Do you want to feel good and have more energy?
Do you want to maintain a healthy weight and help
reduce your risk of becoming ill from high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases? Eating
healthy food and being physically active are two of the most important steps
that you can take to improve your health.
Healthy Eating Guidelines, use the Food Pyramid Guide
and the Physical Activity Guidelines.
Healthy eating is about getting the
correct amount of nutrients – protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and
minerals you need to maintain good health. Foods that contain the same type of
nutrients are grouped together on each of the shelves of the Food Pyramid. This
gives you a choice of different foods from which to choose a healthy diet.
Following the Food Pyramid as a guide will help you get the right balance of
nutritious foods within your calorie range. Studies show that we take in too
many calories from foods and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt, on the Top
Shelf of the Food Pyramid. They provide very little of the essential vitamins
and minerals your body needs. Limiting these is essential for healthy eating.
At different stages in your life you
have different daily nutrient requirements. These depend on your age, whether
you are male or female and how active you are. While the general number of
servings for adults and children over 5 years of age is given for each shelf of
the Food Pyramid, where there are different requirements, the recommended
number of servings is highlighted underneath the Food Pyramid picture on pages
8, 10, 12and 14. Try to pick a variety of foods from each of the bottom 4
shelves every day to get
a good range of vitamins and
minerals.
