From: goodguy@next03pg2.wam.umd.edu (Shen Kai Lew)
Subject: Re: Nutritional information
Organization: Workstations at Maryland, University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 16:18:23 GMT

In article <1992Aug12.073955.13765@athena.mit.edu> cansoori@athena.mit.edu  
(Christina Ansoorian) writes:
> I am looking for basic nutritional information for my brother.
> Caution: the following post contains references to eating meat.  If
> you don't want to read it, hit "n" now.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> background:
> He has always had very poor eating habits.  Most of what he ate
> was meat, and he would eat a great deal of fried food and fatty,
> sugary things like ice cream.  
> 
> About a month ago, he ended up in the hospital because of food
> poisoning (KFC gone bad).  While there, the doctor told him he
> had to reform his eating habits and give up smoking.  He did
> manage to give up smoking, and has been trying to eat healthier,
> but he knows absolutely NOTHING about nutrition.  As an example
> of this, I recently had a conversation with him on the phone
> that went something like:
> me: (asking about what he's been eating lately)
> him: more fruits and veggies, esp. avocados
> me: don't you know that avocados are absolutely loaded with fat?
> him: (he really didn't know) But they're natural, so it must
>       be good for you, right?
> me: well, aresenic is natural.
> him: it is?
> 
> 
> I would like to give him some solid basic nutritional information,
> things like, what is a carbohydrate?  what is cholesterol?  how
> does your body utilize protein?   How much of what does a healthy
> body need every day, and why?   So that he will actually be able
> to analyze what he is putting into his body.  Does anyone have
> any files containing this kind of information?  Can anyone recommend
> a good text that would contain this information?  Nothing too 
> complicated, this is just the first step.
> 
> He has absolutely no intention of becoming a vegetarian, but I think
> he realizes that he has to cut his meat intake way down.  I have been
> a vegetarian since the beginning of the summer, so I have lots of 
> recipes that I've been saving up that I can send to him.  However, if
> anyone has anything like healthy, lowfat chicken or fish recipes 
> I could send those to him too.  He is somewhat willing to try new  
things,
> but he is a picky eater.
> 
> Any help that anyone could give me would be greatly appriciated.
> Email would be best, but I'll try to keep up with these newsgroups.
> Thanks!
> 
> Christina
> 
> Dear Christina,

>   I will not be able to recommend a book or a scientific journal for  
your brother, but I can tell you what I know from experience and nutrition  
classes. Red meat is okay, but Hamburgers and steaks everyday of the week  
will kill him in a couple of years. Red meat usually contains fat. The  
trick is to go for lean cut, and remove visible fat from the meat. Also  
try a different variety like white meat- turkey, chicken - which has lower  
fat. Nutrionists recommend limiting fat intake to 20 grams per day. From  
experience that is pretty hard, you gotta have a strong willpower. It is  
the information age, so read the nutrition labels. For a picky eater,  
invest in a respectable cookbook for low-fat receipes. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO  
SACRIFICE TASTE IN A LOW-FAT RECEIPE. Load the food with spices and it'll  
be just as delicious. (How do you think restaurants do it?) 

The four conventional basic food groups does not apply in the 90s anymore.  
The new food groups are - beans, fiber, grain, and vegetables.  
Carbohydrates, proteins, and fat are SECONDARY, but nevertheless vital.  
The trick is to strike a balance among all the foods. For me, I increase  
carbohydrates (potatoes, bread), maintain proteins (white meat - no more  
than four days per week), and lower fat considerably ( I add spices ). I  
never skip breakfast which is THE FIRST FOOD the body gets for energy at  
the start of the day. Cereal and fruits are excellent (you can mix  
different cereal and fruits, or blend a combination fruit mix) I stay away  
from eggs, bacon, and hot dogs (esp. 7-11 breakfast bites) because when  
you think about it, they have no nutritional value at all other than fat.  
If you drink milk or other dairy products (excluding ice-cream), you don't  
need eggs. Fat is found in almost every solid food; so you will never die  
from lack of fat. The issue is not whether to consume fat, but to REGULATE  
fat intake. There are also many ways to whip up exotic salads. Go to the  
library or bookstore, look up cookbooks. For die-hard meat lovers, forget  
it, we'll see who lives longer. Vegetarians are not weenies, wake up and  
smell the coffee. (1) it's healthy living (2) it's personal choice

Finally, physical exercise. It has become second nature to sleeping and  
driving. Don't overdo it. Aerobic (deep breathing and bursting lungs, and  
pulsating heart) exercise for 15 minutes at least three times a week is  
more than adequate. Start out slow, increase intensity gradually. At the  
first sign of injury, STOP, ice and rest UNTIL fully recovered. No use  
aggravating the injury further. Exercise improves sleep and body energy,  
it gives more time and pleasure for sex and other duties. You look good  
and feel good NATURALLY. Forget vitamin supplements. Human food is more  
than enough. We are not laboratory animals. What kind of exercise? Oh  
depends on what you like - I like cycling, occasional running (running in  
groups is better), and basketball. Most important is to invest in the  
appropriate equipment for your chosen activity. It goes a long way in  
saving you trouble down the road. 


Hit me -----------------    Marvin.        
> 
> 
Newsgroups: misc.fitness