why healthy diet is so important?

[julinelson1234]

The most comprehensive study ever undertaken on the association between cancer and obesity concludes that excess body fat triggers many types of the disease, as does the consumption of even moderate amounts of alcohol, red meats and processed meats.
The study, released yesterday in Washington by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund, shows food, nutrition and lack of exercise appear critical in causing many cases - perhaps up to one-third - of all cancers. That means controllable lifestyle factors associated with diet and weight have about the same impact on cancer rates as smoking.
"The most striking finding in the report is that excess body fat increases risk for numerous cancers," said Phillip James, one of the study's authors and chairman of the British-based International Obesity Taskforce[/url].
The international team of medical experts, which conducted an exhaustive, five-year review of more than 7,000 research papers that investigated whether food, nutrition or lack of physical exercise had an impact on cancer incidence, made 10 recommendations for preventing the disease. They include eating diets containing large quantities of vegetables and fruits and, most important, staying as thin as possible within the normal range of a person's body weight.
Ten recommendations
• Be as lean as possible within the normal range of body weight.
• Be physically active as part of everyday life.
• Limit consumption of energy-dense foods high in fat and sugar but low in fibre. Avoid sugary drinks.
• Eat mostly foods of plant origin.
• Limit intake of red meat and avoid processed meat.
• Limit alcoholic drinks.
• Limit consumption of salt.
• Aim to meet nutritional needs through diet alone.
• Mothers to breastfeed; children to be breastfed.
• Cancer survivors to follow the recommendations for cancer prevention.

"Cancer is preventable. If you able to find the cancer symptoms earlier There are changes you can make in your daily life that will reduce your chances of developing cancer," Dr. James said. "Let's get more vegetables, fruits. ... Let's get off our backsides, however and whenever we can."
Among the cancers convincingly linked to excess body fat, particularly if it is carried around the waist, are colon, kidney, pancreas, uterine, adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, and postmenopausal breast cancer.
The new research also made some unusual findings about cancer. One is that there is convincing evidence linking being tall to a higher risk of colorectal and postmenopausal breast cancer. Another is that an association exists between high birth weight and increased risk for premenopausal breast cancer - probably due to body fat.
Although many medical researchers have presented studies before linking cancer to weight and diet, the new study makes the case even more convincingly because it draws together most of the available evidence on the subject. The AICR published a previous study on cancer and body mass 10 years ago, and, at the time, the evidence was only strong enough to link it to uterine cancer - indicating how much scientific research has uncovered in the last decade.

[photogirl67]

you want a comprehensive study linking cancer to diet/nutrition - read this book:

The China Study

This study was over 30 years in the making and has data from world wide with millions of people studied. This is not new stuff. They just don't want people to know about it - or they think we choose not to do what they suggest so they give us pills instead.

This book links eating specifically animal protein (not just red meat, but all meat and all dairy foods) with ALL cancers. We're talking more than 10% protein and most people eat more like 25-30% of it.

When I tell people I eat mostly vegetarian - the first thing they ask me is "where do you get enough protein" - cause we've become so brainwashed to think we need so much more than we actually do. We only need 10% to live and grow and build muscle. And plant protein is way better for you - no cholesterol, no fat (or really low) WAY more fiber (meat has NO fiber), way more vitamins and minerals, and loaded with anti-oxidants (meat has none).

[silvister]

yes i am agree with you, we know that every part of over body is depend on the diet, not only diet healthy diet, mens that , if you have a proper diet control then you feel fit all time and enjoy your life well.. most of the people are suffer with the various type of problem like BP, cancer, suger etc, because they don't have proper control over the diet , that is why healthy diet is so important. thanks for these ten recommendation ...

[photogirl67]

13 Keys to a Healthy Diet

can I ask, did you write this or is it quoting another source? where did you get your information, I'm curious.

Developing healthy eating habits isn't as confusing or as restrictive as many people imagine. The first principle of a healthy diet is simply to eat a wide variety of foods. This is important because different foods make different nutritional contributions.

that is a very good point. BUT - a wide variety of WHOLE foods. Whole foods meaning - as they grew in the ground, not processed, canned, frozen, baked, salted, sugared, etc. Cause you can eat a wide variety of junk and get the opposite effect.

Secondly, fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes—foods high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, low in fat, and free of cholesterol—should make up the bulk of the calories you consume. The rest should come from low-fat dairy products, lean meat and poultry, and fish.

