Dietary Guidelines: The USDA Makes It Simple, Mannatech Makes It Complete

Dietary Guidelines: The USDA Makes It Simple, Mannatech Makes It Complete Mannatech Research and Development Team
In 1977, when the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs issued “Dietary Goals for the United States,” their primary goal was to discourage excessive intake of food components linked to chronic disease. This was the first of many governmental attempts to influence America’s dietary choices. It can be argued that subsequent confusing political- and industry-driven food guides (1), including the well-known Food Guide Pyramid, actually contributed to the predicament we find ourselves in today: skyrocketing obesity and increased incidence of diseases associated with poor dietary choices. Today, about 1/3 of American adults are obese (2), and five of the 15 leading causes of death in the U.S. have a significant dietary component (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr59/nvsr59_04.pdf).
What Is On Your Plate?
Considering the magnitude of the problem, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2010 dietary guidelines, “Choose My Plate,” is a small, but encouraging step in the right direction (http://www.choosemyplate.gov). This simple image can serve as a great breakfast, lunch and dinner reminder for everyone. Just look at your plate and ask yourself: is it half-full of fruits and vegetables? If so, you’re halfway there! Add some lean protein and whole grains with a little dairy on the side, and you can sit back and enjoy your meal, guilt-free!

Even if we do remember this simple image, many of us will still find it difficult to fill our plates with the best foods at every meal. Because many health and nutrition experts understand this, they also recommend daily, judicious use of dietary supplements.(3),(4)
With My Plate in mind, we suggest that the USDA’s message be taken one step further: to best support optimal health, include a daily intake of Mannatech’s dietary supplements based on Real Food Technology® solutions. A good starting point would be our Real [4] for LifeSM products (see line-up below) plus our new, Omega-3 with Vitamin D3:
[1] Ambrotose® powder: glyconutrients for cellular communication and immune, brain and gastrointestinal health*
[2] PhytoMatrix® caplets: natural food-sourced vitamin/mineral/phytonutrient supplement*
[3] Ambrotose AO® capsules: the most effective antioxidant supplement on the market today*
[4] PLUS™ caplets: for endocrine, breast, prostate, cardiovascular, bone and colon health*
Omega-3 with Vitamin D3: for brain, bone and heart health; supports a healthy inflammatory response*
Excellent food choices plus the best quality supplements on the market today equals the MannatechPlate!

For those who want more specifics about science-based dietary/lifestyle choices, Harvard University’s Walter Willet and Patrick Skerrett’s Healthy Eating Pyramid is a great choice (www.thenutritionsource.org) of material. Note that their pyramid indicates that most people would benefit from dietary supplements!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
1. Nestle M. Food Politics. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2002.
2. Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Ogden CL, Curtin LR. Prevalence and trends in obesity among US adults, 1999-2008. JAMA 2010;303:235–41.
3. Fletcher RH, Fairfield KM. Vitamins for chronic disease prevention in adults: clinical applications. JAMA 2002;287:3127–9.
4. Willett W, Stampfer M. Rebuilding the Food Pyramid. Scientific American 2003;64–71.