Healthcare

1. Eat a variety of foods  For good health, we need more than 40 different nutrients, and no single food can supply them all. It is not about a single meal, it is about a balanced food choice over time that will make a difference! A high-fat lunch could be followed by a low-fat dinner. After a large meat portion at dinner, perhaps fish should be the next day’s choice? Top of the page 2. Base your diet on plenty of foods rich in carbohydrates About half the calories in our diet should come from foods rich in carbohydrates, such as cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread. It is a good idea to include at least one of these at every meal. Wholegrain foods, like wholegrain bread, pasta, and cereals, will increase our fibre intake. Top of the page  3. Replace saturated with unsaturated fat Fats are important for good health and proper functioning of the body. However, too much of it can negatively affect our weight and cardiovascular health. Different kinds of fats have different health ef

New research published by the American Heart Association (AHA) suggests that adults in the US who follow 5 healthy lifestyle habits may live more than a decade longer compared with people who follow none of the 5 habits. These 5 habits are: eating a healthy diet getting regular exercise not smoking staying at a healthy weight limiting alcohol Starting at age 50, men in the study were estimated to have an average life expectancy of 14 years and women were estimated to have an average life expectancy of 12 years when they followed all 5 habits. The study was published April 30, 2018 in the AHA journal Circulation. The study authors point out that the US ranks 31st in the world for life expectancy among those born in 2015, even though it’s one of the richest countries in the world and spends more on health care per person as a percent of gross domestic product than any other country. According to the authors, the US healthcare system focuses mainly on drug discovery and disease management

  The start of a new decade brings with it new resolutions to improve one’s life, including a healthier lifestyle. Here are 20 practical health tips to help you start off towards healthy living in 2020. 1. Eat a healthy diet Photo: FAO/J. Grey Eat a combination of different foods, including fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains. Adults should eat at least five portions (400g) of fruit and vegetables per day. You can improve your intake of fruits and vegetables by always including veggies in your meal; eating fresh fruit and vegetables as snacks; eating a variety of fruits and vegetables; and eating them in season. By eating healthy, you will reduce your risk of malnutrition and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. 2. Consume less salt and sugar Photo: WHO/C. Black Filipinos consume twice the recommended amount of sodium, putting them at risk of high blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. M