The Sodium Shakedown…

The recently released new Dietary Guidelines for Americans made a bold recommendation: The American public should starting ratcheting down the sodium in their diet to less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) and many individuals should consume a mere 1,500 milligrams (mg) or the amount found in 2/3 teaspoon of salt. Currently, Americans, on average, are consuming more than twice that amount, or over 3,400 mg of sodium daily.

Why all the fuss? Hypertension, better know as high blood pressure, is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, 2 out of the 3 leading causes of death in the United States. Americans’ lopsided dietary intake of too much sodium (which increases blood pressure) and too little potassium (which lowers blood pressure) is wrecking havoc with approximately 2/3 of individuals who either already have hypertension or pre-hypertension (they are on their way to getting high blood pressure).

Sodium and potassium aside, as you age, your blood pressure typically increases. With over 77 million Baby Boomers moving towards the senior citizen circuit, there is the potential for a lot of Americans with less than healthy blood pressure. The lower sodium recommendation of 1,500 mg applies to those who are 51 and older, and those of any age who are African American, currently have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease. It is estimated that about half of the US population falls into this group.

So where’s all the sodium coming from in your diet? Believe it or not, only about 5 to 10% of the sodium in your diet comes from the salt that you add when cooking and/or shake on your meal when you are sitting down at the table. Rather, over 70% comes from processed foods, with the heavy hitters being yeast breads, chicken and chicken mixed dishes, and pizza in the diet .

The good news is that many food companies, such as Campbell’s, General Mills’, Heinz, and Kraft are committed to lowering the sodium in their products over the next several years.

Released a month later than they initially had hoped for, the updated 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans have finally been released.  Mandated by Congress to be updated every five years, a committee of leading health experts is appointed to look at the latest nutrition science and make science-based recommendations.  After reviewing close to 2,000 research articles, these new guidelines are designed to not only help prevent and reduce diet-related chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, but also at the same time, foster good health and a healthy weight among Americans, age two and older.

The Dietary Guidelines are extremely important as they are not only the basis for all federally funded nutrition programs and initiatives such the National School Lunch Program, but they can also heavily influence, with public buy-in, how food companies manufacture their products.  In other words, these recommendations may influence how much sodium is in your favorite can of soup, how much sugar is your morning cereal, and if the crackers that you love to snack on are made with whole grains.

While there are numerous recommendations in the new guidelines, there is one, large (sorry for the pun) central theme and concern that is prevalent throughout the entire report: over 65% of Americans, need to reduce their waistline that has been expanding over the last three decades. The most serious concern is for America’s youth as childhood obesity has tripled since the 1980s.

How can Americans implement these new Guidelines?   Step by step. The Committee has developed 4 major action steps for Americans:

1) Reduce Overweight and Obesity.
How:
•    Reduce excess calories
•    Move (see below).

2) Eat a More Plant-Based, Healthy Diet.
How:

•    Fill at least half of your plate with waist-friendly vegetables, use fiber-rich whole grains to cover up 1/4 of the plate, and the remaining space should be protein-rich lean meats, poultry, 0r fish.
•    Try going meatless at least one day a week by substituting dried beans, beans, and seeds as you meal protein source.
•    Try to make heart healthy fish your protein source at least twice a week and don’t forget the fat-free and low fat milk and milk products to help you meet your daily needs for vitamin D, calcium, and potassium, nutrients that Americans, on average, are falling short of in their diet.

3) Dramatically Cut Back on Solid Fats and Added Sugars (SoFAS).
How:
•    Stop visiting the bakery and gulping all those drinks with added sugar. Currently, Americans consume 35 percent of daily calories from less nutrient-rich SoFAS which should be a measly 5 to 15% of your daily calories.
•    Cut back on the solid fat heavy hitters in the diet:
1) Grain-based desserts such as cakes, cookies, pies, donuts, and granola bars;
2) Full fat cheese, and
3) Sausage, franks, bacon, and ribs.
•    Cut back on the top sugar laden sources in the diet:
1) Soda,
2) Grain-based desserts, and
3) Fruit drinks.
(Note: reducing those fatty, sugary bakery items will allow you to get double health benefits.)

4) Follow the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

How:

•    Accumulate a minimum of 2.5 hours weekly (about 20 minutes daily) of moderate intensity, such as brisk walking, to 5 hours weekly (about 40 minutes) daily to reduce your waist and reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as heart, cancer, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

•    On two or more days of weight, incorporate some muscle-strengthening activities such as lifting weights or doing push ups.

Americans are also falling short of their daily needs for fiber, potassium, calcium and vitamin D and are consuming too much sodium in the diet.

New School Lunch Guidelines: Hold the Fries, Please

According to USDA Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, the school lunch program that serves more than 30 million children daily is likely to get healthier very soon. The USDA is proposing significant changes to improve the nutritional quality of the school meals that are served to America’s youth. While American youngsters consume up to half of their daily calories at school, unfortunately, approximately 1/3 of American children are obese or at risk for becoming obese.

In today’s USDA news conference, the Agriculture Secretary stressed that the new school lunch program will increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat fluid milk in school meals. The implementation of these new guidelines would result in meals that contain less sodium and heart-unhealthy saturated fat, without exceeding the child’s daily calorie needs. A diet high in sodium and/or saturated fat can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, which are leading causes of death among Americans. The availability of starchy vegetables, such as French fries, in the school lunch will be reduced over the course of the week.

The good news is that there isn’t any need to wait for the new and improved school lunch program to be implemented to start packing the kiddies in your life a healthier backpack lunch.

Here are my top Backpack Lunches ideas that healthy and kid-approved. These are easy to create and guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser!