The
      Cadre
      -
     
    
   
   
    
     
      16
      March
      1999
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Feature
      9
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Improved
      diet,
      better
      results
     
    
   
   
    
     
      By
      ERIN
      FAGAN
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      have
      to
      admit
      that,
      on
     
     
      writing
      about
      food
      and
      nutri-
     
     
      tion,
      I
      speak
      from
      from
      some
     
     
      experience.
      Sometimes
      the
     
     
      things
      that
      stick
      with
      you
      for
     
     
      life
      are
      the
      lessons
      learned
     
     
      the
      hard
      way.
      If
      I
      can
      be
      con-
     
     
      sidered
      a
      prototype
      univer-
     
     
      sity
      student
      with
      the
      typical
     
     
      health
      issues,
      then
      I
      have
     
     
      some
      good
      information
      to
     
     
      pass
      on.
     
    

    
     
      It
      helps
      to
      look
      closely
     
     
      at
      the
      human
      connection
      to
     
     
      food
      in
      order
      to
      gain
      further
     
     
      appreciation
      of
      its
      impor-
     
     
      tance.
      To
      eat
      is
      a
      non-negoti-
     
     
      able
      and
      essential
      activity.
      |
     
     
      like
      to
      think
      of
      it
      as
      power,
     
     
      not
      only
      because
      it
      is
      a
      literal
     
     
      fuel
      but
      because
      individuals
     
     
      are,
      at
      least
      in
      part,
      the
      ones
     
    
   
   
    
     
      who
      decide
      what
      goes
      into
     
     
      the
      body
      and
      in
      what
      form.
     
     
      Our
      diet
      has
      the
      abil-
     
     
      ity
      to
      either
      build
      up
      our
      bio-
     
     
      logical
      systems
      or
      to
      tear
     
     
      them
      down.
      It
      can
      revitalize
     
     
      our
      cells
      and
      organs,
      or
      it
      can
     
     
      slow
      us
      if
      poorly
      maintained.
     
     
      And
      according
      to
      pro-
     
     
      gressive
      research,
      certain
     
     
      foods
      can
      help
      prevent
      a
      va-
     
     
      riety
      of
      diseases
      and,
      if
      ma-
     
     
      nipulated
      in
      a
      healthy
      way,
     
     
      prolong
      life.
      Certain
      foods,
      if
     
     
      overly
      consumed,
      can
      have
     
     
      the
      reverse
      effect.
      Knowl-
     
     
      edge
      about
      food
      and
      nutrition
     
     
      is,
      then,
      a
      form
      of
      empower-
     
     
      ment.
      ;
     
     
      As
      food
      soe
      ie
      a
     
     
      portant
      of
      life,
      it
     
     
      come
      aio
      entrenched
      into
     
     
      society
      and
      psychology.
      Eat-
     
     
      ing
      can
      be
      a
      pleasurable
      taste
     
     
      treat,
      or
      ac
      if
      we
      don’t
     
     
      enjoy
      what
      we
      eat.
      __
     
     
      When
      we
      are
      children,
     
     
      we
      learn
      that
      food
      can
      serve
     
     
      as
      reward,
      consolation
      (think
     
     
      ice
      cream)
      or
      punishment.
     
     
      Eating
      is
      a
      hi
      social
      ac-
     
     
      tivity,
      particu
      when
      we
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      consider
      such
      events
      as
      the
     
     
      Thanksgiving
      Feast
      and
      the
     
     
      commemorative
      element
      of
     
     
      food.
     
    

    
     
      It
      is
      without
      surprise
     
     
      that
      our
      emotions
      become
      so
     
     
      intrinsically
      linked
      to
      eating.
     
    

    
     
      When
      we
      are
      down,
     
     
      some
      of
      us
      have
      no
      appetite
     
     
      at
      all,
      and
      others
      use
      food
      to
     
     
      fight
      insatiable
      negative
     
     
      emotions.
      The
      influence
      of
     
     
      diet
      upon
      physical
      appear-
     
     
      ance,
      coupled
      with
      societal
     
     
      views
      on
      weight,
      adds
      to
      the
     
     
      incredible
      leverage
      that
      we
     
     
      can
      have
      on
      our
      own
      health
     
     
      and
      self
      esteem.
      These
      rela-
     
     
      tionships
      with
      food
      can
      be
     
     
      harmful
      if
      depended
      upon
      too
     
     
      strongly.
     
    

    
     
      Probably
      the
      two
      most
     
     
      important
      words
      to
      consider
     
     
      are
      variety
      and
      moderation.
     
     
      If
      you
      eat
      a
      regular,
      balanced
     
     
      diet
      with
      as
      a
      range
      of
     
     
      food
      as
      possible
      and
      wi
     
     
      extremes,
      then
      this
      will
      go
      a
     
     
      long
      way
      towards
      your
     
     
      health.
     
