staying healthy

If I'm to have any discipline at all, I have to start it seems with a deep breath or two while I quiet my mind.. So far this winter.. well let's put it this way if I keep this up I'll be ready for the nursing home in twenty years or so! (I'm not quite as old as my current avatar may suggest! but will be soon if I keep being so totally undisciplined, it's a taurean, venus trait comes around every so often,called lazy.)

hi willy, u r right when u say that to stay healthy, we need to have a proper combination of exercise and healthy food. As far as exercise is concerned, even a brisk walk daily for 45 minutes shud suffice. At tthe same time,balanced diet comprising of healthy and diverse foods is key to promoting good health. Eating healthy food promotes good health and unhealthy food habits lead to a diseased body. Foods contain vital nutrients that aid our body’s metabolic function. However, a lack of consumption of these nutrients or feeding upon the wrong kinds of food leads to an accumulation of toxins within the body, resulting in chronic diseases in the long run. Based on experiences and traditions, our ancestors have used foods and plant materials to treat various kinds of illness. Obesity, high blood glucose levels, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and many such health issues usually need medications. However, along with medicines, some dietary modifications are a must. These diet changes will help you in the long run, irrespective of whether you are suffering from any ailment or not. Tips for healthy cooking: 1. Reduce consumption of fat, especially saturated fat and cholesterol. Choose low-fat cheeses and milk or low-cholesterol dairy and egg substitutes whenever possible. Choose chicken, turkey, fish over red meat. Use low-fat, low cholesterol margarine instead of butter for cooking. Choose olive oil or polyunsaturated vegetable oils over tropical oils. 2. Choose a dietary pattern in which your caloric intake is consistent with energy expenditure. Keep your activity level high and limit intake of high-carbohydrate foods. 3. Increase consumption of complex carbohydrates and fiber by choosing whole-grain foods, cereals, green salads, vegetables and fruits. 4. Reduce intake of sodium by choosing foods low in sodium content and by limiting the amount of salt added in food preparation and at the table. 5. Avoid eating stale food even if it has been well preserved in the refrigerator, as it could be loaded with germs. 6. Vitamin C is good for the bones, skin, and blood. So, remember to eat a citrus fruit every day. 7. Iron deficiency is the commonest but not the only cause of anemia. Therefore, if you are anemic, consult a doctor for the diagnosis. 8. If you are vulnerable to dental cavities, then choose foods lower in sugar content and limit the frequency of consumption of foods high in sugars. 9. Women should increase consumption of foods high in calcium, including low fat dairy products, fishes like salmon, sardines and mackerel, spinach, oysters, etc. 10. Too little calories can slow down the bodys metabolism, thereby decreasing the absorption of vitamins and essential nutrients too. 11. If you tend to overeat always, eating salads before your main course will fill you up in advance, thereby making you eat less. 12. Breakfast cereals can provide just the right amounts of carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals as we start the day.