Heatlhy Eating

Healthy eating and exercise will help in the prevention or maintenance of sugar levels thus lowering the chance of developing diabetes and/or other illnesses. A well balanced diet and regular exercise are important for a healthy lifestyle to avoid these health issues. There are certain benefits and important reasons for eating healthy. Eating healthy allows the body to operate more efficiently, so that the numbers of visits to the doctor’s office related to digestion or the lack there-of are kept to a minimum, and a better quality of life can be enjoyed. This paper will discuss the benefits of healthy eating, controlling diabetes and prevention of other diseases and illnesses. There are significant benefits of feeling better. For one, a healthy lifestyle promotes feeling better through exercise, and taking advantage of activities that are not regularly participated in, because of the way the body feels. Feeling better will also boost metabolism. This means the body does not feel tired and could potentially encourage a daily exercise plan. Exercising will get the cardiovascular, lungs and stigma pumping. This exercise plan could aid in the prevention of unwanted medication due to fatigue, being overweight and generally not feeling well. Just moving about and being active can work certain parts of the body. When the body feels good it releases adrenaline. Adrenaline helps with daily activities. Walking or running on a daily basis will provide the body with some kind of physical activity. Feeling better alone with healthy eating is a key essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. More than a decade ago, the U. S. Department of Agriculture created the Food Guide Pyramid. This simple illustration conveyed in a flash what the USDA said were the elements of a healthy diet. The Pyramid was taught in schools, appeared in countless media articles and brochures and was plastered on cereal boxes and food labels (Willett, 2000, 2005). From EAT, DRINK, AND BE HEALTHY by Walter C. Willett, M. D. Copyright  © 2001, 2005 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. Reprinted by permission of Free Press/Simon & Schuster, Inc. The Healthy Eating Pyramid sits on a foundation of daily exercise and weight control. Why? These two related elements strongly influence ones chances of staying healthy. They also affect what and how you eat and how your food affects you. (Willett, 2001, 2005) Does the body need three meals and two snacks between meals daily? Well, listen to what the body says. One way to listen to the body is to stop eating when the stomach feels full. When the stomach feels full, do not continue to eat. Feeling stuffed will cause fatigue, a sluggish and tired feeling accompanied with feeling uncomfortable. Do not over eat; this could result in stretching the abdomen. â€Å"Eating healthy foods provides your body with energy, strengthens your immune system and improves your ability to stay fit† (Segal, 2000). Another reason eating healthy foods is essential is it provides the body with nutrients needed to maintain energy levels throughout the day. A person will feel better and have higher sustained energy levels that could last until evening or when it is time to retire for the day. Here are some suggestions that should be used to start eating healthy. They recommend to develop a routine meal plan for daily meals and snacks. First, learn to not skip meals especially breakfast; a balanced breakfast is recommended every morning. Providing the body with breakfast in the morning is like starting the motor of a car with a full tank of gas. If there is no gas in the tank, the car will not run. With a full tank of gas, the car is able to run for days. By providing the body with fuel in the morning, the body is started for the day. When planning a routine meal plan for eating healthy, think about if the body weight is normal. If the body weight is normal, three meals a day and two snacks between meals can be enjoyed everyday. Snacks can be enjoyed between meals if hunger is experienced. Some suggestions for eating healthy without piling on calories are to eat raw foods like salads combined with low fat dressings. Drink plenty of water to dilute toxins the body stores, which could leave a sluggish feeling. If drinking water is boring, natural fruit juices low in sugars can be substituted. Healthy eating can prevent certain types of diseases and high cholesterol. When shopping for food at the grocery store, purchase certain foods that are low in saturated fats, low fat or skim dairy products. Try to avoid a large amount of red meat. Purchase meat products that are high in protein and buy products that have some fiber in them. Foods that are high in saturated fats and cholesterol are known to cause blockage in the body arteries. When these arteries are blocked, the blockage will cut off the supply of blood to the heart. If the heart does not get the oxygen it needs, this will result in a heart attack. Dairy products such as milk, ice cream, butter and cooking ils are high in fats and should be given careful consideration when being purchased. The reasoning for not eating a large number of red meat products is because these meats are high in cholesterol and the body produces its own cholesterol. Cholesterol is found in our hormones and in bile acids for digestion purposes. When cholesterol is deposited into the body from the food we eat, the ch olesterol goes into the arteries that could result in a blockage of the arteries. The coronary arteries narrow with high cholesterol foods. A person can develop angina, or result in a heart attack. Foods we can eat to maintain a healthy body have carbohydrates low in total fat, non-dairy products, soy products, skinless chicken, fish e. g. salmon, cod, trout, and nuts. There are benefits to eating these types of foods. Eating these types will provide the body with the nutrients the body needs to stay healthy. Carbohydrates low in fat, reduce the amount of starch the body will absorb. These starches found in carbohydrates turn into certain sugars once it passes