    

    
     
      But
      how
      do
      you
      know
     
     
      if
      you
      are
      eating
      right?
      This
     
     
      is
      difficult
      considering
      the
     
     
      overwhelming
      amount
      of
      in-
     
     
      formation
      available
      on
      the
     
     
      topic.
      While
      it
      is
      important
      to
     
     
      remember
      that
      the
      writer
      of
     
     
      this
      article
      is
      not
      a
      certified
     
    

    
     
      expert,
      I
      have
      compiled
      the
     
     
      most
      comprehensive
      collec-
     
     
      tion
      I
      could
      find
      on
      important
     
     
      dietary
      issues.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Gincieeaks
     
    
   
   
    
     
      This
      isn’t
      such
      a
      dirty
     
     
      word
      after
      all,
      considering
     
     
      that
      this
      element
      of
      food
      pro-
     
     
      ee
      eee
     
     
      to
      form
      many
      important
     
     
      ily
      chemicals.
      Fats
      are
      a
      large
     
     
      part
      of
      our
      hormonal
      system
     
     
      (regulating
      emotions
      and
      a
     
     
      range
      of
      cycles),
      they
      insu-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      late
      cells
      and
      lubricate
      joints,
     
     
      and
      they
      help
      us
      fight
      disease.
     
     
      Fat
      is
      also
      a
      form
      of
      fuel,
      and
     
     
      when
      not
      used
      it
      gets
      stored
     
     
      until
      needed.
     
    

    
     
      We
      crave
      fat
      so
      much
     
     
      because
      our
      distant
      ancestors
     
     
      found
      it
      hard
      to
      come
      by.
      In
     
     
      order
      to
      ensure
      that
      they
      got
     
     
      enough,
      taste
      evolved
      to
      seek
     
     
      it
      out
      in
      the
      nuts,
      seeds
      and
     
     
      wild
      game
      they
      could
      come
     
     
      across.
      And
      because
      servings
     
     
      of
      fat
      were
      so
      relatively
      rare,
     
     
      it
      became
      one
      of
      the
      first
     
     
      things
      to
      be
      stored
      during
      the
     
     
      lean
      times.
      Now
      that
      we
     
     
      domesticated
      animals,
      butter
     
     
      and
      margerine,
      diets
      have
     
     
      changed
      but
      our
      bodies
     
     
      haven't.
      ty
     
    

    
     
      There
      are
      roughly
      four
     
     
      different
      types
      of
      fat,
      and
     
     
      opinions
      waver
      on
      the
      ben-
     
     
      efits
      and
      evils
      of
      each
      type.
     
     
      Probably
      the
      best
      rule
      of
     
     
      thumb
      to
      follow
      is
      the
      idea
     
     
      of
      moderation.
      The
      most
     
    
   
   
    
     
      are
      saturated
      fats
      (saturated
     
     
      with
      hydrogen),
      which
     
     
      largely
      come
      from
      animal
     
     
      products
      or
      tropical
      plant
     
     
      sources
      (eg.
      coconut
      oil).
      If
     
     
      overly
      consumed,
      they
      are
     
     
      most
      suspected
      to
      contribute
     
     
      to
      heart
      disease
      and
      high
     
     
      cholesterol
     
    
   
   
    
     
      blood
      ,
     
     
      Hydrogenated
      or
     
     
      trans-fatty
      acids,
      such
      as
     
     
      a
     
     
      acne
     
     
      butter.
      This
      can
      also
      be
      harm-
     
     
      ful
      if
      abused.
     
     
      Polyunsaturated
      fats
     
     
      are
      less
      threatening
      because
     
     
      they
      tend
      to
      decrease
      “bad”
     
     
      cholesterol.
      However
     
    
   
   
    
     
      staples
      of
      the
      Mediterranean
     
     
      diet,
      where
      it
      has
      been
      re-
     
     
      cently
      discovered
      that
      people
     
     
      have
      reduced
      incidence
      of
     
     
      heart
      disease.
      If
      you
      are
     
     
      greatly
      concerned
      about
     
    

    
     
      consumption
      of
      fat,
      this
      is
     
     
      probably
      the
      best
      area
      of
      oils
     
     
      to
      substitute
      with.
      If
      you
      wish
     
     
      to
      introduce
      a
      low-fat
      diet
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ae
      it
      :
      far
      bet-
     
     
      ter
      to
      do
      so
      gradually
      by
      re-
     
     
      duced
      intake
      of
      fats
     
     
      (meat
      and
      animal
     
    

    
     
      and
      by
      not
      eliminating
      all
      fat
     
     
      from
      your
      meals.
     
