Variety – your key to a healthy diet
Tony Robinson

It has been said that variety is the spice of life, and that is
certainly true when trying to eat a healthy diet. No one likes
to eat the same thing day after day, and boredom is the enemy of
a healthy diet.

Fortunately for those trying to follow a healthy diet, there is
plenty of variety to be had in healthy foods. In addition to the
hundreds of varieties of fruits and vegetables available at the
average grocery store, there is a wide variety of beans,
lentils, nuts, meat, dairy products, fish and poultry. There is
no need for boredom to set in when pursuing a healthier
lifestyle.’

The key to enjoying a variety of foods while eating healthy is
to plan meals carefully and be sure to use the many varieties of
foods that are available. Using a combination of fresh fruit,
vegetables, meats and whole grains, it is possible to create a
fresh, exciting and healthful meal every day of the week.

Nutritionists often stress the importance of a varied diet, both
for nutritional and psychological reasons. A varied diet is
essential for good health, since different types of foods
contain different types of nutrients. And following a varied
diet is important to your psychological well being as well,
since feeling deprived of your favorite foods can lead you to
give up your healthy lifestyle.

It is much better to continue eating the foods you like, but to
eat them in moderation. Instead of giving up that juicy bacon,
for instance, have it as an occasional treat, perhaps pairing it
with an egg white omelet instead of a plateful of scrambled
eggs. As with everything else in life, good nutrition is a
tradeoff.

It is important for everyone to eat foods from the five major
food groups each and every day. The five food groups identified
by the USDA include grains, vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy
and meat and beans. Each of these food groups contains specific
nutrients, so it is important to eat a combination of these
foods to ensure proper levels of nutrition.

Of course simply choosing foods from the five food groups is not
enough. After all a meal from the five food groups could include
cake, candied yams, avocados, ice cream and bacon. Although all
five food groups are represented, no one would try to argue that
this is a healthy day’s menu. Choosing the best foods from
within each group, and eating the less healthy foods in
moderation, is the best way to ensure a healthy and varied diet.

For instance, choosing healthy, lean meats is a great way to get
the protein you need without consuming unnecessary fat and
calories. And removing fat and skin from chicken is a great way
to eliminate extra fat and calories.

When choosing breads and cereals, it is usually best to choose
those that carry the whole grain designation. Whole grains,
those that have not been overly refined, contain greater
nutritional qualities and fewer sugars.

In addition, many grains and cereals are fortified with
additional vitamins and minerals. While this vitamin
fortification is important, it should be seen as a bonus, not as
a substitute for a proper diet. Many foods are supplemented with
important nutrients such as calcium (essential for strong bones
and teeth) and folic acid (important in preventing birth
defects).

Substituting healthier foods for less healthy ones is a
cornerstone of a healthy diet. For instance, substituting lean
cuts of meat for fattier ones, and substituting skinless chicken
or turkey breast for less healthy drumsticks, is a great way to
maximize nutrition without sacrificing good taste.

No matter what your reason for following a healthy diet, or what
your ultimate fitness goals may be, you will find that a good
understanding of nutrition will form the basis of your healthy
diet. Understanding how the various food groups work together to
form a healthy diet will go a long way toward helping you meet
your ultimate fitness goals. Whether your goal is to run a
marathon, lose ten pounds or just feel better, knowledge is
power, and nutritional knowledge will power your diet for the
rest of your life.

About the author:

Tony Robinson is a Company CEO, webmaster husband and dad. In
his busy lifestyle he has placed importance on health and
fitness. Visit http://www.eat-healthily.com for good eating tips
and techniques to assist you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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Variety the spice of life & your key to a healthy diet!
Zaak OConan

It has been said that variety is the spice of life, and that is certainly true when trying to eat a healthy diet. No one likes to eat the same thing day after day, and boredom is the enemy of a healthy diet.

Fortunately for those trying to follow a healthy diet, there is plenty of variety to be had in healthy foods. In addition to the hundreds of varieties of fruits and vegetables available at the average grocery store, there is a wide variety of beans, lentils, nuts, meat, dairy products, fish and poultry. There is no need for boredom to set in when pursuing a healthier lifestyle.’

The key to enjoying a variety of foods while eating healthy is to plan meals carefully and be sure to use the many varieties of foods that are available. Using a combination of fresh fruit, vegetables, meats and whole grains, it is possible to create a fresh, exciting and healthful meal every day of the week.

Nutritionists often stress the importance of a varied diet, both for nutritional and psychological reasons. A varied diet is essential for good health, since different types of foods contain different types of nutrients. And following a varied diet is important to your psychological well being as well, since feeling deprived of your favorite foods can lead you to give up your healthy lifestyle.

It is much better to continue eating the foods you like, but to eat them in moderation. Instead of giving up that juicy bacon, for instance, have it as an occasional treat, perhaps pairing it with an egg white omelet instead of a plateful of scrambled eggs. As with everything else in life, good nutrition is a tradeoff.

It is important for everyone to eat foods from the five major food groups each and every day. The five food groups identified by the USDA include grains, vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy and meat and beans. Each of these food groups contains specific nutrients, so it is important to eat a combination of these foods to ensure proper levels of nutrition.

