It is National Nutrition Month and the purpose of this month is to bring awareness to a healthy lifestyle so people can make better food choices each meal. For someone like a nutritionist, it might be common knowledge how to make wise choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day but not everyone has this knowledge and for some people, they are doing the best that they can with the information that they have. Reaching out to people and arming them with the nutritional information that they need to be healthy and successful is important and getting people thinking about what they eat is the first step towards a big change across the country.
Let’s take a look at some basic nutritional tips that can help you look better, feel better and embrace a healthier lifestyle:
-Reduce Your Sugar Intake
While sugary beverages and treats are delightful, they aren’t good for you on a regular basis. Every once in awhile it is ok to have a slice of cake at a birthday party or indulge in a sweet treat as a reward for eating healthy all week but a daily intake of sugar can lead to obesity, diabetes and cancer. Being the most refined carbohydrate that there is, sugar is the most likely thing you can consume that will increase your overall BMI. Don’t waste your daily calorie count on soda or sports beverages. Natural sugars from fruit and such is fine in moderation and is actually good for you. When choosing a beverage aim for eight glasses of water per day and if you need a sweet treat, reach for that juicy apple instead of that candy bar.
-Lean Protein Every Meal
Protein is what your body utilizes in order to produce energy. Every one of your main meals should have a healthy amount of lean protein included and snacks can include protein as well. This will give you all of the energy you need each day to work, play and be healthy. You can get healthy and lean protein from things like skinless chicken breasts, nuts, milk and eggs. You should ideally consume about 20 to 30 grams of protein in each meal. If you’re dragging and feel tired often you may be low on protein.
-Increase Your Fiber Intake
If you want to feel more full and satisfied throughout the day you may want to increase your fiber intake. This will also help regulate your gastrointestinal tract and keep things healthy in that department. Fiber can be found in fruits and vegetables, seeds and such. Fiber isn’t digested by your body even though it is a carbohydrate. That’s why it is healthy for the body because it isn’t converted to unwanted sugars.
-Learn To Read Labels
A little knowledge on how to read nutritional labels can go a long way towards picking out healthy foods at the grocery store. You should try to keep sugar servings to the single digits and keep carbohydrates to a healthy minimum. This is also a great place to count calories and watch your saturated fats. Cholesterol can come in both healthy and unhealthy forms as well so be careful with choices.
Lack of nutritional knowledge is very prevalent in our country these days and while it isn’t people’s own fault that they aren’t well versed in nutritional know-how, it helps to educate since many people are willing to learn something new. It doesn’t always include something involved like visiting your doctor or nutritionist (though these things can help). Sometimes just a bit of basic information goes a long way.
What is Bordetella Pertussis?
Pertussis is a respiratory illness that is caused by the bacteria that is called Bordetella pertussis. The symptoms begin very similar to the common cold but over time they worsen and develop into a nasty cough that includes a very large ‘whoop’ or honk. This cough is caused by the bacteria attaching itself to the cilia that is within the lungs and upper respiratory system. As this bacteria multiplies it will release toxins into the body which will not only affect the cilia during the illness but it can cause permanent damage as well if you are not careful. Damage to the cilia can cause your airways to swell making it difficult to breathe and function. Medical attention is imperative if you suspect that you or your child has whooping cough.
How Is It Spread?
The thing about pertussis is that it is incredibly contagious to other humans of all ages. While an adult can handle pertussis typically quite well, very small children can suffer some pretty nasty symptoms during the duration of the illness. Like your average cold, pertussis is spread by a person coughing or sneezing. If you are within a small space with someone who has pertussis or you live with someone who has this illness it is very easy to pass from one person to the next. Babies easily get pertussis from their parents, caregivers or other children that they are in contact with. The germ can be passed before the patient is even symptomatic which can be dangerous since you may not even know a person has pertussis. The most contagious period takes place two weeks before the cough will begin. The common cold-like symptoms can be present during this time however.
Treatment
If pertussis is the cause of symptoms, an antibiotic can be given in order to rid the body of this dangerous bacteria. It may take twenty-four to forty-eight hours in order for the antibiotic to prevent passing the illness on though so proper care should be taken to try and protect others. If the illness has progressed, there are some other treatments that can help with the breathing difficulties that may be occurring. Albuterol and other steroid breathing treatments can help reduce inflammation and open up the airways. Doctors will also ensure, especially in small children, that the child is hydrated in order to prevent any complications from occurring.
Prevention
As with any illness it is important to practice good hand washing techniques whenever you are around someone who is sick or when you are out and about. It is wise to avoid contact with someone who you know has been diagnosed with pertussis recently and if you suspect someone is ill, you should avoid sharing a space with them. Don’t forget to get enough sleep at night and eat healthy so your body has the fighting chance it needs if it does come into contact with germs of any sort. There is a pertussis vaccine that you and your child can get to reduce your risk of getting this illness. If you have a newborn in the home and the child is still too young to get this vaccine, the parents and grandparents should get vaccinated in order to protect the young child along with any other children that may be living in the house at that time. However, a person who is up to date on their vaccines can still get pertussis.
If you or you child are sick, feel your symptoms are not getting any better, and are developing a substantial cough, then you may want to head to the doctor’s office and be tested for pertussis. It is better to be cautious before you or your small child develop complicated symptoms.