We live in a preventative and protective society. We
protect our homes with burglar alarms, guard dogs and bars on the windows. We
protect our cars with high-tech alarm systems. We protect many of our personal
belongings – our laptop computers, our musical instruments, our cameras and our
cell phones – with protective cases. We protect our money by investing it in
banks and savings bonds. Our law books are filled with laws that protect our
reputations from libel, our economy from monopolies, our borders from illegal
aliens, our ability to think, speak and write freely and our rights to
education and jobs.
There is only one thing that we as a society overwhelmingly fail to
protect: Our bodies. Everyday, people suffer and die from diseases that are
largely preventable. These diseases – heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes,
stroke, Alzheimer's disease and depression – are often a result of our diets
and lifestyle. We can control our relative risk of developing these diseases
and, more often than not, we make the choices that increase our risk.
We smoke, filling our lungs with nicotine and other harmful chemicals,
even though we know that smoking increases the risk for nearly every fatal
disease plaguing our society. We overeat until we are obese, again increasing
our risk of developing these common diseases. We eat foods that we know are bad
for our health. Why? We wouldn't dare put a fuel in the gas tanks of our cars
that we knew would damage the car, in place of gasoline. Yet, we're perfectly
willing to damage our bodies with fuels not meant for us.
As far as our material and our economic possessions are concerned, we
will go to all ends to protect them. We act proactively and prevent damage or
ruin before it happens. Yet, our population has a general inability to think
proactively about our health. We make decisions that negatively affect our
health and then, when all these negative decisions finally add up to a disease,
we wonder why we have to suffer. We ask, "Why me? What did I ever do to
deserve this?"
The healthy attitude:
A
fundamental key to healthy eating is to eat a variety of foods. This ensures
your body has enough nutrients to function. Nutrients are the substances in
food that provide your body with energy and the ability to grow, maintain
itself, and repair damaged tissue. Nutrients are divided into six categories:
carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water. Although not
considered a nutrient, you also need fiber for good health. Your body requires
different amounts of each nutrient because they all have a special function.
While it is rare for a food to only contain one nutrient, the easiest way to
ensure you receive all you need is by eating a variety of foods within and
among the major food groups. Try to select foods from each of the food groups
daily and vary your choices within groups from day to day. Different foods
within the same food group contain different levels of nutrients. For example,
among the fruits, strawberries are especially rich in vitamin C, while
cantaloupes are rich in vitamin A. Eating a variety of foods from each food
group everyday promotes:
- An adequate intake of essential nutrients
- Moderation in the consumption of fat, salt, caffeine, and alcohol.
- The positive and pleasurable aspects of pleasurable eating by exploring a wide range of foods varying in color, flavor and texture.
- The use of foods and cuisines enjoyed by different ethnic and cultural groups.
As the adage goes, “variety is the spice of life”. Even if you eat beans frequently, you can enjoy pinto beans in Mexican burritos today, garbanzo beans in Greek salad tomorrow, and baked beans with barbecued chicken on the weekend. Eating nutritious meals should never be monotonous. Remember, eating a variety of foods does more than add excitement to eating; it helps ensure all essential nutrients are consumed! It prevents boredom and keeps your body stimulated to perform. Just like cross training with an exercise program does, eating a variety of foods keeps your body stimulated. For some folks, enhancing the variety in their diet is a key strategy for weight loss! Balance the foods you eat with regular physical activity to help you achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
Thus, be kind to your body! It’s
the most valuable of your possessions!
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