Healthy Diet
Dietary imbalance or excess are said to contribute to well over half of the chronic disease and premature death in the Western world. Changes to how our food is grown, stored, processed and transported have affected the quality of our daily diet. If we want to live healthily with a good quality of life, we need to be consuming a healthy diet.
What is a Healthy Diet?
A good diet is a balance of quality proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals in your food. The emphasis is on quality foods in order to get the best nutritional benefits. Most countries have recommended guidelines on what people should eat on a daily basis:
- lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans/legumes
- some lean meats, fish/seafood, eggs, dairy and whole grains
- some essential fatty acids in the form of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oils
- RDI (recommended daily intake/allowance) for vitamins and minerals
- drink plenty of water
- reduce alcohol, saturated fats, sugar, salt, additives and processed foods
Other recommendations include maintaining a healthy body weight and doing regular exercise.
What are the Benefits of a Healthy Diet?
More doctors, nutritionists, naturopaths and other health professionals are encouraging us all to return to a healthier diet as part of a healthy lifestyle. The advantages include prevention of some chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer.
We are all made up of trillions of cells that are reason we are alive, functioning normally and in good health. If we are sick, our immune system produces more cells to fight against disease and illness. If we feed our cells with the best nutrition, it will help our body fight and heal when we are not well.
Free radicals are molecules in our body that cause 'oxidation' or ageing of our cells. The more alcohol and processed foods, smoking, drugs and pollution we take into our bodies, the more free radicals there are to attack our immune system.
A healthy diet with good quality nutrition, exercise and stress reduction will help reduce sickness and give us more energy and vitality. The food we eat contain vitamins, minerals, enzymes and anti-oxidants. There are more than 50 essential nutrients we need to ensure good health. In the past we got all of our vitamins and minerals from the soil and food we ate. Today, with modern farming practices, reduced soil quality, pesticides and other chemicals, we need additional nutritional supplements.
A healthy lifestyle is the way to optimum weight and wellbeing. There is no need to become a fanatic or be worried about everything you eat. You will get the benefits if you don't sweat the small stuff and allow yourself the occasional 'treat'.
