Health Matters

Healthy Eating

In spite of confusing publicity, there is wide agreement among experts on what is healthy style of eating.

Many common health problems including heart disease are linked to what you eat. So healthy eating is one of the most important ways you can help yourself to feel well and be well.

So what does 'healthy eating' exactly mean ? This article examines what constitutes a healthy diet and what one should try to be achieving in balance.

A healthy diet often means only small changes in the meals you already eat, eating a little more of some items and a little less of others - sounds common sense but how many of us actually do this ?
In actual fact healthy eating does not mean cutting out every food that tastes nice. Popular meals can be made healthier simply be preparing them in a slightly different way. For example, cutting down on the fatty foods and have a larger portion of rice, pasta, or bread and some extra vegetables, salad or fruit instead. What is really important is to eat enough of healthy combinations of foods so that overall you are not eating too much of one type of food-fried food for example. A good Mix-Eating a variety of different foods To stay healthy, you need a fuel mix that no single food can provide. Different foods supply different mixtures of essentials and having a balanced diet, you can ensure that you get all the vitamins and minerals that one needs.

Bread, other cereals and potatoes

Starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice cereals, potatoes should be the main part of most meals. As well as energy they provide vitamins, minerals and fibre and are not high calories.

Fruit and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables provide valuable vitamins (A and C), minerals and fibre, with little fat. It is a recommended practice that you eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day - try to eat some at every meal or in between snacks.

It is now known that eating plenty of foods rich in starch and fibre leads to better health and reduces the risks of certain diseases associated with later life.

Oats, beans, lentils, fruit and vegetables contain a different kind of fibre, which may help to reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood. 

Milk and Dairy foods

These foods are rich in calcium, for strong bones and teeth. Having a reduced fat version e.g. semi skimmed have just as much calcium, protein and B vitamins. 

Foods containing fat; foods containing sugar

These foods are not essential to a healthy diet but add extra choice of interest. Other foods containing fat, such as cakes pastries can from a part of a healthy diet provided they are not eaten too often.

Foods containing sugar such as cakes, fizzy drinks, sweets should be mainly eaten at mealtimes to reduce the risk of tooth decay.

Healthy Arteries

Keeping your arteries healthy to avoid heart attack and stoke is one of the best things you can do to keep young, says Real Age author Michael Roizen - and healthy eating helps in many ways.

- Lower high blood pressure by eating less sodium and more potassium, as well as garlic (which also fights against clogged arteries).

- We all know dangers of cholesterol, but possibly more important is our level of the amino acid homocysteine - too much of this and the risk of heart attacks and stokes increases.

Maintain healthy levels by taking 400 mcg daily of folic acid (as in "folate"), found in leafy green vegetables, plus vitamin B12 and B6.

- Fibre, whole grains (especially oats) soy products lower the risk of heart disease.

- Red wine in moderation - 1 - 2 glasses day-keeps arteries clog-free. 

Bone Health

Avoiding bone loss, or osteoporosis, is one way to guarantee an active older age. Around 1200mg a day of calcium is important, but that's not all.

- Vitamin D is essential for intestinal absorption of calcium-it comes from food and sunlight.

- Get enough magnesium - together with calcium and vitamin D will help prevent bone deteriorating.

BACK