Maintaining a healthy diet is the practice of making choices about what to eat with the intent of improving or maintaining good health. Usually this involves consuming necessary nutrients by eating the appropriate amounts from all of the food groups, including an adequate amount of water. Since human nutrition is complex a healthy diet may vary widely subject to an individual’s genetic makeup, environment, and health.
For around 20% of the planet’s population, lack of food and malnutrition are the main impediments to healthy eating; people in developed countries are however more concerned about obesity. Generally, a healthy diet is said to include sufficient calories to maintain a person’s metabolic and activity needs, but not so excessive as to result in fat storage Sufficient quantities of fat, including monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat and saturated fat.
Maintenance of a good ratio between carbohydrates and lipids, four grams of the first for one gram of the second. Avoidance of saturated fat. Avoidance of Trans fat.
Sufficient essential amino acids to provide cellular replenishment and transport proteins; essential micronutrients such as vitamins and certain minerals. Avoiding directly poisonous and carcinogenic substances; avoiding foods contaminated by human pathogens; Avoiding chronic high doses of certain foods that are benign or beneficial in small or occasional doses, such as foods or substances with directly toxic properties at high chronic doses
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1) Foods that may interfere at high doses with other body processes
2) Foods that may burden or exhaust normal functions
Some foods have low nutritional value, and if consumed on a regular basis will contribute to the decline of human health. This has been demonstrated by various epidemiological studies that have determined that foods such as processed and fast foods are linked to diabetes and various heart problems. When improperly cut or prepared, a small number of foods (such as fugue) can result in death.
The ingredient usually cited as being most crucial to good health, water, has even been known to result in death when consumed in extraordinary quantities. From a Psychological perspective, a new healthy diet may be difficult to achieve for a person with poor eating habits.
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This may be due to tastes acquired in early adolescence and Preferences for fatty foods. It may be easier for such Person to transition to a healthy diet if treats such as chocolate are allowed; sweets may act as mood stabilizers, which could help reinforce correct nutrient intake.
To live a healthy life or not is one’s choice at the end, and though there are new ways to improve one’s health the role of a healthy diet cannot be underplayed. So eat healthy and live healthy.