Living a Healthy Life -- Wellness and Physical Fitness
Classes:
Introduction > Take the Test > Nutrition and Meal Preparation > Exercise and Physical Fitness > Prevention and Regular Check-Ups > Special Considerations > Conclusion
Nutrition and Meal Preparation > Dietary Guidelines > Having a Balanced Diet > Food Preparation and Safety > Shopping > Storing > Cooking/Preparing Foods> Quick Tips for Cooking and Eating on the Go!
Dietary Guidelines
A number of government agencies in the United States (including the Food and Drug Administration [FDA], Department of Health and Human Services, and Department of Agriculture) have spent years researching proper nutrition and developing guidelines for food intake. They have come up with seven general dietary guidelines for healthy adults.
Eat a variety of foods to get the energy, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber you need for good health.
For more specific guidelines on what types of food to eat and how often to eat them, read our section on the Food Pyramid and Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs).
Maintain a healthy weight.
This can lower your chances of having high blood pressure, heart disease, a stroke, certain cancers, and the most common kind of diabetes. You can learn more about how to maintain a healthy weight in the section on Exercise and Physical Fitness.
Choose a diet low in fat and cholesterol.
This can lower your risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer. A diet low in fat can also help you maintain a healthy weight.
Choose a diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits, and grain products.
These types of food provide needed vitamins, minerals, fiber, and carbohydrates, and are generally lower in fat to help you maintain a healthy weight.
Use sugar in moderation.
Sugar has many calories and few nutrients and can contribute to tooth decay.
Use salt in moderation.
This helps lower your risk of high blood pressure.
If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.
Alcoholic beverages supply calories, but little or no nutrients. Drinking alcohol is also the cause of many health problems and accidents and can lead to addiction.
Following the guidelines above can be a huge step forward in improving your health, but sometimes it's hard to know what counts as "healthy" food and how much and how often you should eat certain types of food. To help, the government has created a simple plan that describes different types of food and how much you should eat each day. This plan is often referred to the Food Pyramid or Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs).
Next: Having a Balanced Diet:The Food Pyramid and Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs)
