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| Creator: Nehopelon; Copyright: Nehopelon; Credit: www.bbcgoodfood.com |
Basically, food is one of the most important tools for a life lived well and probably long too. The healthier the food components, the better for the body. Nutritionists advise that people should think about what to add to their plate that will improve their health, like nuts for heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids or raspberries for their fiber and other antioxidants.
Whenever the issue of healthy lifestyle is mentioned, the popular and incontrovertible maxim that 'Health is Wealth' readily comes to the mind. This then means that individuals have a choice to make between staying healthy in whatever choice of food they decide to eat and living carelessly with what they take into their bodies.
The human body requires energy to perform all the basic functions of the body like; breathing, digesting food, keeping it warm, helping repair the body, inducing growth and maintaining a healthy immune system.
The energy substances are already there in the form of nutrients in a variety of food. A calorie is a basic unit of energy that we get from the food we eat. In other words, you can say that calorie is a fuel which is stored and burnt by our body as per requirement or habit we have cultivated.
According to medical experts, there are two types of people on earth; those who 'live in order to eat’ and others who ‘ eat in order to live’.
The choice of type definitely puts the people under the category of a healthy or unhealthy lifestyle and leads them towards either negative or positive consequences, the outcome of the choices they made.
According to Samantha Heller, RD, a senior clinical nutritionist at NYU Langone Health in New York City, “Over time, when you make healthy decisions about food, you are at a lower risk for cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and even anxiety and depression. You will have more energy, feel better, and may even be in a better mood on a daily basis.”
Heller adds, "Again, it comes down to the length and quality of your life. In a review published in June 2017 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a healthy diet was found to decrease the risk of early death from any cause by 56 percent. Researchers defined a healthy diet as one that focuses on eating whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and fish. On the other hand, a higher intake of red or processed meats increased the risk of early death by twofold."
Jessica Migala, in an article in 'Everyday Health', a diet and nutrition platform posits that planning for a healthy lifestyle food requires a persistent sticking to a plant-based eating pattern.
A study published in August 2019 in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that people who stick with plant-based eating patterns have a 16 percent lower risk of developing heart disease, possibly because these diets tend to include more heart-healthy fiber and nutrients like potassium, while limiting intake of saturated fat and cholesterol. The definition of plant-based eating can vary, but can include vegan (no animal products), raw vegan (no animal products and only raw foods), vegetarian (no meat), or even flexitarian (eating vegetarian most of the time).
A Healthy Diet Can Help Prevent Disease
“In the United States, the top leading causes of death are related to chronic disease, which comes from having an unhealthy lifestyle,” she says.
Smoking, poor nutrition, lack of exercise, and excessive alcohol use are the top causes of chronic disease, which includes heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Food Choices Affect Your Mental Health
Research shows that food choices also affect mental health. In a review published in July 2016 in Clinical Nutrition Research, study authors report that a diet rich in vitamins and minerals is associated with a lower risk for mental health disorders including anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Eat a Healthy Diet, and You May Lose Weight
Being overweight or having obesity are associated with increased risk of these health conditions, per the CDC, so weight loss can be important if you have a high body mass index (BMI). Fortunately, following a high-quality diet in which you pay attention to portion sizes can also help you reach a healthy weight, according to the Mayo Clinic. Stop eating when you’re full, and don't eat too fast or for emotional reasons, notes Mayo.
How to Improve and Change Your Eating Habits
If your goal is to eat healthier, it can feel overwhelming to think that you have to change up your eating habits all at once. Here are three tips on how to start:
1. Make a Plan for Your New Healthy Diet
The first step is to develop a concrete and specific plan of action, says Heller. For instance, tomorrow morning when it’s time to eat breakfast, plan to skip the fast-food breakfast sandwich and eat a piece of whole grain toast with peanut butter at home.
2. Keep Unhealthy Foods Out of Sight
Purge your pantry and fridge of any unhealthy food, and start thinking about getting only the good stuff into your kitchen. That way, you’ll have more of a chance of eating healthy and much less of a chance of eating junk. Make a shopping list so that you can pick up all the vegetables, fruit, and other plant-based foods that you need for the next three days, says Heller.
