General Guidelines for a Healthy Diet

The main recommendations of healthier eating are to enable good health, through eating foods that are healthy, nutritious and wholesome. A good diet is simple to follow and does not require buying any books or special foods. A good diet is one which is flexible and can be followed throughout life. A good diet is one which will maintain a fit and healthy body. Good nutrition is the basis of all good health.

The main recommendations of healthier eating are:

DO:

** eat a variety of foods each day
** eat breakfast every day
** eat regular meals throughout the day to ensure you stabilise your blood sugar levels
** eat 3-4 fruits a day
** eat at least 5-7 different coloured vegetables a day
** eat 1-3 servings of dark-green, leafy vegetables each day (these servings should be part of the 5-7 servings of vegetables)
** ensure most of the servings of vegetables each day are raw, although steaming is okay as that keeps the nutrients in the food
** try to cook tomatoes in olive oil, which releases the antioxidant lycopene from the tomatoes - studies have found that cooked tomatoes (especially if they have been cooked in olive oil) have a higher antioxidant content than raw tomatoes, although raw tomatoes are still very good for you too
** eat lean cuts of meat 3-4 times a week - meat is a good source of quality protein
** eat eggs a few times a week - eggs are highly recommended as an excellent source of protein and the yolk is full of antioxidants
** eat oily fish (such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna) three times a week - if you are pregnant, there are certain fish (and shellfish) that need to be avoided: shark, swordfish, sea bass, tile fish, tuna steaks (these are fish that may have high mercury levels, which can cause health problem for the unborn baby)
** eat plenty of wholegrain or wholewheat breads, cereals or non-wheat alternatives (for gluten intolerance), such as quinoa, tapioca, soy, semolina
** ensure you include plenty of legumes such as barley, lentils and chickpeas in your diet each week
** use olive oil, sunflower oil or canola oil (check to make sure the canola oil is not genetically modified - if it is not, it will usually say so on the label) when cooking or in salads - the best of these are cold pressed oils which retain all of their flavour, aroma, and nutritional value
** eat a handful of nuts and seeds each day - they contain essential fatty acids and various vitamins and minerals necesarry for good health
** choose organic over conventionally grown foods - organically grown foods are more nutrient-rich, they have higher levels of all the nutrients and do not contain any pesticides or other toxin residues that conventionally grown foods may contain

DONT:

** limit intake of sugar and sugary foods
** limit intake of fried foods
** limit alcohol intake - women are advised to have no more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day and men advised to have no more than 3 alcoholic drinks per day, with at least 2 alcohol free days per week
** limit intake of processed foods - most of the nutrients in these foods have been stripped away by processing, so you are eating empty calories which do nothing to enhance health

For more information about health and nutrition, visit www.vitalhealthzone.com

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