Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 13, 1995 TAG: 9509130006
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
CHILDREN
First steps
A good diet for kids follows the Food Guide Pyramid, offering variety, moderation and balance. The guideline for fat intake for kids age 2 and over is the same as for adults. Offer children foods from all food groups: breads, vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy products and lean meats, and encourage them to try a variety of foods.
Regular physical activity promotes heart health, develops strength and motor skills, and helps children keep their ideal weight. Equip your home with activity-oriented alternatives to TV watching; find active, after-school fun that includes physical activities.
Eat breakfast; snack smart. Keep on hand nutritious fruit, fruit juice, raw veggies, fat-free cheese, crackers and low-fat milk.
TEENS
Gearing up for heart health
At this stage, your nutrient and calorie needs likely are higher than at any other time in your life. Although your teen years are busy, you may not be physically active. Skipping meals won't effectively control your weight, but pumping up your activity level will, plus it will help you to promote heart health and feel great about yourself.
Give your heart a workout with 30 minutes of vigorous activity at least three days a week. Take physical education in school, or try out for sports. If you drive to school, park on the far side of the lot and walk.
Pick fast foods and snacks carefully. Go easy on fatty French fries, fried chicken, deluxe burgers, shakes and double-cheese pizza. Consider ordering salads (easy on the dressing), broiled chicken sandwiches and low-fat milk. Strive for variety with plenty of nutritious, fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
YOUNG ADULTS
Right in stride
Getting trapped in a sedentary lifestyle is easy when you spend hours sitting on the job. And as you get older, your body burns fewer calories doing its everyday work, so you need to eat and exercise smarter.
Get your heart pumping with aerobic activity, or try moderate activity like walking during your lunch hour or choosing stairs instead of the elevator.
If you're a parent, take time to play actively after work with your kids. Work in a total of 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.
Balance your energy, or calorie, intake with the calories you burn. When you cut back on fat in your eating pattern, you cut back on calories, too.
Use low-fat cooking methods, such as baking, broiling and stir frying, rather than frying. Trim visible fat from meat and skin from poultry. Use low-fat salad dressings, sauces and spreads. Eat more veggies, fruits and grains.
Read the Nutrition Facts panel on food packages to determine fat, cholesterol and sodium content. Check the vitamin, mineral and fiber content, too. Choose mostly foods with less fat, especially saturated fat.
Bring "lean" brown-bag food: a low-fat sandwich, nutritious ready-to-serve soup or, if you have a microwave oven at work, your favorite low-fat frozen meal or entree.
MIDDLE AGE
Keeping pace
Adults lose six to seven pounds of muscle every decade, and the rate may speed up with age. At this stage of life, risk factors for heart disease may start to appear, too. And women address issues of menopause.
Consider brisk walking, bike riding, tennis or golf (without the cart). If you're over 40 and not physically active or have an illness of any kind, consult your doctor first. Then start slowly so you don't overdo, building up to 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Remember, even walking the dog or washing the car can be beneficial if it totals recommended activity amounts.
Until menopause, estrogen levels appear to help protect women from heart disease. But by age 60 or so, women's risk for heart disease begins to equal that of men.
Go easy on sodium. Keep tabs on your blood pressure. Especially if you're sodium-sensitive, limit yourself to 3,000 milligrams or less of sodium a day.
At restaurants, choose foods that are broiled, steamed or roasted, rather than fried. Ask for sauces and dressings on the side. Avoid rich desserts, or share them with someone else.
Cook with lean meat, skinless poultry and fish. Use low-fat cooking methods. Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole-grain foods.
Battle the midriff bulge. The pounds that settle around the waist put you at greater risk for heart disease than body fat that sinks to hips and thighs.
SENIORS
Staying in step
Your nutrient needs don't change with age. You likely just need fewer calories, so make each one count. By now, you may be a household of one or two, so you may need to adapt for small-scale cooking. Keep low-fat, nutritious frozen meals handy; also, look for single-serving foods.
Try gardening, mall walking, "senior aerobics" or anything that suits you. Consult your doctor first, start slowly and work up to a pace that's right for you.
Keep up with check-ups. Have your blood pressure checked regularly. Keep your sodium intake at no more than 3,000 milligrams daily, or less if recommended by your doctor.
- SOURCE: THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION AND HEALTHY CHOICE FOODS
by CNB