No two people have the same dietary needs. Depending on your age, weight, height and average physical activity, you may need more calories than the person next to you. Certain conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes may further complicate your dietary needs. That's why getting accurate diet advice is critical to taking care of your body and getting the proper nutrition for optimal health.
Talking to Your Doctor
The most important step when making any decisions about your health is to talk to your doctor. Based on your personal medical history and a thorough medical evaluation, your doctor is in the best position to give you advice about your diet and any changes or restrictions you should make in the foods you eat every day. If you have concerns about your diet and how it affects any conditions you may have, bring them up with your doctor during your consultation. Your doctor may recommend you see a nutritionist or dietitian. These are licensed professionals who are experts in helping you come up with a diet plan based on scientific research that will help you address your health concerns.
Standard Diet Recommendations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has set forth standard advice for the average person on the types and amounts of nutrients to eat on a daily basis. Based on a standard, 2,000-calorie diet, the average person should eat 6 oz. of carbohydrates each day -- half of which should come from whole grain sources. In addition, the average diet should also consists of 2.5 cups of vegetables -- especially leafy greens -- 2 cups of fruit, 3 cups of dairy -- such as milk, cheese and yogurt -- and 5.5 oz of meat, beans and other protein.
Expert Insight
Established medical institutions such as the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, can be another effective source for diet advice because their recommendations are based on established and accepted science. The NIH, for example, gives diet advice warning people to stay away from fad diets due to health hazards, including dehydration and rapid weight loss. The NIH also advises against skipping meals on a diet because doing so can lead to severe hunger later on in the day and eventually to extra calorie consumption.
Considerations
You should always consider the source of the diet advice you hear before following it. Many companies' advice on what you should eat or drink often is a thinly veiled ad they use to sell their weight-loss products.
Effects
Following sound diet advice can have long-lasting effects on your health. For example, losing weight has been shown to reduce your risk for a number of different diseases and conditions, such as obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol and diabetes.
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