Wellness Advisory Committee

Count Up to Keep Your CountDown

New cholesterol management program teaches healthy eating

First it was fish oil supplements and oat bran, now soy is the latest magic remedy for high cholesterol. While there maybe some scientific support for their cholesterol-lowering benefits, the potential side effects, inconvenience, and large amount needed to produce the desired result make widespread use impractical.

Plus, these wonderful cholesterol-lowering breakthroughs may, in fact, be causing more confusion than helping us understand what we should eat for heart health. In a 1994 American Dietetic Association survey, 75% of Ainericans feel there are too many conflicting reports about food and health. And while 4 out of 10 look for more information to understand the reports, almost 1/3 say they're still not sure what it means (and up to 15% ignore all reports).

Food Guide Pyramid - a model for balance

One tool you can rely on for healthy, cholesterol-lowering eating is the Food Guide Pyramid. Created in 1992 by the United States Department of Agriculture, the pyramid has become the model for good nutrition - balance, variety, and moderation. The pyramid design encourages you to concentrate your food choices at the base and limit foods near the top. Some more tips for pyramid-style eating:

Foods aren't good or bad. It's okay to have an occasional cheeseburger. But balance your 2-3 higher fat choices each day with low fat, high fiber selections at the base of the pyramid.
Control portions. A single scoop of ice cream tastes just as good as a double-decker, but has 1/2 the fat.
Aim for Variety. Spread your choices over a broad range of foods to ensure you're getting all the nutrients you need.
Count up to CountDown. Make a conscious effort to achieve the recommended servings from the bottom 2 layers of the pyramid first. A diet high in grains, fruits, and vegetables is naturally low in fat and cholesterol, and has the greatest potential for helping you keep your cholesterol down.

WHAT'S A SERVING?

Some people look at the Food Guide Pyramid and exclaim "I can't eat that much in a day!" Maybe not with your current food choices, but you'll be surprised how easy it is once you get in the habit. Understanding portion sizes helps. Here are a few examples:

1/2 cup fruit - cut up frozen, fresh, or canned
1/2 grapefruit
1 medium piece of fresh fruit - banana, orange, or apple
3/4 cup (6 oz) of 100% vegetable juice
A slice of bread
1/2 cup rice of pasta (cooked)
1/2 cup cereal
1/4 cup dried fruit - prunes, raisins, apricots, dates, figs
1/2 cup beans (cooked)

More information on Nutrition from NOAH - New York Online Access to Health