Few topics within healthy medicine can be as complicated as that of what to eat and drink. Or, if you listen to the media around you, what you should not eat and drink, courtesy of the latest guru, film star, celebrity pregnant mum or television program.
At Healthy Medicine we try to keep things simple and easy to understand. Not many people have the time and information to be involved in complex eating plans.
Let us introduce you to what you need to know to be healthy.
Why have a healthy and varied diet?
A good diet is a foundation for good health. A healthy and varied diet can help to maintain a healthy body weight, enhance general wellbeing and reduce the risk of a number of diseases including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis.
What is a healthy diet?
Most of us can recognize a bad diet when we see one. A more difficult question is what is a healthy diet.
A healthy diet is a diet based on breads, potatoes, and other cereals and is rich in fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet will include moderate amounts of milk and dairy products, meat, fish or meat/milk alternatives, and limited amounts of foods containing fat or sugar.
No food is able to provide all that we need. Variety increases our chances of getting sufficient intake of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre
No single food can provide all the essential nutrients that the body needs. Therefore, it is important to consume a wide variety of foods to provide adequate intakes of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, which are important for health.
What are the basic guidelines to follow?
- Food must be enjoyed, it encourages you to eat it.
- Food must have variety, you won’t lose your palate and you maximize getting all the essential nutrients.
- Learn the amounts of food that contribute to a healthy weight, you can eat too much of a good thing.
- Foods high in starch and fibre should form the bulk of your diet.
- Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, preferably in season.
- Minimize fats and oils in your intake.
- Minimize sugary food and drink.
- Alcohol consumption should be moderate if at all.