Faced with the challenges of multiple fast food restaurants, larger portions and more desert options, you may be questioning why eating a healthy diet should be a priority. Obesity is at epidemic proportions in the United States today. Unfortunately, it is also linked with health problems which cause lifelong issues, such as diabetes, stroke, heart attack, peripheral vascular disease and immune mediated illnesses. Learning how to eat healthy can help to reduce your risk and improve your chances of good health through your senior years.
Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, according to the World Health Organization. It is not just the absence of disease but rather a form of metabolic efficiency. You have a unique combination of abilities and disabilities as well as health and sickness. Integrating a healthy diet into your daily regimen will reduce your risk of illness and disease and improve your overall mental health.
Healthy Nutrition
Healthy nutrition begins by recognizing that a plant-based diet with the recommended amount of animal meat will keep your body working optimally. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, choosing plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy plant-based fats, such as olive and canola oil will improve your overall health. Healthy nutrition also eliminates or significantly reduces the ingestion of processed meat, refined grains, sugary drinks and salty snacks. Fish and poultry are the best choices for meat. Using a multivitamin can help to balance the deficiencies of vitamins and minerals which may be present in your body but should never replace a well-balanced diet.
Disease and Nutrition
Many diseases and illnesses are associated with the physical condition of obesity. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, poor nutrition and obesity increase your risk of allergies and food sensitivities, diabetes, eating disorders, digestive disorders and cardiovascular disorders. An increased amount of sugar and fat in the diet will also increase your risk of obesity, according to a research study published in the "International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders." Researchers found that women were at higher risk for the development of obesity with the ingestion of high-fat sweet foods that were men.
Mental Health and Nutrition
Healthy nutrition is also important in the protection of mental health. According to the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability from the University of Illinois at Chicago, depression is a condition that is sometimes secondary to chronic health conditions for disabilities and is a serious illness for which treatment should be sought. Food and chemicals that we ingest help our brain to interact throughout the day. Carbohydrate-rich foods can help calm the brain while foods rich in tyrosine, dopamine and norepinephrine will help to increase alertness. Omega-3 fatty acids are incorporated into the membranes of the brain cells and help to control many processes. Poor nutrition and the lack of vitamins and minerals can contribute to depression by limiting the availability of these specific nutrients.
References
- World Health Organization: WHO Definition of Health
- Harvard School of Public Health: Knowledge for Healthy Eating
- United States Department of Agriculture: Diet and Diseases
- PubMed.gov: The sugar-fat relationship revisited: differences in consumption between men and women of varying BMI
- National Center on Physical Activity and Disability: Food and Your Mood: Nutrition and Mental Health
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