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Health & Nutrition : Do's & Don'ts

Healthy Eating Habits
A balanced diet and regular exercise are very important for all of us. A balanced diet refers to the selection of foods with appropriate portion to provide adequate nutrients and energy for the growth of body tissues, strengthening the immune system and keeping healthy body weight.

The Importance of Balanced Diet
• A balanced diet provides energy and nutrients necessary for growth and helps maintain a healthy body weight.

• Nutrition replenishment is necessary to cope with the increased demand of energy for heavy work through the day and physical activities.

• A balanced diet can help prevent obesity, wasting, gastrointestinal diseases and anemia, as well as reduce chances of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer.

There are challenges ahead, including ending your love affair with frozen pizza, but you're strong and will get stronger each day as you fill your body with healthy foods and follow these dos and don'ts.

Do’s
• Go fresh! - Select fresh vegetables, fruits, meat and foods with high fiber content, such as whole wheat grains and cereals.

• Quench your thirst the right way - Choose water, plain tea or clear soup when thirsty. Avoid canned soup, soft drinks and sugar-added drinks such as packet juice etc.

• Go by the Clock - Set regular eating time and proportion for the three meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) every day. Healthy snack can be arranged between two main meals.

• Cleanliness doesn’t cost a thing - Pay attention to food hygiene and wash your hands before preparing food or having meals.

• Your food needs your time - Relax when you eat and chew slowly.

• Get moving! - Add more movement every day. Do regular exercise, help with the housework and develop healthy hobbies such as handcrafting, painting and stamp collecting so as to avoid eating snacks when idle.

• Chai Time - Drink green tea. The high concentration of antioxidants in green tea offers numerous health benefits, from helping your liver to work more efficiently to lowering your blood-sugar and preventing diabetes.

Don’ts
• Watch those fries - Don’t eat food with high content of sugar and fat and deep-fried food. Also avoid eating food which is too salty, preserved or processed.

• Keep it light - Don’t eat too much before going to bed. The famous belief goes by the fact that one should eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a common man and dinner like a pauper.

• Let the food sink in - Don’t do vigorous exercise within an hour after eating. Food needs time to digest. Immediate physical strain can cause harm to the digestive system of our body.

• Watch those cheesy calories - Don’t eat pizza or other cheese drenched foods more than once or twice a month. When it comes to high-fat dairy foods, cheese is the toughest nut to crack. First, the fat-free versions have a--shall we say--"unique" taste". Second, much of the cheese we eat comes in prepared foods like lasagna, cheeseburgers... and pizza.

• Skipping Breakfast is a Sin - Don’t skip your first and the most important meal of the day. Eating breakfast will jump start your metabolism and provide you with the energy you need to get through the day.

• Yet anther sin - Don’t overeat at any time. Your body doesn’t want all those extra pounds.

• If overeating is a sin, starving is a crime! - Cutting out too many calories can make your body go into starvation mode. During this time, your body hoards fat, instead of losing it. Your body needs nutrition in the form of healthy food at all times.

• Caffeine works as diuretic - Don’t drink lots of caffeine. Enough said.

• Drink your calories - Say no to soda and extra sugar in tea and coffee.

We’re all set!
So are you having trouble balancing your calorie intake with your calorie output? Don't waste your time and taste buds on empty calories. Explore a bounty of foods packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber. They can help lower your risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes, as well as promote healthy aging.

Mission Possible
Our objective here at www.planforme.com is to keep you informed about the latest nutritional research and information for your good health.

Keep checking back as we will be adding new articles on a continual basis.
Healthy Living!