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General Guidelines for a Healthy Diet

The main recommendations of healthier eating are to enable good health, through eating foods that are healthy, nutritious and wholesome. A good diet is simple to follow and does not require buying any books or special foods. A good diet is one which is flexible and can be followed throughout life. A good diet is one which will maintain a fit and healthy body. Good nutrition is the basis of all good health.

The main recommendations of healthier eating are:

DO:

** eat a variety of foods each day
** eat breakfast every day
** eat regular meals throughout the day to ensure you stabilise your blood sugar levels
** eat 3-4 fruits a day
** eat at least 5-7 different coloured vegetables a day
** eat 1-3 servings of dark-green, leafy vegetables each day (these servings should be part of the 5-7 servings of vegetables)
** ensure most of the servings of vegetables each day are raw, although steaming is okay as that keeps the nutrients in the food
** try to cook tomatoes in olive oil, which releases the antioxidant lycopene from the tomatoes - studies have found that cooked tomatoes (especially if they have been cooked in olive oil) have a higher antioxidant content than raw tomatoes, although raw tomatoes are still very good for you too
** eat lean cuts of meat 3-4 times a week - meat is a good source of quality protein
** eat eggs a few times a week - eggs are highly recommended as an excellent source of protein and the yolk is full of antioxidants
** eat oily fish (such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna) three times a week - if you are pregnant, there are certain fish (and shellfish) that need to be avoided: shark, swordfish, sea bass, tile fish, tuna steaks (these are fish that may have high mercury levels, which can cause health problem for the unborn baby)
** eat plenty of wholegrain or wholewheat breads, cereals or non-wheat alternatives (for gluten intolerance), such as quinoa, tapioca, soy, semolina
** ensure you include plenty of legumes such as barley, lentils and chickpeas in your diet each week
** use olive oil, sunflower oil or canola oil (check to make sure the canola oil is not genetically modified - if it is not, it will usually say so on the label) when cooking or in salads - the best of these are cold pressed oils which retain all of their flavour, aroma, and nutritional value
** eat a handful of nuts and seeds each day - they contain essential fatty acids and various vitamins and minerals necesarry for good health
** choose organic over conventionally grown foods - organically grown foods are more nutrient-rich, they have higher levels of all the nutrients and do not contain any pesticides or other toxin residues that conventionally grown foods may contain

DONT:

** limit intake of sugar and sugary foods
** limit intake of fried foods
** limit alcohol intake - women are advised to have no more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day and men advised to have no more than 3 alcoholic drinks per day, with at least 2 alcohol free days per week
** limit intake of processed foods - most of the nutrients in these foods have been stripped away by processing, so you are eating empty calories which do nothing to enhance health

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