Medic8 Health Guide: Diet & Nutrition

Eating Healthy and your Nutrition

You must understand the effect of food on your body in order to keep yourself healthy. You should eat nutritious foods and cut down or completely avoid unhealthy foods. As much as possible, you should be enjoying what you eat. You should be able to give your body everything that it needs.

The way you eat and the choices of food that you make will have an effect on your health today and in the long run. If you eat healthy food, you will be able to reduce your risk of developing diseases like obesity, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis.

Why is it important to eat healthy foods?

All foods have their own set of nutrients. They may contain fibre, minerals, and vitamins that will aid in the metabolism and other processes in your body. Here are some examples of nutrients and components that you will find in your food

  • carbohydrates - these are the preferred source of energy for your body. All of your organs need carbohydrates in order to function. Your heart, your brain, your lungs, and the rest of your organs will rely on energy in order to function. These carbohydrates will also be used to repair the tissues of your body. They will be used to keep you warm and they will also be used to power your muscles when they move
  • protein - this is important for repairing your muscles. It can also be used as a source of energy for the body
  • fat - this allows important vitamins to be transported throughout your body. It is a highly concentrated source of energy as well
  • vitamins - there are a lot of vitamins in healthy food and they perform different functions in your body. For instance, vitamin D helps in making your bones healthy. Vitamin C is needed for healthy wound healing. Vitamin A will keep your eyes clear and healthy
  • minerals - there are several minerals that are useful for your body. For instance, iron is used for transporting oxygen through the blood. Calcium is needed for strong bones and teeth
  • fibre - this keeps your digestive system clean and healthy. It also controls your cholesterol levels and your blood sugar levels

Having a balanced diet

Not one single type of food out there will have all the nutrients needed by your body. It is essential that you have several sources of nutrients from a variety of foods. You must eat different kinds of food from different kinds of food groups in order to maintain a healthy body. Here are the five main food types or food groups

  • fruits and vegetables group
  • dairy group
  • starch group
  • meat, fish, and non-dairy sources of protein like beans
  • fats and sugar

 

Some common Questions about nutrition:

How much fruit and veg should i eat in one portion?

What are the protein sources for vegetarians ?

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anorexia

anorexia is one of the most common serious eating disorders. this article looks at the signs and symptoms, and what can be done to help.

body mass index (bmi)

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bulimia nervosa

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diets

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folic acid

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food hygiene (bmi)

tips to avoid food poisoning etc.

food labelling

labels on food which show saturated fats, protein, sugar, salt etc.

food portions

what constitutes a healthy portion?

healthy weight

what is a healthy weight for adults and children.

heart health

obesity

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sports nutrition

special dietary needs for athletes and sportspeople in general.

triglycerides

 

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Medic8® Family Health Guide : Nutrition

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