Healthy Food Plan

I have learned so much about what makes up a healthy food plan, in each of the food groups I have met my fruits, vegetables, and proteins nutrient goals as per the MyPlate plan. But I have not met my goals for grains and dairy daily intake so I will have to make some changes in this area of my nutrition goals. Most of the time I eat my fruits in the morning for breakfast. I have met my target goals for fruits. Fruits has supplied a good source of my vitamins and minerals, I don’t worry about the extra calories which could mount to weight gain, because I work out every day. My vegetables goal was also met, being a vegetarian most of my meal is consist of mostly veggies. Vegetables are like fruits they are low in calories and fats but contain a certain number of vitamins and minerals. All Green-Yellow-Orange vegetables have vitamin B calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, K, & A potassium, iron, and beta-carotene. Most vegetables can be eaten raw or cooked and are organized into a subgroup like dark-green, starchy, red, and orange that can help to maintain a healthy blood pressure. Broccoli, Spinach, tomatoes and garlic add a certain benefit that make them a superfood. The recommend amount of vegetables we should eat on a daily basic should be around 2-1/2 to 3 cups a day depends on age and gender. We should eat vegetables on a daily, because it a source of fiber that can help gut bacteria and digestion. It can also reduce our risk of a certain cancer, diabetes, and hypertension. We can eat too much vegetables that is consider unhealthy because of fiber that can cause diarrhea.

I became a vegan at the age of 26, because I was just sick and tired of being sick all the time of being in the hospital at least four to five time a month on 100g of prednisone medication due to asthma, wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and some many other symptoms from the time I was born. So, I decide to stop taking all my medication and change my eating habits. First, I decided to cook all my favored kind of meat to eat for the last time. After that I detoxed my system from medication and all toxins was flushed out of my system from bad gut bacteria. I stop eating meat, seafood, can food, and process food. Anyway, after that day I became vegan and never looked back, because I felt healthier for the first time in my life. The first few weeks was the hardest getting use to my new way of eating and still cooking meat for my husband and two boys. While all I had was vegetable, sweet potato, and tofu but it was all worth it because I was never admitted again to any hospital. I saw the different in my skin after stop eating meat and I felt less tired. In the first place I didn’t have a lot of weight to lose so I was very worried about the way I would look, maybe like an anorexic, AIDS patient, or just look sick. I also moved from New York to Florida to get out of the cold weather. Yes, my life was turn around and my daily meal became fruits and vegetable, I truly believed that I have met the required amount of vegetable servings.

I have also met my requirement for my protein goals, protein is a very important nutrients part of our daily diet, it content about 53% of our daily calories. Beef have about 10% fat and 22g of protein and that is about 184 calories with our body needs protein with is one of three nutrients. A good source of protein is also found in plant-based food like nuts, soy, grains, and beans that has some amino acid. Even some fruit has protein like jackfruit, prunes, guava, apricots and golden raisins. If we don’t have enough protein in our body, our muscle will cramp, our body take protein from tissue to use it for energy. Some of the symptoms are muscle loss, hair loss, fluid retention, and depression are just a few. These are some of our protein intake for someone that don’t eat mean but eat cheese, eggs, almond, yogurt, and peanut. We should try to first eat protein before reaching for a starchy food group.

Five years ago, my doctor informs me that I need more protein and request that I eat fish and chicken. I said no to the chicken and now eating fish, but still no seafood like shrimps, lobster, and not all fish. I enjoy tuna, red or yellow teal snapper, salmon, and. I had low iron most of my life. My doctor’s state I need to go back to red meat and chicken in which I refuse. I eat a lot of green leafy vegetable like, broccoli, kale, spinach, and so many others. I eat beats, okra, etc. There are 13 vitamins the body need A, C, D, E, K and all the B vitamins. I believe that I can get most of my iron from food that I eat.

