From my diet monitoring, I learned that the foods I eat actually have a lot of empty calories. My nutrient deficiencies tend to come from not consuming enough foods with dairy products. On my third day, my dairy consumption was at a low of 17%. However on the first day, my protein intake was extremely high, at 205%. I think that I could have balanced those extremities out better rather than over or under compensating for those food groups. From the Falcon Market I learned that just reading nutrition labels does not provide an accurate conclusion as to the 'healthiness' of the food; rather it is calculating macromolecule percentages that can do so. I also learned about food recommendations such as eating organic and seasonal produce and ensuring that I get sufficient protein, produce, and healthy fats when I go shopping. To improve my overall diet balance, I could drink milk in the mornings and at night to make up for dairy deficiencies. Also, I should remember to eat in moderation and not cut things out completely.
If I had the opportunity to coach someone else on proper health and nutrition, first and foremost, I would remind them that proper health does not only depend on food consumption and that it has many other factors. I would also tell them to remember to well balanced meals, preferably with organic, seasonal, low-sodium, and non-processed foods. A well balanced meal would ensure that they would receive all the nutrients their body requires while organic, seasonal, low-sodium, and non-processed foods (just to name a few) would be more nutritious and healthy, without unnecessary, man-added ingredients.