I agree with most of that except the low-fat dairy and meats. We eat very little meat and NO dairy foods. The meat we do eat is grass fed (not grain) bison, chicken, and eggs or wild fish. I've read and watched things on low-fat dairy that say they are even worse than the high fat versions. Read the labels - they are higher in concentration of lactose (sugar in milk) than the full fat milk products. So you're just swapping out fat for sugar. Good substitute - not for me. Other reasons too.

You should also try to maintain a balance between calorie intake and calorie expenditure—that is, don't eat more food than your body can utilize. Otherwise, you will gain weight. The more active you are, therefore, the more you can eat and still maintain this balance.

Following these three basic steps doesn't mean that you have to give up your favorite foods. As long as your overall diet is balanced and rich in nutrients and fiber, there is nothing wrong with an occasional cheeseburger. Just be sure to limit how frequently you eat such foods, and try to eat small portions of them.

You may also find that cutting down on the cheeseburgers and junk and eating more healthy foods - you'll actually not want the junk any more. I used to crave sugary things. I pretty much stopped eating baked goods, no coffee, no desserts loaded with sugar (mostly no desserts at all) and I was a dessert fiend. Now I almost never want them, even if they are right in front of me. I'm usually eating cake when it is given to me at a birthday party and I don't want to appear impolite so I eat it. At home our usual treat is dark chocolate - which actually has benefits like antioxidants too. We might have 2-3 small squares of a bar once a week.

You can also view healthy eating as an opportunity to expand your range of choices by trying foods—especially vegetables, whole grains, or fruits—that you don't normally eat. A healthy diet doesn't have to mean eating foods that are bland or unappealing.

agreed. I even introduced Rob to new vegetables and he was vegetarian for 12 years. He never had kale or Swiss chard before he met me - know he choose not to get enough of them.

The following basic guidelines are what you need to know to construct a healthy diet.

based on who's recommendations? I agree with some and disagree with some and I'd love to know your source so I can research more.

1 Eat plenty of high-fiber foods—that is, fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. These are the "good" carbohydrates—nutritious, filling, and relatively low in calories. They should supply the 20 to 30 grams of dietary fiber you need each day, which slows the absorption of carbohydrates, so there’s less effect on insulin and blood sugar, and provides other health benefits as well. Such foods also provide important vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (plant chemicals essential to good health).

Yes most people don't get nearly enough fiber. In China the average person gets over 30-40g of fiber a day or more, in North America the average is under 15g. Many don't even get half of what they need. That is evident by the amount of laxatives in drug stores. Or they take crap like Metamucil - when all they need to do is eat veggies and beans!

2 Make sure to include green, orange, and yellow fruits and vegetables—such as broccoli, carrots, cantaloupe, and citrus fruits. The antioxidants and other nutrients in these foods may help protect against developing certain types of cancer and other diseases. Eat five or more servings a day.

3 Limit your intake of sugary foods, refined-grain products such as white bread, and salty snack foods. Sugar, our No.1 additive, is added to a vast array of foods. Just one daily 12-ounce can of soda (160 calories) can add up to 16 pounds over the course of a year. Many sugary foods are also high in fat, so they’re calorie-dense.

4 Cut down on animal fat. It’s rich in saturated fat, which boosts blood cholesterol levels and has other adverse health effects. Choose lean meats, skinless poultry, and nonfat or low-fat or nonfat dairy products.

It's not just fat and cholesterol in meat - it's hormones and antibiotics that are given to them so they can eat grain instead of grass and get bigger faster. 100 years ago it took 5 years to grow a full grown cow - now it takes 15 months. Is that natural? I say not. They feed the cows corn cause they grow faster - but more than 9 months of eating corn makes their stomachs bloat and unless they give them antibiotics they get sick and die. Hormones also to dairy cows so they produce more milk. I don't have the stats but suffice to say that the output of an average cow today is something like 5 times that of 50 years ago. Same with chickens.

Think that doesn't affect people? Why are people becoming resistant to antibiotics in hospitals? So you get sick and the medicine you need doesn't work cause your body built up an anti-body against it already. Or how about the average age of when girls start the menstrual cycle? Used to be like 15-16, 100 or so years ago. Now girls under 10 and as young at 6-7 are going through puberty. Do you know that the longer you have your cycle (how many years) the more at risk you are for breast cancer? Also - if they are starting earlier - are they menopausing earlier too? Perhaps - so what if all women go through the change by 30-35? Women aren't even getting married until 35 now. so there goes the child bearing population. Although - good be a good thing to slow down population growth for a while.

