Balanced Diet: Know More on Healthy and Nutritional Balanced Diet!
Jasdeep Singh

In this fast paced world, good nutrition may sound very simple but it is indeed really difficult to practice it. We eat too many processed foods or we tend to miss some meals. Some of us even smoke or drink alcohol. We also choose food on the basis of the taste. This not only make us overeat but also we ignore rich nutrient food items which we feel have bad taste. Foods lose substantial nutritional value during storage. There are many such factors which rob us of the nutrients we need for the maintenance of general well being.

We all talk of balanced diet, but how many of us really know the actual meaning of the balanced diet? Balanced Diet is a diet which has adequate amount of all nutrients required for healthy growth and activity. Sounds simple!

We have divided food into five groups on the basis of their nutrient content which are the most integral part of balanced diet.

Group One :

Wheat, Rice and Cereals. They are major sources of starch, carbohydrates, B-Vitamins and fibre.

Recommended Servings : 6-8 servings daily.

Group Two :

Dairy products. They are major sources of calcium , protein and vitamins (A,B2, B6, B12 and D).

Recommended Servings : 2-4 daily.

Group Three :

Fruits and Vegetables. They are major sources of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and fibre.

Recommended Servings : 4-6 daily.

Group Four :

Meat, Fish, Poultry and Pulses. They are major sources od protein, Vitamin B12 , zinc and iron.

Recommended Servings : 2-3 daily

Group Five :

Fats, Oils and Sugar. They are major source of energy in our body.

Recommended Servings: Should be barely adequate.

Recommended servings of each group daily comprises a balanced. Now does it still look simple? To make it worse, our hectic life schedules make it more difficult for us to achieve this goal. Hence it has become a challenge now. We cant ignore this vital part of our life too. So we should better gear up for it!

Random Tip: Eating fruits increases your immunity against the development of age-related maculopathy and eye diseases.

About the Author

About the Author: Jasdeep Singh

For http://weightloss-health.com/ your complete and most comprehensive family guide on Health.

Also get free sample low carb recipes at http://weightloss-health.com/low_carb_recipes.htm

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Healthy eating and nutrition for the elderly is greatly impacted by several factors, one of them being a change in body composition. During the later years in life, the body will lose bone and muscle and gain fat because the hormones aren’t very active anymore.

There are many factors which hinder an elderly person’s health. The information below will help you to lead a healthy life – no matter how old you may be.

Water
Water in the body decreases with age, so many older folks will become dehydrated very easily. Sometimes they won’t feel thirsty, while other times it’s too much work to pour a glass a water. With this in mind, it’s recommended that they drink at least 1 ounce of water for every 2.2 pounds of weight.

Protein
At this stage in life, protein is very important. Protein is needed to support a healthy immune system and prevent the wasting of muscle. Since energy needs are less, older folks should eat high quality protein such as eggs, lean meats, poulty, and fish.

Carbs and fiber
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the entire body. You can find carbs in bread, cereals, pasta, and other grain products. A diet that’s high in fiber and water will help to prevent constipation as well.

Fat
Fat intake for the elderly should be limited, not eliminated. You can limit fat by choosing lean meats, low fat dairy products, and food preperation methods that don’t include frying.

Iron
For the elderly, iron deficiency can be seen with those who aren’t eating much. Good sources for iron include lean red meats or breakfast cereals.

Zinc
Zinc intake is normally with the elderly, and to make matters worse, it’s not absorbed very well either. Meat, poultry, and fish should be a part of your diet to help you meet the requirements for zinc.

Calcium
Calcium is one ingredient that most elderly folks simply aren’t getting enough of. Most believe that milk upsets their stomach, and therefore they will avoid it. They should be getting around 1,500 mg of calcium a day, and nonfat powdered milk can be used in recipes as a substitute for milk. Other foods such as yogurt, low fat cheese, and broccoli can also help you meet the requirements for calcium.

