Hi there!!!
My name is Rachel Wyson and I am currently a senior in the University of Nevada Las Vegas' accredited Nutrition Sciences Program. I recently volunteered for the opportunity to be a Nutrition Editor for FoodPicker.org to help spread credible nutrition information and help people make better food choices. So here's how it works! The site has a database of foods that you can click on for recommendations on how often to eat them, specific information on fat, carbohydrate, and sodium content, the nutrition label, and physical exercise recommendations. While this database and information is directed towards people with diabetes and has specific information for that, I really found that the choices that the site promotes are really just sensible and healthy for any population!
Nutrition and the concept of healthy eating don't have to be a drag, but rather should be a delicious experience! It seems that because nutrition is such a huge topic these days, all the information can be overwhelming and even seem contradicting. The purpose of this blog is to help sort through the information and makes things a little clearer, so please post any questions or comments that you have. I will be posting and responding to a weekly question from FoodPicker.org that can be applied to a variety of populations and will also occasionally post information that I find to be useful. For more information, you can check out http://www.foodpicker.org/.
To get you started, here is the link to a very useful handout when it comes to reading labels...something that is so important for everybody to know how to do! http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/LabelingNutrition/ConsumerInformation/ucm120909.pdf. For those with diabetes, really focus on the carbohydrate content. Talk to your doctor of Registered Dietitian to find out how many carbohydrate choices are right for you. Also pay special attention to calories from fat and saturated fat. Everyone should try to consume less than 30% of their calories from fat and less than10% should come from saturated fats.
Remember, everyone is different and their body needs and uses different foods in different ways. All of the advice I give is a general recommendation. If you are having specific nutrition related issues, you should seek attention from your doctor and a Registered Dietitian. Enjoy the site and feel free to pose any follow up questions for me!
