Healthy eating and living

Health is wealth as people normally say, so for one to stay healthy, one has to be able to compromise. You can't ignore your bad eating habits just because you exercise regularly. Most people think that because they can burn a ton of calories at the gym they can eat whatever they want or because they're “naturally” thin they don’t have to watch what they eat.

Unfortunately relying on a good metabolism to take the place of healthy eating habits completely misses the point of living a healthy lifestyle. Eating a healthy diet is far from simple, simply because humans are very complex beings.

We may have it in the back of our minds that we are eating to fuel our bodies, but we actually make the majority of our food choices based on their enjoyment factor, we often choose to eat foods that taste very good, but that don’t make us feel very good afterward.

Many people do not even know how great it feels to eat a healthy meal, because they have been making bad food choices for too long. Here are some tips on healthy eating.

1. Eat lots of fruit and vegetable

It's recommended that you eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and veg every day. This is actually very easy to do cause you can chop a banana over your breakfast cereal, or swap your usual mid-morning snack for a piece of fresh fruit, you don't really need a specific time for this, you can also eat some in between meals.

2. Eat more higher fibre starchy carbohydrates

These include potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and cereals. Replace white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice and whole grain products. They contain more fibre than white or refined starchy carbohydrates and can help you feel full for longer.

Try to include at least 1 starchy food with each main meal. can help you stay regular and lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It can also improve your skin and even help you loss weight.

3. Eat more proteins

Protein gives you the energy to get up and go—and keep going, while also supporting mood and cognitive function. Fish is an example of protein, one is advised to eat plenty of oily fishes which may help prevent heart diseases. It also contains vitamins and minerals.

4. Eat less salt

Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke. Even if you do not add salt to your food, you may still be eating too much.

About three-quarters of the salt you eat is already in the food when you buy it, such as breakfast cereals, soups, breads and sauces, so one is advised not to add more salts.

5. Eat less sugar

Sugary foods and drinks are often high in energy (measured in kilojoules or calories), and if consumed too often can contribute to weight gain. They can also cause tooth decay, especially if eaten between meals.

Many packaged foods and drinks contain surprisingly high amounts of free sugars. Most times one is advised to eat food with natural sugar such as honey as substitutes to some packaged foods. Food labels can help one control the intake of sugar, simply use them to check how much sugar foods contain.

6. Get active and flaunt a healthy weight

As well as eating healthily, regular exercise may help reduce your risk of getting serious health conditions. It's also important for your overall health and wellbeing.

Being overweight or obese can lead to health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease and stroke. Being underweight could also affect your health. Most adults need to lose weight by eating fewer calories.

If you're trying to lose weight, aim to eat less and be more active. Eating a healthy, balanced diet can help you maintain a healthy weight.

7. Do not get thirsty

You need to drink plenty of fluids to stop yourself from getting dehydrated. It is recommended to drink 6 to 8 glasses every day. This is in addition to the fluid you get from the food you eat.

All non-alcoholic drinks count, but water, lower fat milk and lower sugar drinks, including tea and coffee, are healthier choices. Remember to drink more fluids during hot weather or while exercising.

8. Do not skip breakfast

Some people skip breakfast because they think it'll help them lose weight. But a healthy breakfast high in fibre and low in fat, sugar and salt can form part of a balanced diet, and can help you get the nutrients you need for good health.

A wholegrain lower sugar cereal with semi-skimmed milk and fruit sliced over the top is a tasty and healthier breakfast. Breakfast is known as the most important meal of the day, so try not to skip it.

Once you neglect healthy eating habits you not only face a possible future of being overweight or obese, you also run the risk of depression, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, bowel complications and much more.

The choices you make each day from what to eat for breakfast to whether or not to have that extra slice of pie affects how you feel and how you perform, which as you may be able to guess, affects everything you do. Choose wisely, and you will soon find that feeding your body well translates into a longer, healthier, more enjoyable life.

This article was written by Igwe Ella