Diet

It is important, at any age, to take care of yourself. Whether that comes from choosing the right foods or keeping a well-balanced life style, staying healthy is essential to living a long, happy life. The first thing to look at when going to the grocery store is not the picture on the product, but the label on the product. Look at the ingredients and decide if that is something that should go in someone’s body. Meal planning is a helpful option because it gives one the time to plan each meal and not have to rush to throw it together last minute. Getting all of the right nutrients is important as well. The earlier one starts thinking about these things, the less worry they will face in the future.

            According to the American Heart Association, all age groups should look out for saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium. Too much of these can increase your risk of having a heart attack. Also eat a lot of fruits, whole grains, vegetables, fiber and skipping some meals with meat in it (American Heart Association, 2017). There are so many different types of fruits and vegetables, that it is easy to find some that one likes. Also, now with everything revolving around the internet, there are millions of recipes that are accessible to everyone. Eating healthy does not have to be a hassle or chore. It is something that will be beneficial in the long run and will not take away from one’s daily life.

 This is a photo from Harvard Medical School that shows what one’s plate should look like and consist of. It is known that the more colorful one’s plate is, the healthier it is. Loading up on the vegetables and fruit can make a very vibrant dish that can be appeasing to one’s eye.

Another important factor is reading what is on the label. The first thing one should look at when picking up a food item is the serving size. Knowing the serving size will help figure out how much of each thing is in the product. Next, look at the total fat and make sure the serving size has an amount of fat that is less than 10 grams and the saturated fat is less than 3 grams (Department of Health and Aging, 2017). Also, the amount of sodium is important as well. Try to have less than 120 mg per serving, as anything more can be harmful (Department of Health and Aging, 2017). The next crucial thing to look at is what is in the ingredients. The key rule here is if one cannot pronounce it, then the ingredient should not go in one’s body. The first ingredient listed is the ingredient that has the greatest amount in the food. The first three ingredients are the ones that should be checked for trans-fat, saturated fat, and sodium (Department of Health and Aging, 2017).

            The last thing that is helpful in maintaining a healthy diet is meal planning. Now to some, this sounds dreadful and appears as a lot of work. All it takes is some planning and one day to put it all together. Once all the meals have been planned for the week, the week goes fast and eating healthy is not a lot of work. Everything will be laid out and ready to go, so all one has to do is grab it and go. Eating healthy does not have to be a lot of work. It can be simple and easy, if one is willing to do it.