By the numbers: BMH dietitian shares numbers everyone should know (USEFUL)
We all know our social security numbers, our pin numbers and several phone numbers, but registered dietitian Pat Wallin wants to know how well we know some other important figures.
Wallin has been traveling around the Southeast as part of a campaign called ``Family Figures: Numbers You Should Know.'' In addition to being a registered dietitian, she is also a program director with the Southeast Dairy Association. She is also a member of the American Dietetic Association and served as president of the Tennessee Dietetic Association.
These numbers relate to our health, and they stretch from 1 to 10,000.
``One time a year medical exams represent the first number,'' Wallin said. She said scheduling these visits helps keep problems in check.
Five is the number of times a family should strive to each dinner together each week. Wallin said there is actually research from the University of Michigan that shows children and adolescents who eat with their families a minimum of five times a week do better academically and behavior wise.
Wallin said some busy families may find that to be difficult to achieve.
``The issue is, you just need to do it,'' she said. ``Maybe you have to cut back on some other activities. The research showed that eating family meals together had more impact on academic success than even time spent in school.''
The number 120/80 is probably recognizable by most adults. That's the number we should all try to achieve when it comes to our blood pressure; that number or preferably lower.
About one-third of all Americans have high blood pressure, Wallin said. That can lead to a number of problems, including heart attack, stroke and kidney failure. Three ways to affect blood pressure in a positive way are to exercise, not smoke and limit alcohol consumption.
A diet referred to as the DASH plan -- which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension -- is one research shows can lower blood pressure. The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The plan includes eight servings a day of fruits and vegetables and three servings per day of low-fat dairy.
``That combination,'' Wallin said, ``was able to lower blood pressure better than some medications or at least as well as some medications,'' Wallin said. She advises everyone, however, to check with their physicians before going on any specific diet.
Eight servings may seem like a lot, but this registered dietitian said one serving equals about a half-cup. A two-cup salad, then, would be four servings.
``If you add a vegetable and a fruit to each meal, it adds up pretty fast,'' Wallin said.
The three servings of low-fat diary should be either milk, cheese or yogurt, Wallin advised. Fat-free yogurt with granola and blueberries, she said, is a way to get whole grains, dairy and fruit into one breakfast.
For another number to remember, Wallin tossed out 206 -- the number of bones in the adult body. Her way of bring up osteoporosis and the importance again of a balanced diet and exercise.
``You don't get to be 60 and develop osteoporosis,'' she said. ``It is happening all along. To build bones to last a lifetime you need two things -- physical activity and a balanced diet that includes three servings of dairy. A balanced diet makes a difference.''
And so does physical activity. Research shows the combination of the two cuts risk for some cancers, lowers high blood pressure, cuts the risk for heart disease and osteoporosis.
So how do we get moving? Wallin said that's where the number 10,000 comes into play.
America on the Move, a national effort to get Americans to move more and eat less, suggests we wear pedometers clipped to our waists and strive to get in 10,000 steps per day, the equivalent of five miles.
Tennessee on the Move goes a step further to challenge us to also cut back 100 calories per day.
Then there cholesterol numbers. Our total cholesterol should not be more than 200. Good cholesterol numbers are over 35; bad cholesterol should be 130 or less.
In recent months we have also heard about triglycerides. Wallin said that number should be 150 or less.
Those numbers can be checked at the annual medical exam.
Exercising while watching television or talking on the phone are two ways Wallin said busy people can work in some physical activity. Exercising for 10 minutes at a time is better than doing nothing, she said.
Watching portion sizes is one more way to get healthy. Portion sizes have increased two to five times over the past 30 years, Wallin said. The difference between a regular size hamburger and one of those larger ones can be as much as 400 calories.
``We here all this stuff and it sounds so overwhelming,'' Wallin said. ``I think that's where America on the Move and Tennessee on the Move have the right approach. It doesn't matter where you are now -- just start something little.''
Wallin has been traveling around the Southeast as part of a campaign called ``Family Figures: Numbers You Should Know.'' In addition to being a registered dietitian, she is also a program director with the Southeast Dairy Association. She is also a member of the American Dietetic Association and served as president of the Tennessee Dietetic Association.
These numbers relate to our health, and they stretch from 1 to 10,000.
``One time a year medical exams represent the first number,'' Wallin said. She said scheduling these visits helps keep problems in check.
Five is the number of times a family should strive to each dinner together each week. Wallin said there is actually research from the University of Michigan that shows children and adolescents who eat with their families a minimum of five times a week do better academically and behavior wise.
Wallin said some busy families may find that to be difficult to achieve.
``The issue is, you just need to do it,'' she said. ``Maybe you have to cut back on some other activities. The research showed that eating family meals together had more impact on academic success than even time spent in school.''
The number 120/80 is probably recognizable by most adults. That's the number we should all try to achieve when it comes to our blood pressure; that number or preferably lower.
About one-third of all Americans have high blood pressure, Wallin said. That can lead to a number of problems, including heart attack, stroke and kidney failure. Three ways to affect blood pressure in a positive way are to exercise, not smoke and limit alcohol consumption.
A diet referred to as the DASH plan -- which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension -- is one research shows can lower blood pressure. The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The plan includes eight servings a day of fruits and vegetables and three servings per day of low-fat dairy.
``That combination,'' Wallin said, ``was able to lower blood pressure better than some medications or at least as well as some medications,'' Wallin said. She advises everyone, however, to check with their physicians before going on any specific diet.
Eight servings may seem like a lot, but this registered dietitian said one serving equals about a half-cup. A two-cup salad, then, would be four servings.
``If you add a vegetable and a fruit to each meal, it adds up pretty fast,'' Wallin said.
The three servings of low-fat diary should be either milk, cheese or yogurt, Wallin advised. Fat-free yogurt with granola and blueberries, she said, is a way to get whole grains, dairy and fruit into one breakfast.
For another number to remember, Wallin tossed out 206 -- the number of bones in the adult body. Her way of bring up osteoporosis and the importance again of a balanced diet and exercise.
``You don't get to be 60 and develop osteoporosis,'' she said. ``It is happening all along. To build bones to last a lifetime you need two things -- physical activity and a balanced diet that includes three servings of dairy. A balanced diet makes a difference.''
And so does physical activity. Research shows the combination of the two cuts risk for some cancers, lowers high blood pressure, cuts the risk for heart disease and osteoporosis.
So how do we get moving? Wallin said that's where the number 10,000 comes into play.
America on the Move, a national effort to get Americans to move more and eat less, suggests we wear pedometers clipped to our waists and strive to get in 10,000 steps per day, the equivalent of five miles.
Tennessee on the Move goes a step further to challenge us to also cut back 100 calories per day.
Then there cholesterol numbers. Our total cholesterol should not be more than 200. Good cholesterol numbers are over 35; bad cholesterol should be 130 or less.
In recent months we have also heard about triglycerides. Wallin said that number should be 150 or less.
Those numbers can be checked at the annual medical exam.
Exercising while watching television or talking on the phone are two ways Wallin said busy people can work in some physical activity. Exercising for 10 minutes at a time is better than doing nothing, she said.
Watching portion sizes is one more way to get healthy. Portion sizes have increased two to five times over the past 30 years, Wallin said. The difference between a regular size hamburger and one of those larger ones can be as much as 400 calories.
``We here all this stuff and it sounds so overwhelming,'' Wallin said. ``I think that's where America on the Move and Tennessee on the Move have the right approach. It doesn't matter where you are now -- just start something little.''
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