Of course simply choosing foods from the five food groups is not enough. After all a meal from the five food groups could include cake, candied yams, avocados, ice cream and bacon. Although all five food groups are represented, no one would try to argue that this is a healthy day’s menu. Choosing the best foods from within each group, and eating the less healthy foods in moderation, is the best way to ensure a healthy and varied diet.

For instance, choosing healthy, lean meats is a great way to get the protein you need without consuming unnecessary fat and calories. And removing fat and skin from chicken is a great way to eliminate extra fat and calories.

When choosing breads and cereals, it is usually best to choose those that carry the whole grain designation. Whole grains, those that have not been overly refined, contain greater nutritional qualities and fewer sugars.

In addition, many grains and cereals are fortified with additional vitamins and minerals. While this vitamin fortification is important, it should be seen as a bonus, not as a substitute for a proper diet. Many foods are supplemented with important nutrients such as calcium (essential for strong bones and teeth) and folic acid (important in preventing birth defects).

Substituting healthier foods for less healthy ones is a cornerstone of a healthy diet. For instance, substituting lean cuts of meat for fattier ones, and substituting skinless chicken or turkey breast for less healthy drumsticks, is a great way to maximize nutrition without sacrificing good taste.

No matter what your reason for following a healthy diet, or what your ultimate fitness goals may be, you will find that a good understanding of nutrition will form the basis of your healthy diet. Understanding how the various food groups work together to form a healthy diet will go a long way toward helping you meet your ultimate fitness goals. Whether your goal is to run a marathon, lose ten pounds or just feel better, knowledge is power, and nutritional knowledge will power your diet for the rest of your life.
About the Author

Zaak O’Conan discovers and presents useful information on how to enhance and/or repair your life, body and relationships. You’ll find his other articles on eating better and other ways how to improve your life at http://your-health-center.com

Tags: Author, Birth Defects, cuts, dairy products;, Different Types Of Nutrients, Egg White Omelet, Favorite Foods, Five Food Groups, folic acid, Food Groups, Fruit Vegetables, Fruits And Vegetables, Fruits Vegetables, Good Nutrition, Healthful Meal, Healthy Diet, Healthy Foods, Healthy Lifestyle, Lentils, Psychological Reasons, Scrambled Eggs, Spice Of Life, Tradeoff, Turkey;, Types Of Nutrients, USDA;, Variety Is The Spice Of Life, Whole Grains —

Tips to Healthy Eating and Dieting
Mike Herman

The entire country seems to be fighting the ever present “battle
of the bulge.”

With an ever expanding population that is beginning to suffer
from a variety of diseases and conditions directly related to
obesity, consider adopting an alternative lifestyle that
includes healthy eating and dieting.

Instead of trying to lose weight with potentially harmful pills
or medications, consider changing your way of thinking about
food.

Also, avoid popular fad diets that may take the weight off
initially, but usually allow you to regain all the weight (and
maybe even more) as soon as the diet ends.

Instead, look for measures of healthy eating and dieting that
will work as a lifestyle change by allowing you to lose the
weight and keep it off, in addition to gaining a better sense of
your overall health.

Instead of looking to diets that require you to purchase budget
breaking foods that are packed with preservatives, added colors,
and chemicals, change your way of thinking about losing weight
and gaining health!

This tip is the key to healthy eating and dieting. Look for
fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats for your diet and avoid
anything boxed, canned, or frozen–with the exception of frozen
vegetables.

These processed foods, in addition to prepared foods, include a
phenomenal amount of preservatives and are often high in sugars
and fats, while being low in anything of nutritional value.

Also, check the dietary information on any items you purchase so
that you can be sure the food is a good choice for your new,
healthy lifestyle.

Also, look to the Food and Drug Administration for their dietary
requirements for individuals of all different ages and health.

This guideline will allow you to choose the foods that are most
beneficial for consumption.

Usually, these guidelines encourage you to avoid sugars and
fats, usually the main causes of poor health and weight gain.

Also, the FDA will be able to provide you with nutritional
information on a variety of items, including fresh fruits and
vegetables, whose information may be a bit difficult to find.

Using this information, begin to plan you weekly meals.

About the author:

How Can Nutrients and Good, Healthy Foods and Supplements
Improve Your Life and the Way Your Take Part in Life? Get More
Informative Tips and Advice from How Is Your
Nutrition and optimum nutrition products

Tags: Alternative Lifestyle, Author, Battle Of The Bulge, Better Sense, chemicals;, Dietary Information, Dietary Requirements, Dieting Tips, Diseases, Diseases And Conditions, Food And Drug Administration, food;, Fresh Fruits Vegetables, Frozen Vegetables, Healthy Eating, Healthy Lifestyle, Lifestyle Change, Losing Weight, Mike Herman, Nutritional Value, obesity;, optimum nutrition products, Poor Health, Popular Fad Diets, Prepared Foods, Weight Gain —

Supplements, Diet and Exercise for Healthy Aging
Karen Walker

Recently a television health expert was discussing the topic,
How to stay young looking for the post-50 set. It was pretty
much the standard take good care of your skin, eat right and
exercise list until the last item. He stated, Take your drugs
every day. One of the best ways to look younger is to stay
healthy. Wait a minute! When did the use of prescription drugs
become a mainstay of a healthy lifestyle in this country?