5 Cut way down on trans fats, supplied by hydrogenated vegetable oils used in most processed foods in the supermarket and in many fast foods.

6 Eat more fish and nuts, which contain healthy unsaturated fats. Substitute olive or canola oil for butter or stick margarine.

Many fast foods? try all. anything hydrogenated is bad IMHO. Canola oil isn't great either - I forget why. I think it does rancid? And never cook with olive oil - only use it unheated. It breaks down when you heat it. Try coconut oil - is now being promoted as the healthy oil despite some bad press years ago. It actually has many healing properties.

7 Keep portions moderate, especially of high-calorie foods. In recent years serving sizes have ballooned, particularly in restaurants. Choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything.

8 Keep your cholesterol intake below 300 milligrams per day. Cholesterol is found only in animal products, such as meats, poultry, dairy products, and egg yolks.

added salt in foods can raise cholesterol too. Most things in packages have tonnes of added salt. Cook your own, make your own soup stock. One can of soup can have as much at 1500mg of sodium!

9 Eat a variety of foods. Don't try to fill your nutrient requirements by eating the same foods day in, day out. It is possible that not every essential nutrient has been identified, and so eating a wide assortment of foods helps to ensure that you will get all the necessary nutrients. In addition, this will limit your exposure to any pesticides or toxic substances that may be present in one particular food.

I agree with variety but not for the last reason. Eat organic produce and meat and avoid the pesticides altogether. Also wash them with a good veggie rinse to get any residue. Not only are organic veggies chemical free - they are better tasting and usually have exponentially more nutritional value. I saw a chart that got me to switch and it showed a comparison from commercially grown spinach to organic. The organic had something like 10,000 times more iron that the other stuff. I want to put the best fueling foods into my body - the commercial is basically almost empty of nutrients - not to mention taste and full of chemicals.

Why is that so you ask? Likely because organic farmers still rotate their crops and leave a field open for a season like old-time farmers used to do. That gives the soil a chance to recover and have more nutrients to put into the next crop that's planted. Commercial farms don't do that, they just pump in chemicals to make stuff grow bigger, kill bugs, etc.

10 Maintain an adequate calcium intake. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. Get your calcium from low-fat sources, such as skim milk and low-fat yogurt. If you choose not to get the optimal amount from foods, take supplements.

this is where I'll vehemently disagree. Dairy foods are the worst source of calcium for several reasons, do your research of you don't believe me:

a) dairy foods are acid forming in the body, so the liver has to neutralize them before processing. The liver does that by taking calcium from your bones (being the most alkaline thing in your body). The result is a net loss of calcium out the other end. If you measure the calcium in a glass of milk - then in the urine that comes out afterwards - there will be more calcium in the urine than the glass. Studies world wide have shown that countries that consume the highest amount of dairy foods - have the highest rates of osteoporosis. My sources: The China Study (by T. Colin Campbell), Dr, Fuhrman, Dr. McDougall.

b) there are much better sources of calcium that is more digestible by the body. Namely, dark leafy greens, sea weed, sesame seeds. If you eat only a handful of raw, untoasted, unsalted sesame seeds a day - you will meet your requirement for calcium.

c) supplements are an isolated nutrient. Your body cannot process that well so you have to take high amounts just to get any digested. Not to mention they are also acid forming - so back to problem (a) above, net loss calcium. Your body is designed to process whole foods - not one nutrient at a time. As you've said below.

11 Try to get your vitamins and minerals from foods, not from supplements. Supplements cannot substitute for a healthy diet, which supplies nutrients and other compounds besides vitamins and minerals. Foods also provide the "synergy" that many nutrients require to be efficiently used in the body.

12 Maintain a desirable weight. Balance energy (calorie) intake with energy output. Exercise and other physical activity are essential.

13 If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. That is one drink a day for women, two a day for men. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits. Excess alcohol consumption leads to a variety of health problems. And alcoholic beverages can add many calories to your diet without supplying nutrients.

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[michcar]

Eating health a good protein rich diet 3-4 times a day in small quantity after regular intervals and having a good workout plan is the best way to keep yourself fit and in good shape. Also one should never use the products available over counter as such things no doubt can give you the desired results but can affect your body in long term.