A Healthy Balanced Diet And Healthy Eating Tips

Is there a direct link between eating a balanced diet and living longer?

There is a direct correlation between high life expectancy and a balanced diet. A balanced diet is the one, which encompasses all the necessary aspects of a meal, such as carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and mineral. It establishes a balance between the various foods, thereby aids in better well being.

Balanced Diet Menu For Eating Healthy Foods

Certain guidelines for a healthy and long life are:

1. Eat healthy foods at regular intervals. Avoid skipping meals, as it results in improper eating behavior.
2. A healthy breakfast is necessary to keep you going throughout the day. Avoid skipping breakfast, as it is consumed, after a break of ten to twelve hours.
3. Avoid refined and processed foods, as they contain high levels of salt and fat. Refined flour and refined sugar are the main foods to be avoided.
4. Animal foods, such as lean meat, fish, egg and poultry are good source of protein. Fish provides omega 3 fatty acids, which are beneficial to the heart. Red meat and processed meat, in the form of bacon, luncheon meats, and barbecue meats are marbled with fat and are better avoided. Lean meats are better options.
5. Milk products are nutritious, provided they are low in fat. Skimmed milk is a good substitute for whole milk.
6. Whole grains, pulses, cereals and legumes contribute to complex carbohydrates. Fruits and vegetables furnish phyto nutrients and antioxidants, which function as free radical scavengers. These prevent oxidative cell damage, thereby preventing the onset of degenerative diseases, such as cataract, osteoporosis, atherosclerotic plaques and cancer.
7. Healthy fats are necessary, as they furnish energy and act as insulators in the body. It also helps in the metabolism and in the absorption of certain vitamins. Poly and mono unsaturated fats are better in comparison to saturated fats. Butter, lard, clarified butter and margarine are saturated fats, which are generally restricted. Increase the intake of olive oil and flaxseed oil, which are monounsaturated.
8. Abstinence from alcohol and smoking helps to a great extent.

Though a balanced diet contributes to long life, yet another vital contributing factor is regular workout. A daily exercise session of half an hour helps to lose the extra flab. Walking and jogging are aerobic form of exercises which are easy to perform and fail to call for any kind of sophisticated equipments. Weight training is also useful, as it helps to gain muscle mass, which in turn results in breakdown of fat from the adipose tissue. Unnecessary weight gain results in certain complications, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, renal failure and hypertension.