Along with getting regular exercise and being physically active, eating a healthy and varied diet is one of the most important steps you can take to improve and maintain your health. Seeking variety in the foods you choose and sticking to healthy meals can be difficult at first, but the long-term health benefits are significant.
Fresh, Unprocessed Foods
Your body needs certain nutrients to function and thrive, and you can serve it best by seeking out fresh, whole foods that contain the most vitamins and minerals and are unprocessed or minimally processed. Though some prepared and processed foods are also nutritionally beneficial, many have added sodium, sugar, fat, cholesterol or preservatives that compromise their overall nutritional value. Unprocessed foods are usually subject to spoilage if they're not eaten promptly. Good examples are apples, fresh greens, potatoes, berries, onions and bananas. Other examples of unprocessed foods that last a bit longer are rice, lentils and beans. Fresh meat, some cheeses and home-baked bread, made without preservatives, are examples of minimally processed foods. In contrast, processed foods contain added preservatives and are often stripped of original nutrients. Examples are applesauce, pudding, pasta sauce, boxes of macaroni and cheese, chicken fingers and packaged dinners.
Advantages
According to the American Heart Association, eating a healthy diet that includes many fresh fruits and vegetables helps to lower blood pressure and can reduce your risk of stroke, heart attack, heart disease and other serious ailments. Additionally, the Cleveland Clinic notes that choosing foods with the most nutrients, micronutrients and antioxidants can help your immune system grow stronger and function at its best.
Balance
The Mayo Clinic recommends building a balanced diet by eating a wide variety of healthy foods to get the maximum amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. One way to do that is to follow the United States Department of Agriculture's food pyramid, which recommends varying daily servings of grains, vegetables, fruits, low-fat or nonfat dairy products and lean proteins.
Cautions
If you're tempted by fatty or sweet foods, it can be a challenge to build and follow a healthy, balanced diet. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases recommends controlling portion sizes of all the foods you eat and trying to limit your total intake of calories, saturated fat, transfat and sodium. Whole, fresh foods often cost more than their less nutritious counterparts, so it's worthwhile to seek out cost-effective alternatives, such as buying whatever fresh food is in season.
Other Considerations
Make sure you're following a diet that's appropriate for your individual nutritional needs by talking with a physician or nutritionist about what you eat. Some people need more of a specific nutrient, such as iron or calcium, than others. Other people have a medical condition, such as diabetes or kidney disease, that requires dietary adjustments. If you're trying to lose weight, you may need to limit the number of calories you consume or add a regular routine of physical activity to your days.
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