3. Start a Journal to Monitor Food Choices
A food diary is one way to eat healthier. It’s not to track calories or carbohydrates — instead, writing down your food habits will help you better understand the why behind what you ate. Getting to this root reason is a critical step toward behavioral change. For instance, you came home after work and binged on chips and salsa while preparing dinner. Revisiting your food diary can help you understand that it was because you skipped breakfast and ate a small, rushed lunch—you were really hungry when you got home and couldn't wait!
i. Read the labels. It’s important to be aware of what’s in your food as manufacturers often hide large amounts of sugar or unhealthy fats in packaged food, even food claiming to be healthy.
ii. Focus on how you feel after eating. This will help foster healthy new habits and tastes. The healthier the food you eat, the better you’ll feel after a meal. The more junk food you eat, the more likely you are to feel uncomfortable, nauseous, or drained of energy.
In a related article, Dr. Apurva Vyas, of the Radiance Hospital, India advise that in drawing up a healthy lifestyle food chart that the individual needs to understand how much calories his body needs to perform basic metabolic functions and daily physical activities using online calorie calculators.
His words, "You need to understand and know the type of food and how many calories per gram, it contains.
"Apart from Calorie concern, it would help if you even focused on the portion control and choosing nutrient-rich foods which are of prime importance. Your food should be the mixture of carbohydrates, protein, fat, minerals and vitamins. "You need to choose the portion very wisely and as per your body’s essential requirement only.
"Have the habit of keeping more fruits, low-fat dairy products, fresh vegetables, whole-grain foods in your diet plan. Cultivate the habit of having home-made food at home or work.
"Don’t skip or delay your meals, as later on you will end up eating too much or choosing an unhealthy snack.
"Take a small plate and serving in the beginning, chew your food well; this time, consuming process will help you eat the right amount of food your body requires.
"Drink water instead of high-sugar drinks. Resins or fibre-rich foods will help you feel full and achieve satiety value so you would eat less and consume fewer calories.
"These are the few points or steps you can follow to plan out your balanced diet, however, if you are still not sure about this calculations and pattern of developing a healthy eating habit, consult a good dietician. If you are really over-weight and failed to follow healthy habits or not succeeded in stopping the weight gain with related health issues, you should consult a good obesity expert."
The fundamentals of healthy eating
While some extreme diets may suggest otherwise, we all need a balance of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals in our diets to sustain a healthy body. You don’t need to eliminate certain categories of food from your diet, but rather select the healthiest options from each category.
Protein. Protein gives you the energy to get up and go—and keep going—while also supporting mood and cognitive function. Too much protein can be harmful to people with kidney disease, but the latest research suggests that many of us need more high-quality protein, especially as we age. That doesn’t mean you have to eat more animal products—a variety of plant-based sources of protein each day can ensure your body gets all the essential protein it needs.
Fat. Not all fat is the same. While bad fats can wreck your diet and increase your risk of certain diseases, good fats protect your brain and heart. In fact, healthy fats—such as omega-3s—are vital to your physical and emotional health. Including more healthy fat in your diet can help improve your mood, boost your well-being, and even trim your waistline.
Fiber. Eating foods high in dietary fiber (grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and beans) can help you stay regular and lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It can also improve your skin and even help you to lose weight.
Calcium. As well as leading to osteoporosis, not getting enough calcium in your diet can also contribute to anxiety, depression, and sleep difficulties. Whatever your age or gender, it’s vital to include calcium-rich foods in your diet, limit those that deplete calcium, and get enough magnesium and vitamins D and K to help calcium do its job.
Carbohydrates are one of your body’s main sources of energy. But most should come from complex, unrefined carbs (vegetables, whole grains, fruit) rather than sugars and refined carbs. Cutting back on white bread, pastries, starches, and sugar can prevent rapid spikes in blood sugar, fluctuations in mood and energy, and a build-up of fat, especially around your waistline.
Drink plenty of water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins, yet many of us go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices.
It’s not just what you eat, but when you eat. Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, while eating small, healthy meals keeps your energy up all day.
Avoid eating late at night. Try to eat dinner earlier and fast for 14-16 hours until breakfast the next morning. Studies suggest that eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestive system a long break each day may help to regulate weight.
Eating healthy, exercising regularly, and avoiding alcohol and tobacco are ways of preventing major lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancers as well as their risk factors such as raised blood sugar level and overweight.
The decision to draw up a healthy food lifestyle today may impact positively on your future and help save you from unexpected health crisis tomorrow.
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