Food & Nutrition Article
Measuring Your Good Nutritionby HealthyLivingTrends.com
While many people pay attention to their nutritional needs and requirements, it is difficult to know whether your efforts to eat right have really paid off without medical tests measuring various criteria indicating your health. Use the tips below to consider how you are determining good nutrition for yourself.
Use nutritional recommendations as guidelines. It cannot be emphasized enough that individuals are different from each other and so nutritional recommendations are general guidelines for different populations usually based on age, weight and gender. While most of us never question the source of the amounts we're told are daily recommended allowances, it should be noted that these amounts are determined and change over time based on research often referred to as Estimated Average Requirements. This research is derived through research about individuals using a variety of criteria.
Science is always evolving and there are times when you will read about an Adequate Intake instead of an estimated average requirement. The adequate intake standard is based on less scientific evidence and therefore is an even weaker guideline than the estimated average requirement.
Define your personal goals in terms of having a balanced diet rather than rigid adherence to RDA. Since RDA is determined from scientific data used to establish an estimated average requirement or adequate intake is not perfect and is subject to change, the use of supplements, especially those that exceed RDA should be carefully considered. Better goals include a diet that is balanced and careful use of supplements.
Many individuals tend to use the word nutrition when they are really addressing healthy weight. You cannot tell whether someone is well-nourished by weight alone. However, you can determine whether someone faces risks associated with being overweight or health challenges of being too thin rather than talking about weight in terms of nutrition.
Nutrition guidelines should always consider specific health requirements or challenges that you face. Something that is good for one person can cause injury to another when it comes to nutrition. Your specific health conditions will very often impact the foods you should eat for a nutritious diet.
When you are creating your nutrition goals pay attention to the side effects of too much of a good thing. Many of the nutrients, minerals and vitamins that you are trying to incorporate into your diet for health benefits can cause health problems if they're taken in excess. Always research the risks of specific substances. For instance, selenium is a popular supplement but there is research that showing over time too much selenium can cause nerve damage.
If you are eating foods that comprise a balanced diet then it is likely you will not be consuming enough of any one mineral or vitamin to produce toxicity. One of the strongest arguments in favor of a balanced diet is to avoid toxic levels of any specific substance in your body.
Medicine tries to incorporate the most current nutritional research when advice is given to patients. However, with each new study there are those who tend to jump on the bandwagon and those who take a more moderate approach. Consider fad diagnoses based on recent research. One such example is the Vitamin D rage going on now. Before you start purchasing foods high in vitamin D at the expense of other foods, you should note risks associated with too much vitamin D such as the creation of calcium deposits which can cause serious health problems.
There are many people who are seeking a healthy diet which can be achieved using standards outlined for healthy eating. Use the tips above to incorporate the use of recommended daily allowances as a tool to achieve your nutrition goals.