I didn’t meet my daily target goal for grains of 7 ounces, I was under according to the MyPlate plan. I don’t eat corn, white Rice, pasta, or wheat. I do eat some rye and whole wheat bread but the other make my stomach expand into cramping pain. My Doctor recommend that I stay away from some grains, I was tested for gluten allergies, but the level was not too high. So, I found ways to get some grains in my daily meal. I baked green peppers, eat tomatoes, steal oats, quinoa, and bulgur. I also like the skinny popcorn for snack. I will make whole grains a part of my diet by to avoid any chronic diseases. I now know that grains are important for my daily nutrient. I must include more barley, oats, and brown rice. Grain is rich in B vitamins and vitamin E that is low in fat. I also found out that quinoa, wild rice, and brown rice also has a certain amount of protein. I also know that some vegetables have grains like sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and cauliflower which I eat maybe not all the time. I will make an honest effort to eat more grains in my diet.

Well, dairy on the other hand for me is taboo, I have never drunk milk from a cow, sheep, or goats because I was unable to digest it. Dairy products are one of the most affordable nutrition, I eat very little cheese, but I drink plant-based milk. I try to eat plain yogurt with pecan and walnut some morning.

I know that dairy foods are rich and is good for my essential for my daily nutrients that provide calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, and riboflavin. I know that milk is a good source of calcium to help maintain bone health. I also read that dairy reduced some risk of cardiovascular disease, lower blood pressure, and type two diabetes.

I was asthmatic from birth and was unable to keep milk down. My weight all through high school was very low, so my mother gave me ensure and glucose drink that was also a milk base product with a complete nutrition to help me maintain a healthy weight. Each meal provides me with 350 calories to help me to gain weight. I try soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, and plant-based milk. As of today, I still don’t drink milk only plant-based milk. I do eat some cheese like Mozzarella, Monster, and Swiss but not often. I will also add canned salmon to my diet to contain my calcium due to my lack of dairy intake in order to bring up my calcium to avoid bone damage. I do know that I could be at risk because I don’t meet or exceed the recommended amount of dairy product that I need. Calcium is fill with potassium to avoid heart attack, stroke, and bone damage. Potassium help to lower blood pressure without medication. I know that calcium is a good source of protein, fat, and carbohydrate. I will change my daily diet to eat more oatmeal that can boost potassium and avoid Osteoporosis.

My biggest changes I will make after completing this MyPlate plan, I will eat more grains and dairy product like buckwheat, that has manganese, grains, copper for healthier heart, magnesium that lower the risk of chronic diseases. Iron is an important mineral that reduced oxygen, and phosphorus that allow growth. Buckwheat is a plant compound that is a rich food source. I will also be making sure that I am adding a little bit more salt (sodium) in my food. I don’t cook with salt or eat process food. Low sodium can cause muscle cramps, vomiting, nausea, and dizziness. Also, too much can cause high blood pressure and heart disease that can lead to heart surgery. “As per Kegan a young African American man, he worked at a “Wellness Workplace” event his blood pressure causing him to have hypertension” (pp 303 J.S. Blake). Recent study shows that over 2,200 young adults between the age of 19-49 are obese have experienced a stroke. I know that humans can’t live without salt, sodium is needed to transmit nerve impulses, help relax muscle, and maintain fluid. I need to find the middle ground for salt 2,300 milligrams a day that is recommended. I have always worried about salt that can retain water in your body, but more of all my family has high blood pressure. Sugar is another one I don’t add sugar to anything I drink like coffee, tea, or juice I make. I found out that we can live without sugar unlike salt. I can get some sugar from healthy carbohydrates that include energy. Saturated and Trans-fat as well. Fats and oils provide energy as a part of a healthy diet. Fat can hurt our heart and arteries in a positive or negative way. Experts recommend about 35 percent of our calories from fat that come from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. I don’t have fat in my diet because my cholesterol is high, and I don’t eat fatty food. I don’t eat meat, but I do eat egg yolks. I know we need oil for our brain. Some fat is unhealthy, cholesterol is in some many foods. I will make a change to add some coconut oil that has good fat and I know that I still must watch my fat in what I eat. I will eat continue to eat fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, and beans. Our bodies need fruits, vegetable, protein, grains, and dairy. It very important to eat a variation of food from each food groups daily. Food provide so many types and amounts of nutrients. I think after this I will change my way of looking at food and all it’s good and bad for our body.

Cite this page