Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, was kind enough to weigh in on my findings about my nutrition levels from using "My Fitness Pal." After entering my meals, I found I was consuming triple the amount of sugar that is recommended, and a fraction of the amount of iron. I am trying to cut back on sugar, by paying more attention to labels, and am now taking a multivitamin. I'm not sure if the vitamin is the reason, but I have more energy!

 
From Dr. Katz, via email:

 

"Michelle is setting a great example here and demonstrating something of fundamental importance: food choices matter. They come together to make up our diet, and our overall nutrient intake- and that, in turn, is the fuel on which the human body runs. If you want a high performance body- or just one that stays in good working order for the long term- it is essential to put in high quality fuel. All too often, we choose foods as if it doesn't matter what we eat. But think of tossing any-old-thing into the tank of ANY other machine! The human body is remarkably forgiving, but bad fuel takes a toll. I like how this exercise highlights the importance of food choices.

I think it also shows that knowledge is power! It is very easy to be oblivious to what you are eating- and if you don't know it's broken, you won't be inclined to fix it. This exercise shows how awareness of deficiencies in the diet empower us to do something about them.

But, finally- a precautionary note. A little bit of knowledge CAN be a dangerous thing! The overall quality of the diet matters greatly- but there are differing views on such things as iron intake. In the absence of deficiency or anemia, and other than around the time of pregnancy, a bit LESS iron in the diet than is commonly recommended might actually be a good thing. So while attention to the 'trees' of individual nutrients is potentially important, it is less important than seeing the 'forest' of an overall dietary pattern that is truly good for health."

 

Read more about Dr. Katz at www.davidkatzmd.com