shared tools that we can use and incorporate into our own diet. She shared a photo of a plate that was divided into one half fruits and vegetables, one quarter grains, and one quarter protein. Dairy was in a separate circle.
The New York City Health Department says we should have one half vegetables, one half starch (like rice or potatoes or peas), and one quarter protein. She said we can use the “My Plate” method no matter where we are eating. The overall formula is one half vegetables, one quarter protein, and one quarter starch.
She taught that we should eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables. It’s important to eat a variety of colors. Red fruits and vegetables have anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants, and they help heart health. Greens have anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants, and they reduce the risk of cancer. Purple and blue vegetables and fruits are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and help brain function and heart health. Orange and yellow are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and promote eye health. All fruits and vegetables have an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant function.
She recommended eating whole grains for rice, bread, and pasta. In terms of cereal, whole grains are preferred.
Whole grains are important because of their fiber content. They also have vitamins and minerals intact.
Fiber found in plant products promotes fullness, blood sugar control, heart health, and provides vitamins and minerals.
She also recommended that if you have diabetes, you should eat slightly smaller serving sizes.
Protein should be lean animal protein. Plant protein includes tofu, soy products, legumes, and nuts. The bonus of plant protein is that it contains fiber.
She noted that protein helps you stay full, and it is best to choose lean sources for heart health. Remove fat from animal protein.
She then spoke about healthy fats. Unsaturated fats from plant sources are the ones that are anti-inflammatory. Saturated fats increase heart disease. Examples of plant-based fats include canola, olive, and avocado oil. There are omega-3 fatty acids in fish. These are needed for skin health.
Milk products should be low-fat. There are alternative milks like soy, oat, and nut milks. Milk is an important source of protein, calcium, and Vitamin D.
Water is the best hydration for body function. It aids heart health and removes waste. Daily goal is 2-2.5 liters or 8 cups. Limit sweetened beverages. Flavored unsweetened seltzer is a good alternative.
She also shared that it’s good to add spices to add flavor to your food. She spoke about portion sizes next. Use the palm of your hand for portion size of protein. Use your fist for measuring the starch serving size. Use fingertips for fats portion size. Use your thumb for nut butter serving size.
Be sure to read labels and ingredients. You want products with as low trans-fat as possible. There should be less than 5 grams per serving. Saturated fat should be less than 10% or 2 grams per serving. Sodium should be less than 2,300 mg per day. Also, look at the serving size on the label. Added sugars should be less than 10% of total calories. Fiber should be 25-30 g or 2 grams per serving. Also look for micronutrients such as Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium.
You want to limit added sugars and sodium. She said one teaspoon of salt per day should be the limit.
She then spoke about exercise. The goal is 150 minutes weekly of moderate-intensity physical activity. A brisk walk every day for 25 minutes or a 15-minute walk twice a day, six days a week, is recommended. It is good to also include body weight and cardio exercise.
There are documented benefits for physical and mental health, well-being, and longevity from regular exercise. Also, adequate rest is important. The goal is seven to nine hours each night. Sleep deprivation can lead to weakened immunity and weight gain, poor memory, heart disease, and diabetes.
The community is grateful for this health-giving, informative lecture!
By Susie Garber
