Healthy Eating

Eating healthy foods can improve your overall health and may even help prevent disease from occurring. But what does this really mean and how do you go about it?

For starters, you could try to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day and limit the amount of fat and sugar you consume. You'll also want to eat a variety of foods throughout the week, and you'll want to limit portion sizes, too.

Of course, for some people with certain conditions (such as diabetes or food allergies), you'll want to speak with a medical professional about your special dietary needs.

Benefits of healthy eating

Healthy eating will reduce your risk of:

heart disease and stroke
high blood pressure and diabetes
breast, colon, and prostate cancers

Healthy eating will help you:

avoid weight gain
have more energy
feel better now and in the future

Getting started

Making changes can be hard. But when it comes to taking care of yourself, it's worth the effort so you can do the things that you want to do.

When you are ready to make some changes, here is how you can start:

Make small changes in your eating. Start with one change at a time. Add one serving of fruits or vegetables to any of your meals or as a snack.
Choose smaller portions of lean red meat (such as tenderloin or bottom round). Try skinless chicken or fish.
Don't shop for groceries when you are hungry. Make a grocery list to help you buy healthier foods and stay away from junk food.
Try switching from whole milk to 2 or 1 percent milk or nonfat milk. Limit use of sugars by limiting the amount of soda you drink or switch to sugar-free soda.
Drink plenty of water. It is good for the body and helps you feel full.
Try to eat slower. It takes your stomach 20 minutes to tell your brain that it is full.

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