Healthy Eating: Tips for a Healthy Diet and Better Nutrition

With the festive season behind us, many of us are regretting eating that extra piece of cake, mince pies and generally over-indulging. The worst part of overindulging is to try and get back into a ‘normal' eating routine and hoping your clothes will still fit you when you go back to work!

Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it's about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible - all of which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and incorporating them in a way that works for you.

As part of the Government Employees Medical Scheme's (GEMS) ongoing effort to educate our members and future members on a range of healthcare topics, we would like to provide you with some healthy eating tips which will have you feeling in ‘tip top' shape in no time!

Choose the types of foods that improve your health and avoid the types of foods that raise your risk for such illnesses as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Expand your range of healthy choices to include a wide variety of delicious foods. Learn to use guidelines and tips for creating and maintaining a satisfying, healthy diet.

Healthy Eating: Strategies for a healthy diet
Choose foods that improve your health and avoid foods that raise your risk for illnesses while creating a diet plan that works for you.

• Eat enough calories but not too many. Maintain a balance between your kilojoule intake and kilojoule expenditure - that is, don't eat more food than your body can burn up. The average recommended daily allowance depends on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity.
• Keep portions moderate, especially high-kilojoule foods.
• Eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes - foods high in complex carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins, minerals and low in fat.
• Drink more water. Our bodies are about 75% water. It is a vital part of a healthy diet. Water helps flush our systems, especially the kidneys and bladder, of waste products and toxins.
• Limit sugary foods, salt, and refined-grain products.
• Don't be the food police. You can enjoy your favourite sweets and fried foods in moderation, as long as they are an occasional part of your overall healthy diet. Food is a great source of pleasure, and pleasure is good for the heart - even if those French fries aren't!
• Get moving. A healthy diet improves your energy and feelings of well-being while reducing your risk of many diseases. Adding regular physical activity and exercise will make any healthy eating plan work even better.
• One step at a time. Establishing new food habits is much easier if you focus on and take action on one food group or food fact at a time.

Eating smart: A key step towards healthy eating
Healthy eating begins with learning how to "eat smart". It's not just what you eat, but how you eat. Paying attention to what you eat and choosing foods that are both nourishing and enjoyable help support an overall healthy diet.

• Take time to chew your food: Chew your food slowly, savouring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavours and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
• Avoid stress while eating: When we are stressed, our digestion can be compromised, causing problems like colitis and heartburn. Avoid eating while working, driving or watching TV.
• Listen to your body: Ask yourself if you are really hungry. You may really be thirsty, so try drinking a glass of water first. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly. Eating just enough to satisfy your hunger will help you remain alert, relaxed and feeling your best.
• Eat early, eat often: Starting your day with a healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism. Also, eating small, healthy meals throughout the day, rather than the standard three large meals, can help keep your metabolism going and ward off snack attacks.

Healthy eating simplified
Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fibre, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body. But what exactly does that mean? What are good carbohydrated, protein, and fat choices for developing your own healthy eating plan?

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates - food composed of some combination of starches, sugar and fibre - provide the body with fuel it needs for physical activity by breaking down into glucose, a type of sugar our cells use as a universal energy source.

• ‘Bad' carbs are foods that have been "stripped" of all bran, fibre, and nutrients. They have been processed in order to make cooking fast and easy. Examples are white flour, refined sugar, and white rice. They digest so quickly that they cause dramatic elevations in blood sugar, which over time can lead to weight gain, hypoglycemia or even diabetes.
•  ‘Good' carbs are digested more slowly. This keeps your blood sugar and insulin levels from rising and falling too quickly, helping you get full quicker and feel fuller longer. Good sources of carbs include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables, which also offer lots of additional health benefits, including heart disease and cancer prevention.

Whole Grains
In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.   Make sure you're really getting whole grains.  Focus on including grains that are in their whole form, such as whole grain brown rice and barley in your meals.

Avoid: Refined grains such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain.

Fibre
Dietary fibre is found in plant foods (fruit, vegetables and whole grains) and is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Fibre aids in supporting a healthy diet by:

• Helping you feel fuller faster and longer, which can help prevent overeating.
• Keeping blood sugar levels even, by slowing digestion and absorption so that glucose (sugar) enters the bloodstream slowly and steadily.
• Maintaining a healthy colon - the simple organic acids produced when fibre is broken down in the digestive process helps to nourish the lining of the colon.

A healthy diet should contain approximately 20 to 30 grams of fibre a day, but most of us only get about half of that amount.

Vegetables and Fruits
Fruits and vegetables are low in calories and are packed with vitamins, minerals, protective plant compounds and fibre. They are a great source of nutrients and vital for a healthy diet.

Fruits and vegetables should be part of every meal, and be your first choice for a snack. Eat a minimum of five portions each day. The antioxidants and other nutrients in these foods help protect against developing certain types of cancer and other diseases.

Greens: Dark leafy green vegetables are a vital part of a healthy diet since they are packed with nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and Vitamins A, C, E and K. Greens help to strengthen the blood and respiratory systems.

Sweet Vegetables: Naturally sweet vegetables are an excellent way to add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets. Some examples of sweet vegetables are corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes and onions.

