The daily choices that you make in terms of your food affect your health both now and in the future. Good nutrition is vital part of living a healthy lifestyle. In addition to exercise and physical activity, your diet can assist you with reaching and maintaining a healthy weight, lowering your risk of chronic diseases (such as heart disease and cancer) as well as promoting your overall health.
The Influence of What You Eat on Your Health
Eating habits that are unhealthy contribute to the obesity epidemic in the United States:
- Approximately one-third of American adults (33.8%) are obese, and
- About 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents who are aged between 2 and 19 are obese.
Even for people who are at a healthy weight, a poor diet is associated with significant health risks that can are responsible for illness and even death. These afflictions include:
- Heart disease,
- Hypertension (high blood pressure),
- Type 2 diabetes,
- Osteoporosis, and
- Certain varieties of cancer.
By making clever food choices, it is possible to help protect yourself from these health problems.
The risk factors for chronic diseases in adulthood, such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes, are increasingly seen in younger people. This is often as a result of unhealthy eating habits and increased weight gain. Dietary habits that are established in childhood often carry on into adulthood. This means that so teaching children how to eat healthily at a young age will help them to remain healthy throughout the course of their life.
It’s Expensive Not To Be Healthy
Nearly two-thirds of grown-ups in the United States are overweight or, alternatively, are obese. The American Department of Agriculture asserts that a healthier diet could prevent at least $71 billion per year which is spent on medical costs and lives which are.
This number may be miscalculated because it only accounts for diet-related coronary heart disease in addition to stroke, cancer and diabetes. It does not take into account other diet-related illnesses. Seventy-five percent of health-care dollars are spent on treating diseases which are preventable.
Suspends the Effects Of Ageing
Foodstuffs such as tomatoes and berries as well as avocados, nuts and fish all contain certain vitamins and minerals that are good for your skin. For instance:
- Tomatoes contain vitamin C. This helps to build collagen which in turn makes your skin look firmer and slows premature ageing.
- Berries are full of antioxidants and vitamins. Eating these foods promotes cell regeneration for new-looking skin.
Gives You Loads of Energy
Our bodies get energy from the foods and liquids that we consume which in turn helps our overall fitness levels. The main nutrients that our bodies use for energy are carbohydrates, fats as well as protein:
- Carbohydrates – such as whole-grain breads and starchy vegetables – are the best for producing prolonged energy because they are digested at a slower rate.
- Water is necessary for the transportation of nutrients. Dehydration can cause a drop in energy.
- A deficiency in iron may cause fatigue and irritability as well as low energy levels. Food rich in iron include seafood, chicken, peas and dark green leafy vegetables. To better absorb iron from these foodstuffs, consume vitamin C at the same time. Think of including vitamin C-rich foods like broccoli, kiwi, peppers, leafy greens and tomatoes in meals which are iron dense.
The linkage between good nutrition and a weight within normal ranges, diminished chronic disease risk, and overall health is too vital to ignore. By taking the necessary steps to eat healthily, you’ll be well on your way to receiving the nutrients that your body requires in order to stay healthy, active as well as strong. As with physical activity, making small changes in your diet can go a long way. It’s easier than you think!
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