By Jaelyn Copeland|UAB CommunityHealth and Human Services Intern
Apple Cider vinegar (ACV) is a vinegar made from fermented apple juice. It is a very versatile product that is commonly used in cooking, or to make dressings, sauces, and marinades.
ACV can also be used as a home remedy for many health ailments, and is available in forms such as tablets, capsules, powder, liquid drops, gummies and topical prescriptions.
The production of apple cider vinegar involves two steps. Crushed apples are first exposed to yeast, which causes the carbohydrates to ferment and transform into alcohol. The alcohol is then further fermented by the addition of bacteria, creating acetic acid, which is the primary active ingredient in vinegar. Vinegar gets its potently sour flavor and smell from acetic acid. Although potential claims are not backed by scientific evidence, the health benefits of apple cider vinegar are thought to be caused by acetic acid. This acid makes up 5-6% of cider vinegars.
Benefits of ACV may include:
May lower blood sugar levels
May reduce cholesterol
May offer antimicrobial benefits
May help increase weight loss
BuBu Banini, M.D. suggests that individuals should consume no more than one to two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar per day. “When used in small amounts, the risk of apple cider vinegar is generally low,” she says. As long as you are tolerating it, diluting it and don’t have esophageal issues, there is no reason not to try it!
Vitamin D insufficiency in both infants and adults is now recognized as a global issue. Both children and adults avoid sun exposure or use sun protection because of concerns about skin cancer, putting them at high risk for vitamin D insufficiency. As a result, diet or supplementation are their only sources of vitamin D.
Vitamin D is fortified in milk, some orange juices, and some breads, yogurts, and cheeses in the United States. Vitamin D2 is present in varying levels in irradiated mushrooms. Vitamin D is naturally contained in the flesh of oily fish. Salmon is recommended based on the dietary tables. It has been suggested that dietary sources of vitamin D, rather than sun exposure, should be the primary supply of the vitamin.
Milk is the most common fortified dietary source of vitamin D, though it typically does not contain at least 80% of what is stated on the label. Fish, particularly oily fish like salmon and mackerel, has long been regarded as a good source of vitamin D. The influence of various cooking procedures on the vitamin D content of fish is poorly understood. A study determined the vitamin D content of various fish species, as well as the influence of baking and frying on vitamin D content. Give baked salmon a try!
By Shayna Bryan, Intern & UAB Community Health & Human Services Student
Images from Magda Elhers and Caleb Oquendo | Graphics by Shayna Bryan
Eat a balanced variety, enough of the good stuff, not too much of the other stuff. If the principles of a healthy diet are so simple, why do so many dieters fail? Maybe our perspective is to blame.
As discussed previously, your diet is everything you eat over your entire life, so changing your diet is more akin to changing your lifestyle. The best diet is one you can stick to; one that embraces the rhythms and changes of life. The most restrictive diets demand total compliance and encourage a cult-like devotion. These severe restrictions, such as those that eliminate whole categories of food, make it harder to comply and easier to give up. It sets us up for failure. While someone can give up tobacco or alcohol, we still have to eat every day of our lives.
Small changes, slowly incorporated over a long period of time, are the best way to ease yourself into a healthy diet. Here’s how you can do it:
Set realistic goals that you can achieve
Set yourself up for success, not failure!
Take an honest look at what your current habits are and look for ways to make changes
Example: I currently drink about 20 oz of water a day, my new goal is to drink 40 oz a day.
Reduce, instead of remove
It’s not necessary to eliminate certain things from your diet, especially if you like them. Look for the balance.
Example: I currently eat fast food 5 times a week, my new goal is to reduce that to 3 times a week. Eventually I will work towards eating fast food only once a week.
Reevaluate
If you didn’t meet your goals, set new more achievable goals! Failure is an opportunity to learn and improve, not proof that you can’t do something.
Example: I previously drank a case of soda (24) every week, so I set a goal to reduce that to 1 soda per day (7 per week). I didn’t meet that goal, so my new goal is to drink half a case (12) of soda per week.
Try new things!
New foods, new techniques, new cuisines!
Living life to the fullest isn’t meant to be about endlessly cutting back, so neither should your diet. You might surprise yourself with what you find and how your tastes change!
Example: I didn’t like brussel sprouts until I tried roasting them, now they’re my favorite go-to green veggie.
Love Yourself and Keep Going
Our stumbles in life do not undermine our previous efforts. Days of self-love and indulgence are part of a healthy lifestyle, both in mind and body. It’s easier to eat dessert in moderation if you don’t view it as a breach of contract. These cycles of adherence are a natural part of living. If we consider the long term, that your diet will be defined by what you consume over a lifetime, maybe we’ll have an easier time sticking to healthy eating and won’t see a failure as the end.
Wilkinson Wellness Laboratory 