Eat Your Way to Good Health

A central means to living healthy is to eat healthy.
With just some simple diet changes, you can impact your health significantly.

1. Base your meals on starchy foods (carbohydrate)
2. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables
3. Eat more fish
4. Eat a variety of foods to obtain all the essential nutrients
5. Drink plenty of water
6. Reduce saturated fat and sugar
7. Reduce salt – no more than 6g daily
8. Be active and attain a healthy weight
9. Eat breakfast and eat smaller meals throughout the day
10. Practice healthy cooking habits – choose foods that are baked, steamed, poached or cooked in own juice rather than fried.

The Eatwell Plate

The trick to healthy eating is to strike a balance. A balance with the right quantities of the appropriate types of foods can make a big difference for a healthier you – too much or too little may be bad for your health.

The proportions of foods in a healthy, well-balanced diet is easily illustrated by the “Eatwell Plate”.

1/3 plate Fruits and Vegetables

Consume 5 portions of a variety of fruits and vegetables daily as a third of your daily diet. Fruits and vegetables should be made part of every meal and make this your first choice for a snack.

1/3 plate Carbohydrate (rice, potatoes, bread)

Consisting of one third of your daily diet, carbohydrates are your main source of energy. Make preference for unrefined carbohydrates over refined ones, as the former will contain the whole of the grain. Wholegrain is high in fibre content and other nutrients, associated with reduction of risk for certain cancers, diabetes and heart disease.

1/3 plate Dairy Product, Protein and Fat

Final third of the eatwell plate consist of 3 groups of foods that are essential to bodies and should not be left out entirely. However, these should be consumed in smaller proportions than the other two principal thirds mentioned above.

a) Milk and Dairy Product
These are an important calcium sources for healthy teeth and bones, but should only be eaten in moderation due to its high saturated fat content. Always opt for low-fat or reduced-fat versions.

b) Protein
Consume a variety of proteins (meat, fish, eggs, beans), if possible, from both animal and plant sources. Protein also provides dietary energy and more importantly, we need it for growth and repair.

c) Foods high in fat and/or sugar
Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar should only be consumed sparingly as an occasional treat or as taste improvers. No doubt rich in energy, these foods are regarded as ‘empty calories’ due to low nutrient content. Fatty or/and sugary foods are packed with unhealthy components that are associated with an increased risk of developing certain diseases – saturated fat, trans fatty acids, sugar and salt. So always ensure you cut off any visible fat from meat!

Nevertheless, every individual require a slightly different plate as everyone will have different requirements depending on body shape, body size and activity level.

The Health Hazards of Overeating

Food is one of life’s pleasures, however, many of us overeat. Unhealthy body weight is a risk factor for many diseases - heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gallstones, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, and certain cancers. An excess of abdominal fat can be dubbed the ‘worse fat’ whereby it strongly correlated to "syndrome X," the deadly quartet of insulin resistance, high sugar, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure in individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 25-34.9. A very general rule for individuals who are overweight (BMI > 25), an unhealthy waist circumference is above 40 inches (male) and 35 inches (female).

Get a healthy weight – Live Healthy

Eating well goes hand in hand with a healthy lifestyle for better health. Attaining or maintaining a healthy body weight is important for good health. A means to this is to find balance between food (energy intake) and physical activity (energy output).

If you’re new to exercise, take baby steps. Try using the stairs instead of the lift at work, getting off the bus one stop early and walk the rest of the way, exercising with a friend or learning a sport.

Smoking and alcoholism are cancer and cardiovascular risk factors. Stop smoking and keep alcohol intake to a minimum.
 

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Reference:
Food Standards Agency UK
US Department of Agriculture – Dietary guidelines

Disclaimer:
All information provided is for reference only and should not replace the medical advice of your doctor or other health professionals.