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HEALTH
AND NUTRITION
Dietary
Guidelines
IT IS NO SECRET THAT THE KEY TO GOOD HEALTH
IS A BALANCED DIET
and plenty of exercise. And
the key to weight control is for calories in to equal calories out.
However, it seems that there is so much confusion in the marketplace
about what is good and what is bad that people have forgotten about
eating for enjoyment and satisfaction. Everybody is an expert and the
next miracle diet is just a bookstore away. But there are some basic
dietary guidelines that stand the test of time. Most importantly, food
quality and freshness are paramount for a healthy lifestyle.The following
are eight others that we live and breathe by:
- Eat a variety of foods at normal portion sizes. Don’t supersize.
- Balance the food you eat with physical activity and don’t eat
more calories than you burn. The National Academy of Science recommends
the following caloric intake.
1600-1800 calories a day on average for sedentary
women and most older adults
2200-2400 calories a day on average for teenage girls, active women,
and many sedentary men
2800-3000 calories a day on average for most teenage boys, active
men and very active women
3600 calories a day on average for very active men
4000- 5000 calories a day for elite athletes
- Choose a diet with plenty of whole grain products, vegetables and
fruits. Whole grain suggestions include brown rice, whole grain breads
and oatmeal. Minimize refined grains such as white bread, sweetened
cereals and snack foods such as chips.
- Choose a diet low in fat and cholesterol. Choose and consume unsaturated
fats (plant and fish oils) such as omega-3 fatty acids, olive, canola
and flax. Use low-fat dairy products like skim milk and nonfat yogurt.
Minimize saturated (animal) fats and fried foods.
- Choose a diet low in sugars. Minimize sweets and prepackaged, prepared
food and beverages with sugar added as flavor.
- Choose a diet moderate in salt (sodium). Minimize prepackaged foods
with salt added as a main flavor.
- If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.
- Drink eight glasses of water a day. Water is vital for energy production
and muscle and brain function. Dehydration causes muscle cramps, tiredness,
headaches, and reduces the ability to move, think and react quickly.
An excerpt from The Food Philosopher’s® Guide to Epicurean Delights by Claudia Pillow and Annalise
Roberts
© 2002 by Claudia Pillow and Annalise Roberts, Southlake,
Texas 76092 U.S.A.
Health and Nutrition Archive
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