It's important to eat healthily to keep your health in good condition. As well as giving your body the nutrients it requires, it also makes you feel better. When you are sticking to a healthy eating plan it usually follows that your weight will be kept under control.
Maintaining a balanced diet makes your body more able to cope with any illnesses that it may have to deal with, for example, if you picked up an infection, cold or flu. The system can fight those illnesses better if it has been properly fuelled with the nutritional requirements it needs for growth and repair. Consuming the correct balance of foods can also have an affect on our mental health, some foods can leave you feeling very tired and sluggish Watching what you eat can also help to prevent the chances of suffering from cancer, diabetes and coronary heart disease.
Our bodies have many nutritional requirements and there are guidelines as to how much of each of these nutrients along with the suggested number or calories you need on a daily basis. Usually the average number of calories per day for women is around 2000 and 2500 for a man. These guidelines can be obtained from your medical practitioner or you may find them online, generally packaged foods have this information shown on the packet. It is possible to consume these nutrients in the form of health food supplements, but it is always a better idea to stick to the natural option whenever possible, in the form of meat, fruit and vegetables
The main nutritional requirements for a healthy body are Protein, carbohydrates, calcium, Iron, vitamins, fats as well as other minerals. Protein can be found in meats, chicken, fish, pulses and cereals. It is used in the system for growth and repair of the bodies tissues and cells.
Carbohydrates are used as fuel by the system for energy, and it can be converted to glucose that gets carried around the body. There are two types of carbohydrates, simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates or sugars as they are also known, are broken down in to natural sugars found in fruit and vegetables and refined sugars found in cakes, biscuits, jams, sweets and soft drinks. Complex carbohydrates also known as starchy foods can be found in potatoes, pastas, lentils, beans and wholemeal products.
Calcium is used by the body for strong and healthy bones and teeth, it also helps the immune system to fight infection. Calcium can be found in dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurts, nuts, some vegetables and pulses. Iron is required to maintain healthy blood, if the level of iron falls the body can become anaemic, leading to tiredness and may cause irritability.
Iron can be found in red meats and some vegetables. The body requires various vitamins to keep the body in a good healthy condition and help to prevent some diseases. Most vitamins can be found in meat, chicken, fish, fruit and vegetables. As a rule you should consume five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.
Although some fats are essential as part of a balanced diet, there are some fats that should be restricted or avoided. Fats are responsible for carrying vital nutrients through the body, they are also a source of energy as well containing some of the vital vitamins. The type of fats that should be taken in moderation are saturated fats, these are found in products such as meats and dairy products. Saturated fats can increase the chances of heart problems and cancers. Unsaturated fats are the fats that are good for the body, these can be found in foods like fish, vegetables and oils.
You may wish to increase the amount of exercise you do, this will also help to keep the body in a good healthy condition. If you have to make dramatic changes to your every day food intake habits, then you should seek the help and advice of a health professional, be that your general practitioner or a dietitian.
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