Vitamin B12
In order to absorb the benefits of B12, the intrinsic facotr must be produced by the stomach. Most elderly people suffer from a deficiency in B12 because they have a condition known as atrophic gastritis. This condition causes inflammation of the stomach, bacterial overgrowth, and the intrinsic factor. Without the intrinsic factor, this vitamin can be absorbed.

Each one of the above nutrients are needed to keep an aged body in good health. Elderly individuals should try to stay active and strive for a well balanced diet. Even though the aged body isn’t the same as it used to be, proper care and the right nutrients can help the elderly enjoy a healthy and long life.

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Looking in the mirror will not make the person lose the extra weight. It involves two things to turn that into a reality and that is namely diet and exercise.

Dieting doesnt always mean giving on some of those favorite meals but simply cutting down on some and getting the much needed energy for the body from something else. A good example is the Atkins diet. This type of program focuses on taking in less carbohydrates and more of proteins.

There are more than five diet programs that focus on less carbs. The reason is because one carbohydrate focuses on four water molecules. People that are able to stick to the plan are capable of losing more than 10 pounds in less than a months time.

Why cant the person just give up eating foods that contain carbohydrates? This is because people need this source of energy for brain activity and muscle function.

A good way to maintain a good amount in the system is to eat food such as whole wheat or gain and staying away from products such as pasta, bread or rice that are color white. Brown bread or red rice can be consumed.

The best way to maintain this is by making sure that carbohydrate intake should not exceed 65% in the food being eaten.

Fat is also something that the individual has to watch out for since this also contributes to weight gain. One way to maintain it will be to make sure that the person only consumes 30% calorie intake from these products. A few examples of these are non-fat milk, nuts, vegetables, fruits and other fat free products available in the grocery store.

Eating less will reduce the calories. Now, in order to burn the existing ones causing flabs to appear in the body, the person has to exercise. Cardiovascular exercises such as swimming, running, aerobics and cycling are some of the best ways to lose weight. This is because the individual will use muscle glycogen and fatty acids as an energy source through out the entire exercise.

The American Council for Sports Medicine believe that a cardiovascular workout should last for a minimum of 20 minutes and done at least three times a week. In order to lose weight, the individual should at least do it for half an hour for five days weekly.

It takes hard work and discipline to lose the excess weight and it is never too late to get up from bed and do whatever it takes.

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One of the pioneers of the diet revolution in the early part of 2000 is the Atkins Diet, a program created by cardiologist Dr. Robert Atkins for the patients of his private clinic. Because it is so very effective, the diet program has since evolved to include famous celebrities as part of its millions of followers.

The diet program is actually based on the book that Atkins published in 1999. Aptly titled, Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution, the book created a world-wide sensation with people taking in pros and cons position. Despite the opinions of his critics, the book became an overnight hit in bookstores nationwide. In fact, Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution topped the New York Times Bestsellers list, which is perhaps the most prestigious bestsellers book list in the country. What is more, it has stayed in the list for seven years. Truly a great fit for a diet book.

Atkins Diet Revolution is made up of seven chapters. It explains the basics of the diet program. It also contains tips on leading a healthy lifestyle in the 21st century as well as different recipes that dieters can whip up at home.

One of the advantages of the Atkins diet program is the fact that people are allowed to choose the food that they will eat and to prepare their meals themselves. This is less expensive than having foods delivered to you. Being able to choose the food that you will eat increases the will and commitment to stay into the program.

The diet is based on the rationale that taking in less carbohydrates in meals can help in the reduction of weight. This is because the water content in the body is flushed off when the body uses it as an alternative source of energy.

The same goes with the fat cells, which are temporarily used for energy in lieu of the missing carbohydrates. As you well know, both fats and carbohydrates are potential sources of energy. The body just prefers the carbohydrates as it can easily be burned as opposed to fats, which has a really complex structure.

Another advantage of the Atkins program is the fact that it is a very good diet for people with diabetes and a whole lot more. In fact, according to many dieticians, the Atkins Diet is the only diet that can prevent the incidence of high blood pressure and high cholesterol as well as obesity, which are all precursors of the Type 2 form of diabetes.

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