5 tips for healthy diet
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The phrase "you are what you eat" could not be further from the truth. What we eat and drink determine our health experiences such as affecting our body’s ability to fight infections, as well as how likely we are to develop health problems later in life, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and different types of cancers. Achieving a healthy diet depends on different factors such as age, how physically active we are, (you can read more of physical activity on https://elisholistichealth.blogspot.com/2023/11/top-4-behaviors-that-make-you-sick.html) and the kinds of foods that are available in the communities where we live. There are some common diet tips for helping us lead healthier, longer lives.
Reduce use of certain fats and oils.
Tips to reduce fat consumption:
- Replace butter and ghee with healthier oils such as corn and sunflower.
- Choose white meat like chicken and fish which have low fats than red meat.
- Avoid meat with visible fat and limit the consumption of processed meats.
- Boil instead of frying food when cooking.
- Check labels and always avoid all processed, fast and fried foods that contain industrially-produced trans fat. It is often found in margarine and ghee, as well as pre-packaged snacks, fast, baked and fried foods.
Reduce sugar intake.
Added sugars in the diet are associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, weight gain which lead to heart problems such as stroke, risk of cancers and increases risk of depression. For adults with diabetes, consuming too much sugar can also interfere with blood sugar control. All forms of sugar allow bacteria to multiply and grow, leading to tooth decay. It is advisable to take note of the amount of “hidden” sugars that can be in processed food and drinks. For example, a single can of soda can contain up to 10 teaspoons of added sugar! https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/insulin-resistance.html
Tips to reduce sugar intake:
- Limit intake of sweets and sugary drinks such as soft drinks, juice drinks, flavoured water, energy and sports drinks, ready-to-drink tea and coffee and flavoured milk drinks.
- Choose healthy fresh snacks and blended fruit drinks rather than processed foods and beverages.
- Avoid giving sugary foods to children or limit the amount they take.
- Limit sugary breakfast foods such as pancakes for special occasions and instead choose whole meals such as oat meals, fruits, scrambled eggs and veges.
- Limit intake of sugary desserts such as ice cream, cakes, biscuits and pies.
Cut down on salt intake.
Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke. Even if you do not add salt to your food, you may still be eating too much. Most of the salt you eat is already in the food when you buy it, such as breakfast cereals, soups, breads and sauces. Use of food labels can help you cut down https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/
Tips to cut down salt intake.
- Try adding flavour to your food with spices, black pepper, garlic, chili or lemon juice instead of salt.
- Limit the amount of salt you add when cooking and eating.
- Check food labels. More than 1.5g of salt per 100g means the food is high in salt.
- Choose lower-salt foods by checking the salt content on the back or side of the packaging.
- Try not to use too many sauces that can be high in salt, such as soy sauce, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise and brown sauce.
- Do not have salt on the table if you're trying to cut down.
Eat a balanced diet.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is a crucial part of maintaining good health, and can help you feel your best. This entails eating a wide variety of foods in the right amounts and consuming the right amount of food and drinks to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. Due to the complex nature of our bodies, no single food contains all the nutrients we need for them to work at their best. Our diet must therefore contain a wide variety of fresh and nutritious foods to keep us going strong. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324093#what-is-a-balanced-diet
Tips to ensure balanced diet.
- Eat a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.
- Base meals on higher fibre and starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice or pasta
- Consume dairy or milk products.
- Eat proteins like beans, fish, eggs, meat among others.
- Choose unsaturated oils and eat them in small amounts.
- Drink plenty of water at least 6 to 8 glasses a day.
Avoid harmful alcohol use.
Alcohol is not a part of a healthy diet, but in many communities, important events or celebrations are associated with heavy alcohol use. Drinking too much or too often increases your risk of injury caused by accidents, violence and risky sexual behaviors, as well as long term effects like liver cirrhosis, cancer, heart disease and mental health issues. For some people even low amounts of alcohol consumption can still be associated with significant health risks. Less alcohol consumption is always better for health and it is perfectly OK not to drink.https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/moderate-drinking.htm
Tips to avoid harmful alcohol use.
- You should not drink alcohol at all if you are:
- Pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Driving, operating machinery or undertaking other activities that involve related risks.
- You have health problems which may be made worse by alcohol.
- You are taking medicines which directly interact with alcohol.
- If you may have problems with alcohol avoid situations where you may be tempted to drink.
Maintaining a healthy diet is necessary to boost our immune system, provide the energy we need to function, improve our mental health and live a healthier and happier life.
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