Now, no doubt about it, the drug industry is big business. All
those prime time TV ads are marketed to specific audiences. Just
watch the evening news and nearly all the national ads are for
drugs or medical equipment and services. Between the drug
companies and the media, they would have us believing that poor
health is the normal, natural state of the human condition. But
is this really what we should expect?

One side effect of our so-called healthy, modern lifestyle is
that all these drugs, devices and services come with a hefty
price tag to the users. A recent study published in the American
Medical Association journal showed that 95,000 people die from
the use of PROPERLY prescribed drugs each year in the United
States alone. Thousands more are sickened by adverse reactions to
medications. That is right, folks, the facts show that the very
drugs your doctor prescribes to alleviate your symptoms of
illness can do you serious, permanent harm.

What about the financial cost? Recent statistics indicate that
one of the largest groups now filing bankruptcy are people WITH
medical insurance but unable to pay the medical bills and other
associated costs of illness that insurance doesnt cover. Is that
what we should expect from our golden years- to give our gold
to the health care industry just to eke out a few more months or
years of existence while suffering the effects of debilitating
diseases? Is this what you picture for yourself in the future?
Are you suffering now?

The experts agree there are certain basic things we can do to
stay healthier as we age. Most of this youve probably heard
before, yet keep in mind, these suggestions only work if you put
them to use in your life.

First, proper hydration is essential. Our bodies are 90% water
and 8-10 8 oz. glasses are needed every day just to maintain the
proper fluid balance in the body for cell function.

Regular exercise is another vital part of healthy aging. 20
minutes of aerobic exercise- perhaps just taking a walk-three
days a week alternating with moderate weight lifting is a good
routine nearly every one can follow. Research shows that
following a weight lifting program can improve both strength and
agility, no matter what your age. Of course, check with your
doctor first before starting any new exercise program and take
the time to learn proper technique for both safetys sake and the
maximum benefit from your efforts. Be sure to take one day off
each week to allow your body time to rest and recuperate.

Get sufficient sleep. Time spent asleep is grossly undervalued in
our society. It is during the sleep cycle that the body repairs
and rejuvenates itself.

A proper diet of balanced protein and complex carbohydrates with
small amounts of essential fats promotes both physical health and
mental alertness. Remember, what you fuel your body with directly
impacts your performance level in a big way. Avoid processed
foods, artificial colors, flavorings, sweeteners and
preservatives. Eat foods as close to their natural state as
possible. Stop thinking of the fast food drive up window as your
friend.

Unfortunately, experts agree that it is nearly impossible to
adequately meet your nutritional needs with our modern diet
alone. Our soils have been depleted of most essential nutrients
since the 1930s. Farmers regularly replace nutrients required
for plant growth-nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, but it is up
to us to replace the minerals and other nutrients missing from
our diets.

Modern processing and marketing techniques also contribute to our
lack of adequate nutrition. Produce picked in its green state,
then allowed to ripen in transit to market often lacks the
nutritional quality of their field ripened cousins.

Poor nutrition combined with the stress of our modern lifestyle
and constant exposure to environmental toxins means it is
unreasonable to expect good health in our mature years (or any
year, for that matter) without adequate supplementation.

Picking the correct supplement is essential to your health as
well. The vast array of options are enough to make your head
spin. Testing by independent labs show huge differences in
quality between brands. The cheapest drug store has everything
vitamin may not have much in the way of active ingredients, but
the most expensive brands may not, either. Once again, take the
time to do the research. Find out what quality control methods
the company uses. Are their products manufactured to
pharmaceutical standards? What is the companys commitment to
using the best available ingredients and how do they test for
ingredient quality?

In addition, investigate the latest scientific evidence on what
nutrients are needed for good health. There have been important
breakthroughs recently in our understanding of what cells need to
function and how proper cellular nutrition contributes to the
bodys ability to restore and repair itself. Find a nutrition
company whose products reflect these advances.

The last, and perhaps most important way to stay healthy as the
years go by, is to pay attention to you. Respect yourself enough
to take care of your physical needs. If something needs fixing,
do it. Learn to like yourself if you havent already. Dont just
feed your body, feed your mind as well. Make your brain work.
Take time to laugh everyday. Laughter stimulates the immune
system and just plain makes living more fun. Do the things in
life that give you pleasure. After all, there is more to life
than work and worry. You deserve to be happy, but it is up to you
to BE happy. When it comes down to it, you are all youve got. Be
someone whose company you enjoy.

Doing all these things wont guarantee you a long, healthy life.
After all, times and unforeseen circumstances befall us all.
But they may help the time you do have on this planet be
enjoyable for you and those whose life you impact. Best wishes
for a good life!

About the Author

Karen Walker is a life long student of healthy living. She works from her home in Montana.

www.keephealthkeepwealth.com

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