Why Is It Important To Stay Fit And Healthy

Avoid too much salt

We need a little salt in our diets, but the average intake of salt per person in the UK is about 10g per day (roughly two teaspoons), which is far too much. Try to avoid ready-made foods, and minimise the amount of salt you add to your cooking. Use alternatives to add flavour to your dishes such as lo salt (alternative salt with potassium), herbs, spices, or lemon juice.

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables

There is good evidence that diets rich in fruit and vegetables reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases (such as coronary heart disease and some cancers) in later life. Most people would benefit from increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables and also make good snack foods!

A balanced diet should contain at least five different portions of fruit and vegetables a day. It is best to eat a wide variety so you can get a range of vitamins and minerals. Taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement is also a good idea, as modern farming methods strip the soil of nutrients, which means fewer nutrients in the fruit and vegetables you eat.

Avoid eating too many foods that contain a lot of fat

Some fats are essential for your body to stay healthy. Monounsaturated fats and essential fatty acids from olive oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds are an important part of a balanced diet.

However many people eat far more fat than they need, and a diet high in saturated fat( meat and dairy products) can increase the risk of heart disease. Fat is also high in calories, and eating too much could leave you overweight. Try not to fry food too often, as heating oil changes its chemical composition and creates free radicals which are bad for your health.

Visible fat like the fat on meats or in fat spreads is easy to spot but there is also a lot of fat hidden in food like pies, pastries, cakes, biscuits, and chocolate. Checking the label and choosing lower fat versions whenever possible is a good way to reduce fat in the diet.

Drink plenty of water

As well as eating the right foods, you need to make sure that you drink enough fluid throughout the day. The human body is made up of 70% water, and this water needs to be replaced regularly.

If you don’t drink enough you’ll become dehydrated which could mean headaches muscle pains and other health problems. It’s important to keep well hydrated.

But what should you drink? The answer is WATER

Soft drinks, tea, and coffee may taste better, but as they cause an increase in urination they can end up making you dehydrated. You don’t need to stop the cups of teas or coffee but you should drink 7 – 10 average-sized glasses of water a day to keep hydrated. Also, water does not have any calories or artificial sweeteners so it is by far the healthiest option.