Avoid: Fruit juices can contain up to 10 teaspoons of sugar per cup; avoid or dilute with water. Canned fruit often contains sugary syrup, and dried fruit, while an excellent source of fibre, can be high in kilojoules. Avoid fried veggies or ones smothered in dressings or sauces - you may still get the vitamins, but you'll be getting a lot of unhealthy fat and extra calories as well.

Protein
During digestion, protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the basic building blocks our bodies use to create its own protein.  Our bodies need protein to maintain our cells, tissues and organs. A lack of protein in our diets can result in slow growth, reduced muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system. Protein gives us the energy to get up and go - and keep going. Individual needs for protein may differ from person to person depending on their body and activity level.

• A complete protein source is one that provides all of the essential amino acids. Examples are animal-based foods such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, and cheese.
• Complementary proteins are two or more incomplete protein sources that together provide adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids. For example, rice and dry beans. Similarly, dry beans are incomplete proteins, but together, these two foods can provide adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids your body needs.
• Nuts, seeds, beans, peas, and soy products are good sources of protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Many of the foods in this group provide iron, which is better absorbed when a source of vitamin C is consumed together with the meal.

Milk and other dairy products
Dairy products provide a rich source of calcium, necessary for bone health. Most are fortified with vitamin D, which helps the small intestine absorb calcium. Calcium can also be found in dark green, leafy vegetables, as well as in dried beans and legumes.

Recommended calcium levels are 1000 mg per day, 1200 mg if you are over 50 years old. Take a vitamin D and calcium supplement if you don't get enough of these nutrients from your diet.

Choose non-fat or low-fat dairy products.  If you're lactose-intolerant, choose lactose-free and lower-lactose products, such as lactose free milk, hard cheeses and yoghurt.

Fats: avoid the bad fats and enjoy the good fats
Fats are another vital part to a healthy diet. ‘Good' fats are needed to nourish your brain, heart, nerves, hormones and all your cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails. Fat also satisfies us and makes us feel full. It's the type of fat that matters in addition to how much you consume.

• Saturated fats, primarily found in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy products, raise the low-density lipoprotein (LDL or ‘bad') cholesterol that increases your risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Substitute lean meats, skinless poultry, and low-fat or non-fat dairy products, fish and nuts. Other saturated fat sources include vegetable oils such as coconut oil, palm oil and foods made with these oils.
• Trans fat raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL or ‘bad') cholesterol that increases your risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), as well as lowering HDL, or good cholesterol. Trans fats are created by heating liquid vegetable oils in the presence of hydrogen gas, a process called hydrogenation. Primary sources of trans fat are vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
• Monounsaturated fats - Monounsaturated fats like olive oil, tend to have lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Primary sources are plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil. Other good sources are avocados; nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans; and seeds such as pumpkin and sesame seeds.
• Polyunsaturated fats - These includes the Omega-3 and Omega-6 groups of fatty acids which your body can't make. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in very few foods - primarily cold water fatty fish and fish oils. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood and help prevent dementia. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and walnuts. It is important to know that these oils become unhealthy when heated due to the formation of free radicals, which can lead to disease.

How much fat is too much?
It depends on your lifestyle, your weight, your age and most importantly the state of your health. Focus on including Monounsaturated fats and Polyunsaturated fats in your diet, decreasing Saturated fats, and avoiding Trans fats as much as possible.

Healthy Fats and Oils
Foods  rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood and help prevent dementia. The best sources for the EPA and DHA omega-3 fats are fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. 

Sugary Drinks and Sweets
It is natural to like sweets and it is acceptable to enjoy them as an occasional treat, but it is vital to keep consumption to a minimum. Refined sugar is one of the bad carbs mentioned above. Not only does it cause problems with our blood sugar level, but it also uses up stored resources within our body (such as minerals and enzymes) in order to process the sugar. In addition there are many negative health effects that sugar contributes to including: hypoglycemia, suppression of the immune system, arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, headaches, and depression.

Choose sweet treats that are home made or have naturally occurring sugar, such as fruits. Try making your favourite dessert with half or one-third less sugar than usual. Make dessert a special event once a week. Many foods have naturally occurring sugars, such as fruits, vegetables, grains and beans. Incorporate naturally sweet foods into your diet to help combat the craving for unhealthy sweets. Strawberries, apples or sweet potatoes are all great options.

Avoid or severely limit sugary drinks - they are an easy way to pack kilojoules and chemicals into your diet without even noticing it. Just because a soda is sugar-free doesn't make it healthy. Rather try water with a squeeze of lemon or water with a splash of 100% fruit juice.

Salt
Once again the problem with salt comes with the over-use and over consumption of processed salt most commonly used. It is best to limit sodium to 2,300 mg per day - the equivalent to one teaspoon of salt. Most of the salt in our diets comes from processed, packaged, restaurant, and fast food. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen meals can contain hidden sodium that can quickly surpass this recommended amount. Many of us are unaware of how much sodium we are consuming in one day.

Salt itself is not bad. A high quality sea salt can have up to 90 minerals, which are healthy for our body.

Remember, your health is your responsibility.

If you would like to know how GEMS can assist you to obtain more information about your health related questions, you can phone the GEMS call centre on 0860 00 4367 or send a SMS to 083 450 4367. GEMS will assist you in every way possible to ensure your health and well-being.

Sources used: www.helpguide.org