How Healthy Are You?


by Chris Chenoweth - Date: 2006-12-02 - Word Count: 772 Share This!

If you look at the statistics for obesity, you will see that it is now considered an epidemic in the United States. Along with this trend, the increase in diabetes has also skyrocketed. What can be done to change these trends and what changes can we make to be healthier?

Most people are aware that they need to make changes to their diet and lifestyle but they are unsure of how to get started. There is so much information available that it is difficult to know what is credible.

Following a healthy and nutritious diet plan is essential if you want to reduce your risk for many diseases and conditions. Illnesses that can be directly affected by diet are heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis.

HEALTHY EATING AND LIFESTYLE TIPS

*EAT A HEALTHY DIET. A healthy diet should include a variety of foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, legumes, and low-fat dairy products.

1. EAT AT LEAST 5 SERVINGS OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES every day. The most nutritious vegetables are those with dark green (leafy vegetables) and deep yellow (carrots, peppers, squash, sweet potatoes) colors. The best fruits are melons, citrus, and berries. Do not drink fruit drinks that you purchase at the grocery. They are full of sugar. If you like fruit drinks, make your own in a juicer or make a smoothie in your blender.

2. EAT LEAN PROTEINS. Choose lean beef, poultry, fish, eggs and dried beans. Prepare meat without the skin. Bake, broil or grill. Do not fry.

3. EAT COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES. Eat a diet rich in complex carbohydrates (fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes). Whole grains and legumes are high in fiber and include whole grain breads, pasta, rice, and cereals. Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber can help reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

4. EAT DAIRY PRODUCTS like low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt and low-fat cheeses can reduce your risk of osteoporosis and diabetes.

5. EAT LOW FAT FOODS. Eat a diet low in saturated fats and trans fatty acids (beef, veal, lamb, pork, lard, butter, cream, whole milk dairy products, processed foods like frozen dinners and some canned food) and high in monounsaturated fats (olive oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil and avocados).

*DRINK WATER - Drink lots of water, at least 8 glasses a day. Sip slowly throughout the day. Water speeds up metabolism and flushes toxins out of your body.

*EXERCISE EVERY DAY. Regular exercise can help prevent heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, and mental health problems. Any kind of physical activity will benefit your body. Try to add 30 minutes a day of some kind of physical movement.

1. AEROBIC EXERCISES are the best to burn fat and rev up your metabolism. Walking, jogging, skating, and bicycling are good examples.

2. INCREASE YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL -Incorporate movement into your everyday activities. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park your car at the farthest end of the parking lot. Rake leaves, mow the lawn, clean house with vigor or go outside and play with your kids.

3. ANY MOVEMENT IS BETTER THAN NONE. If you cannot start a regular exercise regimen, do whatever works best for you.

*DO NOT SMOKE. If you do, stop. It is the single most important thing you can do to help your body. Tobacco use is the most preventable cause of death. Smoking can cause coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer of the lungs, larynx, esophagus, mouth, and bladder. Smokeless tobacco and cigars also have deadly consequences, including lung, larynx, esophageal, and mouth cancer.

*DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL. If you must drink, try to limit your intake to one glass a day. Alcoholic beverages contain calories but few nutrients and are harmful when consumed in excess. People who should not drink at all include children and women who are pregnant. Having more than one drink per day can increase the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and various types of cancer.

*AVOID STRESS. Stress has been linked to many illnesses and no wonder. Today's lifestyles are full of deadlines and a balancing act of trying to do everything as quickly as possible. If you lead a stressful life, find ways to de-stress every day. Take a hot bath, go for a long, leisurely walk with a friend, read a good book, listen to relaxing music, or do whatever works for you.

*SEE YOUR DOCTOR every year for preventive care. Routine preventive tests save thousands of lives every year. Routine screenings allow physicians to intervene early with treatments and therapies.

To live your healthiest life, follow the guidelines listed above. Making dietary and lifestyle changes can radically reduce your risk for many diseases and conditions, and help you and your family feel better.


Related Tags: diet, healthy diet, healthy foods, cancer fighting foods, nutritious foods, heart healthy foods

Chris Chenoweth, author of the DO-IT-YOURSELF HOME, HEALTH & MONEY GUIDE, writes articles pertaining to diet, exercise, health, and business.

Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles

© The article above is copyrighted by it's author. You're allowed to distribute this work according to the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs license.
 

Recent articles in this category:



Most viewed articles in this category: