nutrition
... many other areas. My daily intake of Vitamin A seems to be much too low, as does my intake of fiber, vitamin E, vitamin B6, folate, and zinc. In the table it shows that I come very close to the recommended amount of Vitamin C; however, I usually only eat foods high in Vitamin C about every other day. I seem to be getting plenty of calcium, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and iron. From looking at this table alone, I think I need to seriously analyze the types of foods I eat on a daily basis. The first area I need to address is carbohydrates. Since I am a very active individual I feel that carbohydrates are very important in my diet, since they are the main source of my energy. However, after analyzing the food journal that I kept, I feel that I may be getting a few too many. I also feel that I am eating too many Simple carbohydrates and not enough complex carbohydrates. Of the 205g of carbohydrates shown for my average intake, I would say that only about half of that is from complex carbohydrates. Fiber is necessary for retaining water in the intestine, it aids in the enlargement and softness of one’s stool. It is important for an individual to consume twenty-five to thirty grams of fiber a day. According to my journal I am only consuming an average of nine grams of fiber a day. This is a cause for concern for me. I realize that being deficient in fiber can cause problems in the digestive system. Benefits of getting an adequate amount of fiber include lowering cholesterol, reducing the risk of obesity, cancer, and high blood pressure. As I grow older, cholesterol, cancer, and high blood pressure are certainly things I need to be wary of. To maintain healthy skin and hair, Vitamin A is very important, especially if one is female and feels the effects of aging. Vitamin A is also important for one’s vision. Once again I seem to be lacking in another area of nutrition. The recommended daily intake for Vitamin A is seven hundred, and I seem to be averaging a mere three hundred and twenty four. The recommended daily amount for Vitamin E is 15mg; I am averaging 1mg daily. I am not too concerned about this finding. Vitamin E is found in many foods, I just happened not to eat much of them in my two days of journal recording. I’m sure if I recorded all of my food for more than a week, that number would be much higher. Deficiency in folate can lead to cardiovascular disease and can make an individual anemic. I have tested anemic several times throughout my life. In the past I have had to take folic acid supplements along with iron supplements. My journal shows that my average intake of folate is two hundred and sixty four, whereas the recommended intake is four hundred. I have obviously not learned my lesson in the past and feel that this is something that needs to start paying closer attention to. Magnesium is another one I seem to be lacking in. The recommendation for daily intake of magnesium is four hundred milligrams. My average daily intake is one hundred fifty seven. Being deficient in magnesium can cause several problems. It can cause fatigue, nervousness, insomnia, heart problems, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, and cramps. High blood pressure is not something I am too worried about at the moment, mine has always been extremely low, sometimes too low. I am however concerned about the fatigue and insomnia. The reason for my concern is that those are two things I experience quite often. I am also concerned about osteoporosis because it is some...