Nutrition, there is no substitute. Eating healthy is one of the few elements for the salvation of the body. We are what we eat! That is probably an over quoted cliche but very true none the less. In boomers, our metabolism has begun to change so it is essential that we eat a balanced diet of the food groups in the food pyramid.

There is evidence that by us eating healthy foods, that is foods from all groups of the food pyramid example, chronic diseases may be stayed off to at least some degree. The reason why that is true is that good nutrition simply includes the things that our bodies need. What are those things?

• Minerals
• Vitamins
• Proteins
• Carbohydrates
• Fats (the right kind)

Foods with grains in them, whole grain or refined, are probably some of the most common in our diets today. They are the nutrition foundation of our food pyramid. We eat sandwiches made from bread, dinner roles, pastas, oatmeal, meals made with rice and the list goes on.

Choosing foods made from grains should not be a problem in todays knowledge filled world. Eating the right balance so as to include fiber and needful minerals such as magnesium and iron from the whole grains should be a primary focus. I will say here that the refined or processed grains are not as beneficial and do not contain the nutrients that the whole grains do. The whole grains are also rich in vitamins which we will talk more about on our supplements page.

On up the pyramid we go to the fruits and vegetables section. What can I say here? An apple a day will keep the doctor away. And that is the truth. The health benefit here is almost limitless. Can we say cancer prevention or zero cholesterol? How about heart disease or more fiber and losing weight. Do you begin to get the ideal. Nutrition in the form of vitamins, minerals and fiber are all found in those fruits and veggies and each plays a vital role in maximizing our health. As aging babyboomers, we need all the advantages. By the way, at the time of this writing, I am enjoying a nice, plump, sweet apple and is it delicious!

The next grouping is the meat, fish, poultry, eggs and nuts category. There are some discretionary choices to be made that can play an important role in our nutrition. The first choice to make is to eliminate all processed meats. By processed meats I mean packaged foods such as hot dogs, sausage, bologna, ham and packaged lunch meats.

In the 6/22/2001 issue of USA they reported from a study and I quote "Eating lots of preserved meats such as salami, bacon, cured ham and hot dogs could increase the risk of bowel cancer by 50%, early results of a major new study have suggested."

Other choices we should make include taking the skin off of poultry products, making sure red meats are lean with the excess fat trimmed from it. (I do love a sizzling sirloin) If eating fish, make sure the cooking oils are low in sodium. Read the labels and take a step toward better nutrition!

I know that good choices are hard to make all the time so try to make them most of the time. One gentleman (I believe his name is Joe Christiano) calls it his 80-20 rule. Make good choices eighty percent of the time and the other twenty percent will take care of itself.

Our next category is the dairy products. They of course include milk, all types of cheese and different yogurts. It has been taught that individuals, especially aging baby boomers, need approximately 400mg of calcium a day. In order to keep the calorie intake low you should drink only the skim or one percent milk and the non-fat or low-fat yogurts. They are still full of nutrients and calcium rich.

According to the Agricultural Research Service one cup of 1% low-fat milk has 290 mg calcium and 102 calories whereas a cup of whole milk has 276 mg of calcium and 146 calories. You can readily see that the 1% milk has more calcium content and less calories than the whole milk.

The Agricultural Research Service also list similar results concerning yogurt. An 8-oz container of plain yogurt, low-fat has 415 mg of calcium and 143 calories. An 8-oz container of plain yogurt, whole milk has 275 mg of calcium and 138 calories. You can find all the standards and listings at the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005.

Good fats, bad fats, no it is not the good cop, bad cop routine. The good and bad cops in the routine are all after the same thing. It is not so with our nutrition when it comes to fats. Our final category is the fats, oils and sweets.

The good fats are the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated types that lower the bad cholesterol in our bodies. They also (particularly the monounsaturated fats) tend to increase the good cholesterol.

We then have the saturated fats typically known as the bad fats which causes the cholesterol to increase and may cause heightened incidence of heart disease.

The following graphic (compliments of yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com) shows fat distribution in the most common cooking oils.

In a study conducted by the College of Agriculture at the University of Kentucky (www.ca.uky. edu.Issued 5-2000) they summarize in part by saying "Generally the U.S. diet is top-heavy, with too many calories coming from fats, oils, and sweets. By placing this category at the tip of the USDA Food Guide Pyramid, nutritionists are telling consumers to eat fewer of these foods because they tend to be of low nutrient density and contribute significant calories but few vitamins, minerals, protein, or fiber."

Finally, to close out this page, I want to include part of an article by Reuters News Service entitled 'Hey Boomer, Here's to Your Health!' that list some nutrients that we should be including regularly and why. Here's to your boomer nutrition.

Partial reprint.

What are some of the important nutrients that adults should be including regularly in their diets, and why they are important?

B Vitamins: (Vitamin B6, B12 and Folate) may protect against heart disease, help improve memory and nervous system functions, and strengthen the immune system.
Food sources: Meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, nuts and seeds, enriched grains and dark leafy greens

Calcium: helps build and maintain strong bones and teeth; and is very important to nerve function, muscle contraction and blood clotting.
Food sources: Milk, yogurt, cheese, broccoli, dark leafy greens and fortified foods like soy and orange juice

Fiber: improves digestion and may lower risk of coronary heart disease and colon cancer.
Food sources: fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds

Iron: transports oxygen to cells and tissues throughout the body.
Food sources: red meat, beans, dark leafy greens, nuts and fortified grains

Omega 3 Fatty Acids: promote heart health and support brain and eye development.
Food sources: Fish oils (mackerel, salmon and sardines), flaxseed oils and fortified foods

Probiotics: may improve immune system health and good bacteria in the intestines.
Food sources: Yogurt and other products made with live active cultures

Vitamin C: helps heal cuts and wounds, keeps teeth and gums healthy, assists in absorption of iron and is a powerful antioxidant.
Food sources: citrus fruits, berries, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach and potatoes

Vitamin D: promotes the absorption of calcium into bones and teeth. Recent studies cite its potential as an anti-cancer agent.
Food sources: egg yolks, fish and fortified milk

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