10 Rules for a Healthy Diet

Health can be maintained or obtained by following a correct diet. Even though there are a lot of diets that are presented as being miraculous, healthy nourishment isn’t about taking a diet but following a series of base rules that help fortify the body.

1. Choose quality food

Fresh, natural, unprocessed food should form the base of a daily diet. Consuming organic products that haven’t been treated with pesticides would be ideal. However, this isn’t possible most of the time, that’s why it’s good to head towards local products-imported ones have high bacteria and pesticide level.

In order to maintain food nutrients, try to avoid extended depositing or thermal preparation when possible.

Choose whole cereals instead of processed ones. Brown rice and seed bread should be given preference over white rice and cultured grain bread from which vitamins, minerals and fibers have been mainly extracted.

Ideal protein sources are low-fat red meat, poultry, vegetables, nuts, seeds and high quality oil-olive oil i.e.

2. Pick variety in nourishing

In order to benefit from a higher percent of the nutrients needed by our body to maintain itself healthy, try consuming food from diverse categories, don’t just stick to your favorite meals.

3. Moderation: consume only the necessary number of calories

The necessary number of calories varies according to age, gender, height, weight and daily activity level. Calculate your daily calorie needful now! Over-nourishment can lead to obesity, a high level of triglycerides and free radical caused damage, thus minimizing life hope.

A minimum control of ratios and eating in a slower rhythm will help you prevent over-nourishing.

4. Small and frequent meals

Try eating from 3 to 3 hours-3 main meals per day and 2 snacks. Thus you should upgrade your metabolism (fat burning) and balance your glycemia, renewing your energy and mood.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Try not to skip it, even though you can’t seem to eat more than yoghurt or some other type of light food.

Also avoid eating after 8 p.m. because it may have a negative effect on your sleep. Don’t skip meals even if you’re trying to loose weight, this leading to weariness, lack of concentration, deficient metabolism etc.

Healthy Breakfast Food

5. Drink a lot of water

Water is essential for the human organism: it adjusts the body’s temperature, puts out residues and transports nutrients through the body. Try to drink 2-3 liters of water daily.

6. Increase fiber input

Most people don’t have enough fibers in their diet. The recommended quantity for a grown adult is 25-38 grams of fiber daily. They lower the risk of chronic disease advent (diabetes, cardiac disease, even some types of cancer, upgrading control over glycemia etc.).

7. Reduce salt and increase potassium quantity

Salt (sodium) is necessary for health because it maintains our body fluids balanced, helps muscles and nerves work. Most people tend to consume more than the daily needful of 3,8gr-even going over the highest daily limit of 5,8gr.

The greatest part of daily consumed salt comes from processed foods: ketchup, sauces, spices etc.

Potassium is another very important nutrient in maintaining body fluids balanced. A daily regular 4,7gr potassium input has positive effects over arterial tension, lowering it when necessary. Potassium rich foods are: bananas, oranges, avocado, peaches, tomatoes etc.

8. Reduce sugar input

A study that took place in Canada revealed that a normal/regular adult annually consumes 72,5 kilos of sugar. Obviously this quantity is too high, excessive sugar input leading to diabetes, obesity, high triglyceride level, deficient immunity system.

The World Health Organization recommends we restrict the level of added sugar (provided by honey, syrup, sweetened juice) up to 10% of our calorie number.

Sweet cravings can be tempered with fruit-fresh or dried. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame and saccharine have been associated with headaches and other unwanted manifestations.

9. Reduce caffeine input

A high caffeine input can lead to bone calcium loss, high artery tension, insomnia, irritability, anxiety etc. It also is a dependence assuring complex. Sudden coffee relinquishment can cause headaches, irritability and pronounced tiredness in only a few hours from avoiding to drink it.

Try to replace at least a part of your daily coffee with green or black tea.

A high caffeine input can lead to bone calcium loss

10. Reduce alcohol input

Chronic alcohol input (more than 3 liquors per day) is correlated with liver, heart and sexual dysfunctions, pancreatitis, immunity system suppression, increased cancer risk, malnutrition etc.
Of course there are benefits to reduced alcohol input, too.

Studies have shown that a natural drink (a glass of red wine or a black beer) regularly consumed reduces the risk of cardiac affection development and boosts antioxidant effects.

Following a healthy diet is all about strong will and auto-education. If you can’t adopt these rules all of a sudden, try changing your diet step by step. Give yourself time to program your meals and don’t get demoralized if one day you can’t stick to the main plan.

Just make sure you’ll be on your right path the next day, avoiding to persist in the same mistake. Once you feel the positive effects, it will be easier to apply them!