Healthy Eating - Overview

How do you get started on healthy eating?

Healthy eating starts with learning new ways to eat, such as adding more
fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and cutting back on foods that
have a lot of fat, salt, and sugar.
A change to healthier eating also includes learning about balance, variety,
and moderation.

Aim for balance. Most days, eat from each food groupgrains,
protein foods, vegetables and fruits, and dairy. Listen to your body. Eat

when you're hungry. Stop when you feel satisfied.

Look for variety. Be adventurous. Choose different foods in each

food group. For example, don't reach for an apple every time you choose a
fruit. Eating a variety of foods each day will help you get all the nutrients
you need.

Practice moderation. Don't have too much or too little of one thing.
All foods, if eaten in moderation, can be part of healthy eating. Even sweets
can be okay.
Why pay attention to what you eat?
Healthy eating will help you get the right balance of vitamins, minerals, and
other nutrients. It will help you feel your best and have plenty of energy. It
can help you handle stress better.
Healthy eating is one of the best things you can do to prevent and control
many health problems, such as:

Heart disease.

High blood pressure.

Type 2 diabetes.

Some types of cancer.

Is healthy eating the same as going on a diet?

Healthy eating is not a diet. It means making changes you can live with and
enjoy for the rest of your life.
Diets are temporary. Because you give up so much when you diet, you may
be hungry and think about food all the time. And after you stop dieting, you
also may overeat to make up for what you missed.
Eating a healthy, balanced variety of foods is far more satisfying. And if you
match that with more physical activity, you are more likely to get to
a healthy weightand stay therethan if you diet.
How do you make healthy eating a habit?
First, think about your reasons for healthier eating. Do you want to improve
your health? Do you want to feel better? Are you trying to set an example
for your kids?
Next, think about some small changes you can make. Pick ones you can
keep doing.

Don't try to change everything at once.

Set an easy goal you can reach, like having a salad and a piece of
fruit each day.

Make a long-term goal too, such as having one vegetarian dinner a

week.

Benefits of Healthy Foods

1. Youll be more productive
Just like your car, your brain needs quality fuel to run efficiently. One study found
that eating unhealthy foods puts you at a 66% increased risk of productivity loss.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet to make sure your brain has the fuel it needs means
more energy and increased productivity at work.
2. Youll be happier
What we eat has an impact on our brains. Did you know bananas contain 10
milligrams of dopamine, a chief mood booster in the brain? Dark chocolate,
packed with polyphenol, is also known to boost serotonin, a neurotransmitter that
many antidepressants also target. You should see a doctor if youre seriously
concerned about your moods, but for the rare gloomy day, try a dark chocolatecovered banana.
3. Youll be less stressed
Certain foods have the ability to moderate our bodys level of cortisol, the stress
hormone. Some studies have found that foods packed with vitamin C, omega-3
fatty acids and magnesium help reduce cortisol levels. When the body is in a
chronic state of stress, it breaks down protein to prepare for battle. Eating a
protein-rich diet, including fish and dairy, can help replenish protein stores and
keep cortisol levels at bay.
4. Youll control your weight
Simple healthy choices such as replacing soda with water, choosing carrots instead
of chips, and ordering a side salad in place of fries not only will help you lose
weight, it also can help you save money. The average household spends
about $850 a year on soft drinks, which could easily be replaced with healthier
and free water.
5. Youll eat less
When it comes to eating healthier, quality trumps quantity. Fresh foods contain
fewer low-nutrient fillers that the body burns through quickly. If you are buying
and eating less food, then you will have more money in your pocket.

6. Youll think it tastes better

Who would trade their Big Mac for a beet burger? Although taste is subjective,
healthy food can taste delicious if its prepared well. One study showed that people
perceive healthy food as tasting better even if it doesnt. In a blind taste test,
participants said organic coffee tasted better than regular coffee, even though the
two cups were the same. So perhaps the beet burger is better after all even if its
only in your head.
7. Youll age better
Why pay for expensive and painful Botox procedures when you can improve your
skin through your diet? Fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants can help protect
your skin. The antioxidants in fresh berries and salmons omega-3 fatty acids both
help improve the health of your skins cells and slow premature aging.
8. Youll be healthier
Unhealthy eating especially over the long term can be a risk factor for
chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, obesity and heart disease. If you miss out
on too much of the protein, vitamins and minerals that your body needs, your
muscle mass will decrease as your fat stores increase. Some estimates say at least
30% of cancers are linked to poor diet. One study of over 6,000 women found that
those who ate the most cabbage, turnips, broccoli, cauliflower and kale had a lower
risk of developing breast cancer after menopause.
9. Youll live longer
Healthy eating can help you avoid diseases that may lower your life expectancy.
Onestudy showed that a diet of fruit and vegetables, in combination with exercise,
extended life expectancy for women in their 70s. Elsewhere, researchers reviewed
a group of studies that suggest vegetarian or low-meat diets could help you live a
longer life. And another study points to nuts as a way to reduce your risk of early

death. No matter how you cut it, a healthy diet can play an important role in how
long youll live.
10. Youll save money
Many of the benefits of healthy eating contribute to potential savings. If you stay
healthy, youll have fewer medical bills to pay and by cutting back on food, youll
eat less and have fewer groceries to purchase. Save your body and your wallet and
eat your greens today.
Advantages of Health Care
Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical
expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health
care and health system expenses, among a targeted group, an insurer can
develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll
tax, to ensure that money is available to pay for the health care benefits
specified in the insurance agreement. The benefit is administered by a
central organization such as a government agency, private business, or
not-for-profit entity. According to theHealth Insurance Association of
America, health insurance is defined as "coverage that provides for the
payments of benefits as a result of sickness or injury. Includes insurance
for losses from accident, medical expense, disability, or accidental death
and dismemberment"
These essential health benefits include at least the following items and
services:
1. Outpatient carethe kind you get without being admitted to a hospital
2. Trips to the emergency room
3. Treatment in the hospital for inpatient care
4. Care before and after your baby is born

5. Mental health and substance use disorder services: This includes

behavioral health treatment, counseling, and psychotherapy
6. Your prescription drugs
7. Services and devices to help you recover if you are injured, or have a
disability or chronic condition. This includes physical and
occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, psychiatric
rehabilitation, and more.
8. Your lab tests
9. Preventive services including counseling, screenings, and vaccines to
keep you healthy and care for managing a chronic disease.
10.
Pediatric services: This includes dental care and vision care for
kids

Research paper in
Physics
By Joeynie Rances