through the digestion track. Too much sugar in the body can be filtered into the blood. If there is a family history of diabetes, I would suggest being mindful of products purchased high in carbohydrate and sugars. This is why it is recommended to purchase products low in carbohydrates because as the body ages it unable to breakdown these products as effectively as it did when the body was younger. As the body ages, the body loses certain hormones that are not reproduced therefore compromising overall health. Sugars are measured with a glycemic index (GI). The glycemic index measures how fast carbohydrates are digested when it enters the bloodstream which raises the blood-sugar levels in the body. When foods with a low glycemic index enter the bloodstream the insulin trigger is slower contributing to a steadier blood sugar level. When foods have a higher glycemic index entering the blood stream quickly, it causes the insulin to respond more quickly resulting in large blood sugar swings. This is why it is so important to balance carbohydrates each meal since the effect of one food offsets the other, and all foods turn into sugars to fuel the body. Non-dairy products are recommended in practicing good choices for healthy eating. There are a couple of good reasons for purchasing non-dairy products. Non-dairy products are low fats. Non-dairy products provide the body with the benefit of getting some extra protein in the diet. An additional good product to include when making good quality choices for healthy eating is soy. There are many benefits for including soy in a daily diet routine. Soy is high in protein. Soy can be substituted for red meat. Soy comes in a variety of forms. Soymilk is a non-dairy product. Soy products can be purchased in hamburger, hot dog, sausage, bacon, buffalo wing and host of other forms. It is possible to find soy products in a grocery store. There are many different brand names to choose from. In some studies, soy has been known to reduce hot flashes in women during menopause. Soy products can be used with hormone replacement therapy. Skinless chicken is another product that is beneficial for healthy eating. Chicken also provides the body with protein. Removing the skin from the chicken is important for a couple of reasons. One reason for removing the skin is, so the body does not absorb all the fat that is stored in the skin. The fat from the skin contains and holds toxins that are not good for the body. These same fats produce starches and sugars in that could aid in blockages in the arteries over time. By simply removing the skin from the chicken that is one step forward in practicing good eating habits. Fish alone is good for the body. Fish has certain oils that aids in the production of a healthy heart alone with providing the body with good saturated fatty oils. If fish is not a favorite to eat, a supplement of fish oil caplets or pills can be included in a daily diet routine. Nuts are also an enormous source of nutrition with any diet plan. Nuts are an excellent source of protein, minerals and other nutrients found beneficial to the heart. According to the FDA in July, 2003, it is suggested that eating 1. 5 ounces of some nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. Six of the healthiest nuts to choose from are: walnuts that contain the antioxidant compound ellagic acid, which is known to fight cancer and support the immune system; almonds are rich in potassium, manganese, copper, the antioxidants vitamin E and selenium, and calcium. Just a quarter cup of almonds contains as much calcium as a quarter cup of milk. Cashews are lower in fat that other nuts and 90 % of the fat found in cashews is oleic acid, the heart-healthy fat found in olive oil. Eating three quarters a cup of pecans can help lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and help clear the arteries. Brazil nuts are rich in selenium which may help with breast cancer. Macadamia nuts are also a good source of protein, fiber, healthy monounsaturated fats, potassium and magnesium. These nuts are also shown to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) just as the pecans do. As with all daily routine diets, a good multivitamin is recommended. Even though this meal plan is a good choice for healthy eating, a multivitamin can be used in conjunction to maximize the benefits of healthy eating. There are a variety of multivitamins to choose from. Choose the multivitamin that best fits the body and lifestyle. Vitamins come in a host of categories. Vitamins can be purchased depending on the age of a person and other factors. For younger adults who are very active, a multivitamin choice may be a multivitamin with a higher percentage of B6 and B12 for energy. For older adults with a calcium deficiency a multivitamin high in calcium would be a good choice. Whatever the need, there is multivitamin suited for the body and all lifestyles. To ensure that the multivitamin being purchased is tailored for the body and lifestyle, check with a doctor or pharmacist for help in choosing a good multivitamin. Therefore, by following a basic guideline for healthy eating, the benefits of feeling better will be greater, and there will be fewer trips to the doctor’s office and a reduction in diseases and illnesses. A better quality of life can be enjoyed with a healthy diet and exercise. References Kemp, J (2001). Preventing and Healing heart disease. Healthy guide. org. Retrieved 01-07, 2009, from http://www. helpguide. org/life/healthy_eating_diet. htm Bray, G (1988). Partnership for a Healthy Management. Obesity Part 1 Pathogenesis, 149, Retrieved 01-07-2009, from http://www. consumer. gov/weightloss/bmi. htm Dorsey, J (2001). Diabetes diet and Nutrition. Healthy guide. org. Retrieved 01-07, 2009, from http://www. helpguide. org/life/healthy_eating_diet. htm. Segal, J (2001). Healthy Eating: Tips for a healthy diet. Healthy guide. org. Retrieved 01-07, 2009, from http://www. helpguide. org/life/healthy_eating_diet. htm Willett, W (1988). Eat. Drink, and be Healthy. 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