The Benefits of Healthy Eating
A balanced diet is essential for a healthy lifestyle meaning your body will be strong both mentally and physically. A healthy body protects you from disease and illness while a healthy mind helps you cope with stress and can reduce depression. It provides the energyto keep active throughout the day and the nutrients are used for growth and repair. Some benefits of healthy eating are :
– May help you to live longer
– Boosts your immune system
– Lowers the risk of heart disease and some cancers
– Helps the digestive system function
– Helps achieve and maintain a healthy weight
– Stronger and healthier bones and teeth
A healthy diet would consist of a vary of vegetables, fruits, carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Foods such as sardines,pilchards and dairy products such as cheese and milk provide calcium for the strengthening of the bones and teeth while foods such as apples, oranges and lettuce are a good sauce of vitamins and minerals like vitamin C and potassium.
The government recommends these 5 segments to represent the 5 food group as follows (more information can be found on The Eatwell Guide) :
– potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrate foods: 38 %
– fruit and vegetables: 40 %
– dairy and alternatives: 8%
– beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein: 12 %
– oils and spreads: 1%
This adds up to 99% due to rounding up.
Water intake is also very important as 70% of our body is made up of it. Our body is heavily dependant on water for basic functions. It helps us :
– keep a normal body temperature
– get rid of wastes through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements
The Eatwell Guide recommends 6-8 cups of fluid a day. This meaning water, lower-fat milk and sugar free drinks.
The Benefits of Regular Exercise
Regular exercise is just as important as a healthy diet. Regular exercise can boost self esteem, help cope against stress and reduces depression as well as help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities. Some benefits of regular exercise are :
– helps prevent heart disease, strokes and some cancers
– helps to achieve or maintain a healthy weight
– strengthens bones and muscles
– reduces short-term feelings of anxiety
– improved cognition in children
It is recommended to be physically active for at least 30 minutes on most of the days in a week and to practise all types of exercise such as endurance, strength, balance and flexibility. Some activities could include :
– running
– cycling
– football
– tennis
– hiking
There are many more activities that can help you live a healthier lifestyle so try as many things as you can!