Having good nutritional habits seems simple enough, but actually putting into your body exactly what it needs all the time is hard without understanding what it needs, why it needs it, and how to get it. A healthful diet is one that gives your body everything it needs in order to function at its best.
Drink More Water
While water does not contain any nutrients, it is vital to your body's health. Without it, you will become dehydrated, which can lead to serious health problems. Some water we get simply through the foods we eat, but it is important to drink whenever you are thirsty, and frequently throughout the day. Also, substituting water for juice and soda gives you what you need without added sugar and calories.
Calories
Calories are essential to our survival, giving us the energy that we need to function. However, it is important to be aware of your caloric intake. Eating more calories than our bodies need for energy can lead to weight gain; when we take in too many, our bodies store the extra calories in the form of fat.
Protein
Protein is key to a body's ability to maintain and repair tissues. Proteins contain eight essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce on their own. Animal sources of protein, such as meat and eggs, contain all eight of these amino acids. Plant sources contain some, but not all; thus, vegetarians need to be especially aware of how they are getting all eight to maintain health. To get the right amount of protein daily, you should eat two to three servings from the Food Pyramid group of Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts.
Fiber
Fiber is important for proper bowel function. In order to keep those systems running properly, 30 grams of fiber a day should be consumed.
Fat
Our bodies need fat and cholesterol, but in controlled and limited amounts. No more than 30-percent of your daily calories should come from fat, and saturated fat (found in butter, eggs, and meat) should account for less than 10-percent of that. By limiting your fat intake, you can maintain a healthy weight, or lose excess weight, and also reduce the risk of heart disease. Additionally, cholesterol (a fat-like animal product) should be very limited in your diet. Trans-fat, formed by turning liquid oil into solid fat, should always be avoided.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are an excellent source of energy. They also help to balance bodily fluids. Six to eleven servings should be eaten daily. Carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes provide nutrients; others, mainly sugar, are "empty," providing only carbohydrates without the added benefits of nutrients.
Vitamins and Minerals
The best way to supply your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs is to eat a wide variety of healthful foods. However, many people have a hard time getting everything in, and benefit from taking vitamins and mineral supplements. While Vitamin C and all of the B vitamins are water-soluble (meaning excess amounts will be flushed out of the body), excessive amounts of vitamins A, D, E, and K are stored in the body and can be toxic. Simply being aware of how much you are getting should keep that from being a problem.
All-Around Health
By being aware of nutrition, and combining healthful eating with good eating habits, your body can function at its best. It is important to not only be aware of what your body needs, but how much. Be aware of portion size, and remember that balance is important. An occasional treat or day without all of the food groups is okay, as long as your body is getting what it needs (and not more) the rest of the time.
Nutrition News:
Obama to seek more Alzheimer's research money - The Obama administration wants to spend just over half a billion dollars on Alzheimer's research next year, hoping to battle back against what could become the defining disease of the aging baby-boom generation.
After diabetes diagnosis, US celebrity chef feels heat - US cooking star Paula Deen, self-proclaimed "Queen of Southern Cuisine" famous for her dishes smothered in butter, has met a storm of outrage after revealing she has diabetes and is hawking a drug to treat the disease.
Blood clot guidelines challenge economy class risk - Good news for budget-minded travelers: There's no proof that flying economy-class increases your chances of dangerous blood clots, according to new guidelines from medical specialists.
Many kids still exposed to secondhand smoke in cars - NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new government study reports that while fewer kids and teens are getting exposed to secondhand smoke while riding in the car, rates of exposure are still high enough to warrant concern. The authors recommend that more...
Child abuse experts calls for U.S. campaign - NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Nearly 4,600 U.S. children were hospitalized with broken bones, traumatic brain injury and other serious damage caused by physical abuse in 2006, according to a new report. Babies younger than one were the most common v...
Health Tip: Common Reasons for Potty Training 'Accidents' - (HealthDay News) -- Potty training accidents can be frustrating for parents and kids, but they're usually a part of the learning process.
Humana posts higher profit, lifts forecast - (Reuters) - Humana Inc posted a big rise in fourth-quarter earnings that was generally in line with analysts' targets, helped by higher membership in its Medicare plans for the elderly, and the health insurer slightly lifted its full-year prof...
US: Too many kids breathe others' smoke in cars - Texting while driving, speeding and back-seat action aren't all that parents need to worry about when their kids are in cars: Add secondhand smoke to the list.
Fewer Teens Exposed to Tobacco Smoke in Cars: Report - MONDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Although fewer kids are being exposed to smoking while riding in cars, more than 20 percent of nonsmoking teens still are, U.S. health officials report.
Orexigen, FDA agree on trial design for obesity drug - (Reuters) - Orexigen Therapeutics Inc said it reached an agreement with U.S. health regulators on the design of a heart-safety trial required for the approval of its experimental obesity drug. The biopharmaceutical company plans to enroll about 10...
FDA questions Amgen drug for prostate cancer - Scientists for the Food and Drug Administration say that an Amgen drug slowed the spread of cancer to the bone in men with hard-to-treat prostate cancer, though the drug did not extend life and carried significant side effects.
Marathoners who go the distance 100 times or more - NEW YORK (Reuters) - For most people running one marathon is a daunting prospect but research scientist Leslie Miller belongs to group of runners who have completed 100 or more marathons, many of them just for the fun of it. "It's my hobb...
Dr. Oz's health effort nets 1 million participants - Television already has "The Biggest Loser." Dr. Mehmet Oz is looking for the biggest number of losers.
More Americans Seeking Love Online: Study - MONDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Online dating has upended traditional matchmaking, new research suggests, with more would-be suitors embracing the notion that Mr. or Ms. Right may only be a click away.
Thousands of U.S. Kids Hospitalized for Abuse - MONDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Close to 4,600 kids in the United States were hospitalized as a result of child abuse in one recent year, and 300 of them died, a new study shows.
Health Tip: How to Protect Seniors From Injury - (HealthDay News) -- Creating a home safety checklist can help seniors prevent injuries and let them prepare if they happen to fall or hurt themselves.
"Malaria cure" claim sparks Vienna probe - VIENNA (Reuters) - A Vienna hospital is searching for long-retired staff who might hold clues to a man's claim that he was deliberately infected with malaria when he was a psychiatric patient nearly half a century ago. The case shed fresh ligh...
DEA raids 2 CVS pharmacies in drug abuse probe - (Reuters) - Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration raided two CVS pharmacies in Florida as part of an effort to curb the abuse of prescription painkillers and other potentially addictive substances. The action on Saturday came one day aft...
College Degree Lowers Marriage Odds for Those From Disadvantaged
Backgrounds - MONDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Far from enhancing their value in the marriage market, a college degree actually reduces the chances that an American from an economically disadvantaged background will tie the knot, a new study finds.
Smoking linked to mental decline in men: study - Men who smoke experience greater mental declines over time than men who never smoked, but the same link does not appear among women, said a British study published in the United States on Monday.
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