TIPS FOR MAINTAINING A HEALTHY DIET

In a fast-paced society with everyone running to work as early as possible in the morning and returning later in the day to several other responsibilities, many people no longer pay attention to what they eat. Fast foods and junks of all kinds are always ready to purchase on the go and few people ever give a thought to what’s in them.

Consuming a healthy diet is essential to health as it helps to prevent a lot of illnesses. A lot of people know this, but increased production of processed foods, rapid urbanization and changing lifestyles have led to many poor eating habits. People are now consuming more foods high in energy, fats, free sugars and salt/sodium, and many people do not eat enough fruit, vegetables and other dietary fibre such as whole grains.

WHAT IS A HEALTHY DIET?

Good nutrition is one of the keys to a healthy life. You can improve your health by keeping a balanced diet. You should eat foods that contain vitamins and minerals. This includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and a source of protein.

Energy intake (calories) should be in balance with energy expenditure. So, a healthy diet is one that supplies nutrients in the right quantity and quality.

This means the exact make-up of a healthy diet will vary depending on individual characteristics like:

• Age
• Gender
• Lifestyle and 
• Degree of physical activity
• Cultural context
• Locally available foods and dietary customs. 

But, the basic principles of what makes a healthy diet remain the same:

1. For adults:

A healthy diet includes fruit, vegetables, legumes (e.g. lentils and beans), nuts and whole grains (e.g. unprocessed maize, millet, oats, wheat and brown rice).

2. For infants and young children:

In the first 2 years of a child’s life, good nutrition helps healthy growth and improves mental development. It also reduces the chances of becoming overweight or obese and developing diseases later in life.

Advice on a healthy diet for infants and children is just like that for adults, but the following details are also important:

• Infants should be fed with only breast milk during the first 6 months of life.
• Infants should be breastfed until 2 years of age and beyond.
• From 6 months of age, breast milk should be complemented with other safe foods. Salt and sugars should not be added to complementary foods.

TIPS FOR MAINTAINING A HEALTHY DIET

1. Fruit and vegetables: Fruit and vegetable intake can be improved by:

• Always including vegetables in meals;
• Eating fresh fruit and raw vegetables as snacks;
• Eating fresh fruit and vegetables that are in season; and
• Eating a variety of fruit and vegetables.

2. Fats: Reducing the amount of total fat intake to prevent unhealthy weight gain can prevent many diseases like obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, etc.

3. Limit salt intake: Limiting salt intake to less than 5 g per day (equivalent to sodium intake of less than 2 g per day) helps to prevent hypertension, and reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke in the adult population.

4. Limit intake of free sugars as found in sugary foods like candy, ice cream, cakes, sugary beverages and drinks, etc.

5. Keep track of your food intake by writing down what you eat and drink every day. This record will help you assess your diet. You’ll see if you need to eat more or less from certain food groups.

6. Reduce alcohol intake or quit alcohol altogether. People who take a lot of alcohol often do not have the appetite to eat and this goes a long way to affect their health asides from the other effects of alcohol.

7. Think about asking for help from a dietitian. He or she can help you follow a special diet, especially if you have a health issue.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO EAT HEALTHY

1. A healthy diet helps to protect against malnutrition in all its forms.
2. It prevents non communicable diseases (NCDs), including such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.
3. Unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity are leading global risks to health.
4. Good health practices like breastfeeding fosters healthy growth and improves cognitive development, and may have long term health benefits such as reducing the risk of becoming overweight or obese later in life.

Short-term diets aren’t the answer. They may promise to help you lose weight fast, but they are hard to keep up with and could be unhealthy.

Also, good nutrition doesn’t come in a pill. Try eating a variety of foods instead. Your body benefits most from healthy whole foods. Only take vitamins that your doctor prescribes

Doctors and dietitians suggest making healthy eating habits a part of daily life.

Nutrition tips and diets from different sources can be misleading. Diet products can confuse you with their claims. Most people in these ads get paid for their endorsements. They don’t talk about side effects, problems, or the fact that you can regain weight. Keep in mind the advice above, and always check with your doctor when necessary.