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Healthier Diet, Lifestyle Could Begin Today
by Pat Melgares
It's not too late to live a healthier life. In fact, eating more healthfully can
begin anytime - perhaps today, said Mary Meck Higgins, a nutrition educator at Kansas State University.
"It's never too late to turn the tide, so to speak; to put into practice those everyday habits that
can really make a difference in your long-term health as well as your zest for living," she said. "You
don't have to change everything all at once. Just do some little things every once in a while that will
move you toward a more healthful pattern."
Eating foods that are high in nutrients helps people reduce their risk for some diseases.
Higgins suggests a 'Recipe for Health' that includes a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables,
and protein foods; and cutting back on salt, sugar and fat. Good health also includes drinking 8-10 cups
of liquids per day, and exercising for 30 minutes or more on most - or preferably all - days.
For many, eating more healthfully requires the support of friends and family. And, Higgins says, "you need
some knowledge [of proper nutrition] and you'll need some behavior change."
Higgins said the short-term benefits of eating healthfully and exercising include having more energy and an
increased ability to function; satisfying hunger; and saving money. The long-term payoffs include better
health, reduced risk for disease and greater quality of life.
For example, Higgins said, by nourishing your body "you may be able to perform better in athletics, or you
may be able to do better on an exam because you've got a better ability to concentrate."
Higgins offers these tips for improving health:
- Stock your book bag or office with portable, healthful foods, such as carrots, salads, bananas, apples,
canned or dried fruit, granola bars, popcorn and bite-sized cereals.
- Cook 'planned-overs,' or extra portions of the same meal that can be stored in a freezer and re-heated
later for a quick, healthy meal. "If you can cook once and eat twice, that's a real time-saver," Higgins said.
- Follow the dietary recommendations given in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid. On an
average day, Americans don't eat the minimum number of recommended servings from the dairy, fruits, vegetables
or whole grains groups.
- When cooking, substitute herbs or spices for cooking oil or other fat-based products. "You can use some kind
of spicy vegetable salsa, for instance, on your meat or potato," Higgins said, instead of sour cream and butter.
- "Another thing we can do with the fat is to substitute a more healthful fat. For instance, have more of the
monounsaturated fats, rather than saturated fats," she said. A small handful of nuts, such as peanuts or walnuts,
is a good alternative snack.
- To help lower blood pressure, eat food with less salt. "One way to get rid of the salt in our diet is by eating
more savory flavors," such as garlic or curry powder, onion or basil, Higgins said. "There are so many kinds of
spices that can help mask the flavor of not having salt."
Most importantly, Higgins said, "today's a good time to start."
"It's not rocket science, but if you apply this, you may be able to be a rocket scientist more easily, reduce
chronic health problems, and enjoy the days you have. What more can we ask for?"
For more information on health and nutrition, interested persons may contact their local K-State Research
and Extension office.
K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station
and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the
well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension
offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is
on the K-State campus, Manhattan.
Source: Pat Melgares, News Coordinator
pmelgare@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research and Extension
Additional Information:
Mary Meck Higgins is at 785-532-1671
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