Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

My current wellness needs a lot of work. I am an adult female with a compromised immune system. Due to my low white blood cell count, I easily fall sick. Some of the simplest ailments such as the common cold, are very detrimental for me. I am currently undertaking intense treatments and medication to increase my white blood cell count. These treatments are very invasive and as a result they cause me extreme weakness and fatigue. I unfortunately cannot perform medium to heavy workouts because it is not safe for me do so. I usually take short walks around my apartment for fifteen minutes each day as a form of exercise. One major way I try to improve or maintain my health is by eating healthy. Nutritious meals require planning, time and preparation, which is quite difficult for me at times. Good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. With the proper amount of physical activity and diet I can reach and maintain a healthy weight, reduce my risk for diseases and promote my overall health (Gregson, 2000). I usually eat out, which has led me to gain weight. I want to reduce my carbohydrate consumption, increase my fruit consumption and drink eight glasses of water each day to help with my digestion issues.

I went for my bi-monthly medical checkup in May and my weight was measured.  I weigh 187 pounds at a height of 5 feet and 9 inches and my BMI is 28. This means that I am overweight by twenty pounds, and as a result, I am at risk for disease (Rosborg,2014). After a careful analysis of my 3-day Diet report, I realized I consumed 1450 calories of carbohydrate a day based on a 2000 calorie diet, which translates to 363 grams of carbohydrate per day (Hedley,2001). According to Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020, an adult woman between the age of 19-30 is recommended to consume 900 to 1,300 calories of carbohydrate or 225 to 325 grams per day based on a 2000 calorie diet.

My goal is to decrease my carbohydrate intake by 200 calories per day or 50 grams per day for the next 4 weeks starting on May 10, 2019 to and ending on June 10, 2019. I incorporated healthy carbohydrate food choices into my meal plan. For example, instead of eating white bread and white rice, I chose to eat wheat bread and brown rice. These are whole grain and a healthier option (Hedley,2001). Since I like to eat pancakes on Saturdays, I opted for whole wheat flour for my pancakes. I also aimed for whole fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables without added sugar. Whole fruits and vegetables also add fiber, water and bulk which helped in making me full with fewer calories. I stayed away from carbohydrates with a high glycemic index such as bagels, doughnuts, croissants, packaged breakfast cereals, and white bread (Hedley,2001). Lastly, I completely gave up cereal for oatmeal every morning.

My second nutrition goal is to increase my fruit intake to two cups of fruit per day for the next 4 weeks starting May 10, 2019 till June 10, 2019.  I realized I hardly eat fruit. I usually have only two oranges per week. Fruits are a great source of potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C and Folic acid. Potassium is a mineral that maintains intracellular fluid volume (Rosborg,2014). It also helps muscles contract and maintains normal blood pressure. According to the 2015-2020 Dietary guidelines for Americans, potassium is an under-consumed nutrient, which is a public-health risk. Female adults between the age of 19-30 are recommended to consume 4,700 mg of potassium daily. I decided to purchase the following fruits: bananas, peaches, cantaloupe, avocados, and guavas. Then I proceeded to cut and chop the fruits into cubes and mixed them all in a bowl. I measured 2 cups of the fruits out of the bowl and placed them in a small sandwich bag for each day of the week. This way it’s easy to grab the sandwich bag from the fridge and head off to school.

My third nutritional goal is to consume eight glasses of water per day for the next 4 weeks, starting May 10, 2019 till June 10,2019. Last month, I had an ongoing abdominal pain that persisted for a week and my urine was very yellow (Stookey,1999). My doctor told me I was dehydrated, and the pain was due to poor indigestion of food nutrients. He advised me to drink 8 glasses of water a day to improve my digestion and flush out my system (Rosborg,2014).  I made a water diary and realized I consumed only 2 glasses of water per day. I usually drink a lot of juices and carbonated drinks in place of water. Carbonated drinks and juices are a major source of added sugar and calories, which I need to avoid for weight loss.

After achieving all three goals, I had lost nine pounds by June 10, 2019. I felt much lighter and energetic. I also noticed my urine color was light yellow and my digestion problems resolved. I plan to keep these nutrient goals to further lose weight and maintain a healthy nutrient consumption.

Works Cited

1. Hedley, C. (2001). Carbohydrates in grain legume seeds: Improving nutritional quality and agronomic characteristics (Cabi ser). Wallingford, Oxon, UK: CABI Pub. (2001). Retrieved June 16, 2019, from Mt. San Antonio College
2. Stookey, J. (1999). The Diuretic Effects of Alcohol and Caffeine and Total Water Intake Misclassification. European Journal of Epidemiology, 15(2), 181-188. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3582474
3. Rosborg, I. (Ed.). (2014). Drinking water minerals and mineral balance: Importance, health significance, safety precautions. Cham: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-09593-6
4. Gregson, S. (2000). Healthy eating (Perspectives on physical health). Mankato, Minn.: Life Matters. (2000). Retrieved June 17, 2019, from Mt. San Antonio College database.