     
      Carbohydrates
     
    

    
     
      (including
     
    
   
   
    
     
      If
      your
      diet
      depends
     
     
      heavily
      upon
      Kraft
      dinner,
     
     
      then
      you
      all
      ready
      know
      that
     
     
      carbs
      are
      cheap.
      This
      food
     
    
   
   
    
     
      rap
      dg
      is
      most
      used
      for
     
     
      idly
      digestable
      energy
      and
     
     
      to
      build
      up
      cells.
      Because
      we
     
    
   
   
    
     
      have
      traditionally
      needed
     
     
      such
      things
      as
      sugar
      and
     
     
      starch,
      we
      have
      developed
     
     
      quite
      a
      taste
      for
      it.
      Great
     
     
      sources
      of
      and
      starch
     
     
      can
      be
      found
      in
      fruits,
      veg-
     
     
      etables
      mer
      ins.
      If
      over
     
     
      eaten
      some,
      like
      potatoes
      and
     
     
      corn
      (in
      spite
      of
      overwhelm-
     
     
      oe
      cere
      benefits)
      have
     
     
      a
      +
      ee
      ut
     
     
      you
      expect
      a
      qu
     
    

    
     
      boost
      of
      energy,
      it
      is
      not
      wise
     
     
      to
      depend
      exclusively
      on
      a
     
     
      chocolate
      bar.
      Any
      up
      is
      usu-
     
     
      ally
      followed
      by
      a
      down
     
     
      bacuse
      pure
      sugar
      goes
     
     
      eich
      aoe
      =
      very
     
     
      quickly.
      Fruits
      vegeta-
     
     
      bles
      are
      better
      snacks
      bacause
     
     
      they
      contain
      other
      nutrients
     
     
      which
      assist
      in
      maintaining
     
    

    
     
      There
      is
      such
      a
      thing
     
     
      as
      carbohydrate
      addiction,
     
     
      particularly
      if
      the
      diet
      con-
     
     
      sists
      of
     
    
   
   
    
     
      late).
      To
      late
      the
      insulin
     
     
      levels
      invo
      in
      such
      ex-
     
     
      treme
      cravings,
      it
      helps
      to
     
     
      keep
      to
      a
      three-meal-a-day
     
     
      plan
      with
      small,
      non-sugary
     
     
      snacks
      in
      between.
     
    

    
     
      The
      brain
      is
      particu-
     
     
      larly
      greedy,
      because
      it
     
     
      largely
      has
      first
      dibs
      on
      any
     
     
      glucose
      in
      the
      body
      for
      its
     
     
      eating
      finding
      fo
      that
      the
      bain
     
     
      esting
      finding
      is
      ;
     
     
      imecrt
      best
      in
     
     
      the
      morning,
      so
      this
      gives
      a
     
     
      big
      boost
      to
      the
      importance
     
     
      of
      breakfast.
      This
      probably
     
     
      doesn’t
      mean
      that
      you
      should
     
     
      subsist
      entirely
      on
      Count
     
     
      Chocula
      and
      ae
     
     
      every
      morning
      --
      m
      tion
     
     
      and
      variety
      's
      better.
      The
     
     
      brain
      is
      also
      quite
      a
      connois-
     
     
      seur
      of
      fish
      and
      folic
      acid.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Protein
     
    

    
     
      This
      is
      a
      critical
      part
      of
     
     
      the
      diet,
      but
      we
      don’t
      need
     
     
      quite
      as
      much
      as
      we
      have
     
     
      probably
      assumed.
      We
      are
     
     
      dependent
      on
      food
      to
      get
      all
     
     
      of
      the
      amino
      acids
      we
      need
     
     
      from
      protein,
      which
      works
      to
     
     
      build
      and
      ir
      tissue,
      par-
     
     
      ticipate
      in
      virually
      all
      cellu-
     
     
      lar
      functions,
      and
      balances
     
     
      many
      internal
      systems.
      Like
     
     
      most
      of
      the
      things
      discussed
     
     
      So
      far,
      too
      much
      1s
      a
      bad
      thing
     
     
      and
      too
      little
      is
      equally
      bad.
     
    

    
     
      One
      suggestion
      is
      to
     
     
      include
      meat
      (particularly
      the
     
     
      red
      variety)
      in
      only
      one
      meal
     
     
      a
      day
      and
      to
      sample
      from
     
     
      other
      sources
      of
      proteing
      for
     
     
      variety.
      If
      you
      do
      not
      eat
     
     
      meat,
      the
      alternatives
      in
     
     
      existance
      are
      very
      important
     
     
      for
      getting
      whatever
      protein
     
     
      you
      need.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Vitamins
      and
     
     
      Minerals
     
    
   
   
    
     
      In
      summary,
      the
      best
     
     
      Continued
      on
      page
      10