What Are We Getting From Our Foods and What Do We Need To Get?
Many middle-age and older Americans aren’t getting enough micronutrients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and vitamin C, all of which play an important role in maintaining health, a new study finds. 
Researchers analyzed data from more than 6,200 people in four ethnic groups — white, black, Hispanic and Chinese. More than half of the participants took supplements, and those most likely to use supplements were older, women, white and college-educated. The most common supplements were calcium and vitamin C.
Dietary intake of calcium, magnesium, potassium and vitamin C was similar between those who took supplements and those who didn’t, but there were differences in median dietary intake levels between the different ethnic groups. Chinese Americans tended to have the lowest dietary intakes of all micronutrients, particularly calcium. Blacks also had significantly lower dietary intakes of calcium than whites and Hispanics.
The researchers also evaluated differences between high-dose supplements and multivitamins. High-dose calcium was associated with users meeting recommended daily allowances (RDA) or adequate intake (AI) for all ethnic groups.
However, some high-dose supplements could cause users to exceed their Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs). For calcium, 15 percent of high-dose users exceeded the UL compared with 1.9 percent of multivitamin users and 2.1 percent of non-users. For magnesium, 35.3 percent of high-dose supplement users exceeded the UL, compared with zero percent of both multivitamin users and non-users. For vitamin C, 6.6 percent of high-dose users exceeded the UL, compared with zero percent of both multivitamin users and non-users.
The researchers also found that potassium intake was well below the RDA in both supplement users and non-users. This suggests it may be necessary to reformulate supplements to deliver higher potassium doses, they said.
“The present study indicates a clear association between meeting RDA/AIs and supplement use for calcium, magnesium and vitamin C,” wrote Pamela J. Schreiner, professor and director of graduate studies in the division of epidemiology and community health at the University of Minnesota, and her colleagues.
“However, even with the assistance of dietary supplements, many middle-aged and older Americans are not getting adequate nutrition, and there was no association between supplement use and meeting the AI for potassium,” the researchers concluded. “In addition, those taking high-dose vitamin supplements were more likely to exceed the UL for that nutrient. Future studies should explore dietary supplementation along with other methods to improve nutrition in middle-aged and older Americans.”
The study was published in the March issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Nutrition: Tips for Improving Your Health
Good nutrition is one of the keys to good health. This means making sure you regularly eat foods that have a lot of vitamins and minerals in them, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low- or nonfat dairy.
According to TheRealFoodChannel.com:
Food is one of those things that is largely under your personal control.
And that’s a good thing because it turns out what you eat makes a HUGE difference in your health, much bigger than the corporate-controlled media lets on.
For example, “incurable” diseases like diabetes and heart disease appear to be VERY responsive to diet.
There is being launched a BRAND NEW VIDEO CHANNEL devoted exclusively to health and food. It’s called TheRealFoodChannel.com.
Here’s the clip that got us thinking:
http://www.therealfoodchannel.com/videos/processed_people.html
Do I need to change what I eat?
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you may need to talk about nutrition with your doctor:
* Has your doctor talked with you about a medical problem or a risk factor, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol?
* Did your doctor tell you that this condition could be improved by better nutrition?
* Do diabetes, cancer, heart disease or osteoporosis run in your family?
* Are you overweight?
* Do you have questions about what kinds of foods you should eat or whether you should take vitamins?
* Do you think that you would benefit from seeing a nutritionist? (A nutritionist is a registered dietitian who specializes in nutrition counseling.)
Won’t it be hard to change my eating habits? 
Probably, but even very small changes can improve your health considerably. The key is to keep trying to eat the right foods and stay in touch with your doctor and nutritionist, so they know how you are doing. Here are a few suggestions that can improve your eating habits:
* Find the strong points and weak points in your current diet. Do you eat 4 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables every day? Do you get enough calcium? Do you eat whole-grain, high-fiber foods regularly? If so, you’re on the right track! Keep it up. If not, try adding more of these foods to your daily diet.
* Make small, slow changes, instead of trying to make large, fast changes. Small changes will be easier to make and stick with.
* Keep track of your food intake by writing down what you eat and drink every day. This record will help you see if you need to eat more from any food groups (such as fruits, vegetables or dairy products) or if you need to eat less of a good group (such as processed or high-fat foods).
* Think about asking for help from a nutritionist if you haven’t already done so, especially if you have a medical problem that requires you to follow a special diet.
Can I trust nutrition information I get from newspapers and magazines?
Nutrition tips and diets from different sources often conflict with each other. You should always check with your doctor first. Also, keep in mind this advice:
* There is no “magic bullet” when it comes to nutrition. Short-term diets may help you lose weight, but they are difficult to keep up and may even be unhealthy in the long run.
* Good nutrition doesn’t come in a vitamin pill. Only take a vitamin with your doctor’s recommendation, as your body benefits the most from eating healthy, whole foods.
* Eating a variety of foods is best for your body, so try new foods!
* Stories from people who have used a diet program or product, especially in commercials and infomercials, are advertisements. These people are usually paid to endorse what the advertisement is selling. Remember, regained weight or other problems that develop after someone has completed the program are never talked about in those ads.
What changes can I make now in my diet?
Almost everyone can benefit from cutting back on unhealthy fat. If you currently eat a lot of fat, try just one or two of the following changes, or those suggested in our handout on healthier food choices:
* Rather than frying meat, try baking, grilling or broiling. Take the skin off before eating chicken or turkey. Eat fish at least once a week.
* Cut back on extra fat, such as butter or margarine on bread, sour cream on baked potatoes, and salad dressings. Use low-fat or nonfat versions of these condiments.
* Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables both with your meals and as snacks.
* When eating away from home, watch out for “hidden” fats (such as that in salad dressing and desserts) and larger portion sizes.
* Read the nutrition labels on foods before you buy them. If you need help reading the labels, ask your doctor or your nutritionist.
* Drink no- or low-calorie beverages, such as water, unsweetened tea and diet soda.
Balanced nutrition and regular exercise are good for your health, even if your weight never changes. Try to set goals that you have a good chance of reaching, such as making one of the small changes listed above or walking more in your daily life.
Other Organizations:
* Univera Health Products
http://tinyurl.com/depss9
* Revolution Health Food & Nutrition Community
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/forums/food-nutrition
Source: Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff.Taking a Nutrition History: A Practical Approach for Family Physicians by L Hark, PH.D., R.D., and D Deen, Jr., M.D., M.S (American Family Physician March 15, 1999, http://www.aafp.org/afp/990315ap/1521.html). www.theRealFoodChannel.com
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June 3rd, 2009 | Tags: Add new tag, Baby boomers, baby-boomer health, food-nutritian, good nutrition, health, micronutrients, minerals, Nutrition, Retiree's, vitamin C, vitamins | Category: Renewal 1st | Leave a comment
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