Eating a healthy diet is often spoken about as one of the most important elements of your life. To be in good health it is important to combine a healthy diet with exercise, alongside limiting some of the factors which can lead to illness and disease. Luckily eating healthily serves a purpose for reducing the incidence of illnesses, as well as providing your body with all the energy it needs to function efficiently. This article will elaborate in more detail why it is important to eat healthily, and what a healthy diet consists of.
Why? – Energy
Your diet makes up a huge part of your lifestyle, ultimately determining your appearance and health. In order for a body to function optimally it needs a balance of the right foods, making up a healthy diet which serves to provide your body with all the energy it needs. It is important to obtain the correct balance between calories and nutrients, where you should eat healthily in a manner which ensures your body gets all the calories it needs (roughly 2500 for a man, 2000 for a woman). As well as calories, it is very important to consider the quantities of different food components, including proteins, carbohydrates and fats, which are essential food building blocks. Carbohydrates are important for short term energy, where these food types are immediately broken down into glucose to provide raw energy. If this is not needed then the energy is stored in the muscles for later use. Complex carbohydrates are the best for energy production, providing the right balance of nutrients and calories. Fat is important as an energy source with other necessary functions in the body, like proteins which serve an important purpose for repair and growth.
Why? – Reduce Incidence of Illness
If your body is not getting everything it needs to function properly, you will likely face problems at some stage in life. Illnesses such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes have all been linked to poor diet, with Trans and saturated fats being a major contributing factor to heart disease, where plaque build-up due to fatty acids and cholesterol gathering in the coronary artery restricts the blood supply to the heart. Also there is some evidence to suggest that certain foods, such as ready meals, fried foods and processed meats are linked to cancer. Fried foods have been known to release a chemical which is cancer causing, and so should be avoided for this, as well as many other health reasons. Obesity is a common risk factor for the incidence of most diseases and illnesses, so eating properly and preventing over eating is extremely important to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
A Healthy Diet Consists of…
It is important to eat a well-balanced diet which provides all the nutrients needed for the body to function properly. This section will give you an idea of the type of foods which make-up a healthy diet, with more information available at Wikipedia.
Foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains or some of the most highly recommended, all three of which are naturally occurring. Foods which are high in fat should be avoided, limiting red meats in favour of oily fish. It is also important to avoid sugary food and drinks at all costs, ensuring the intake of plenty of water in order to stay hydrated. You should make sure to eat plenty of proteins, such as fish, nuts and beans, whilst choosing good carbohydrates such as whole grains. Fruit and vegetables are an important staple of any diet, where fibre and calcium amongst various other vitamins should also be incorporated into your diet. It can sometimes be a good idea to take a multivitamin tablet, in order to make sure you get all the vitamins you need. Following this advice you should have no problem becoming the perfect model of health!
Author Bio: The author of this article is an avid fitness blogger and a healthy eating addict! He recommends Australia Wide First Aid for all of your first aid needs; training and kits!