Nutrition basically studies the relationship between our diet and our health. A lot of research and studies have been made which have proven that the best way to lead a healthy lifestyle would be to ensure proper nutrition. When we talk about proper nutrition, it means that we should consume the seven essential nutrients needed by the body to function properly. These would be: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, fiber, vitamins, minerals and water. Poor health and some medical problems such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases are usually caused by a deficiency, excess or imbalance in any of these nutrients.
Although a lot of people are aware that we need a sufficient amount of these nutrients on a daily basis through a balanced diet, a lot still fail to make sure that they are eating right.
This is because with the busy lives that most people lead today, getting the proper nourishment or maintaining a healthy diet can be quite difficult. However, with the right amount of information, we could all eat our way to a healthier body and a healthier lifestyle. Here are some tips on how to ensure proper nutrition.
- First off, make sure that you do not skip any meals. Make sure that no matter how busy your daily routine gets, you are eating your breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you skip meals, your body would not have the right amount of food and calories that it can convert into the energy that you need. Your body could then switch to survival mode, which would mean that your metabolic rate would be slowed down in order to conserve the food that you do eat. Excess food would then be stored as fat. On the other hand, if you eat your meals on time, your body’s metabolic rate would speed up, ensuring proper conversion of food into energy, storing a minimal amount of fat.
- Another tip to make sure that you would be properly nourished would be to drink a lot of water. Remember that water is very essential to make sure that your body would be functioning well. Instead of drinking soda and other sweetened drinks, choose plain water. The recommended daily water intake would be three liters for men and two liters for women.
- Try to eat lean protein. Second to water, protein would be the next most common material in the human body. There have also been a lot of research done that indicated increased intake of dietary protein significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes, as it reduces bad cholesterol and raises good cholesterol. Protein also helps in keeping the muscles strong and in speeding up the body’s metabolism. Some of the good sources of lean protein would include soy products, dairy products meat, poultry and fish.
- Choose to eat whole grains. Through choosing to add whole grains such as high-fiber cereals and whole wheat breads into your diet, you would be able to ensure that your body in consuming the right amount of fiber that it needs. By consuming enough fiber, the risk of certain diseases such as heart diseases and colon cancer can significantly be lessened. Fiber can also help in lowering your cholesterol and blood sugar levels and aids in weight loss as it keeps the body feel fuller longer.
- Make sure that you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Every healthy diet should have five servings or more of fruits and vegetables every day. This is because they are naturally high in the nutrients that the body requires such as vitamins and minerals, fiber, while having a low caloric content.
- Lastly, a good diet with all your nutritional requirements should be complemented with a good amount of exercise and physical activity. Regular exercise would decrease the risk of heart disease, diabetes and even prolong your life. It would also be good for your mind as exercise is a great way to get rid of stress. Some good exercises would include walking, jogging, swimming, weight lifting, biking and aerobics.