Diet

In the last 20 years the number of overweight Americans has arisen. Related to that, conditions like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease also has risen.

The challenge is to set, reach, and hold a healthful weight. It is recommended to choose the food which provides lots of nutrients per calorie, and to limit the amount of 

• foods high in saturated fat
• foods high in trans fats
• foods high in cholesterol
• foods with added sugar
• foods with added salt
• alcohol beverages

To reach and keep a healthful weight, follow a few rules:

• evaluate your weight
• if you need to lose weight, do so gradually
• encourage healthy weight in children
• check with your doctor before starting a weight loss diet

It is recommended that you build your diet on a base of plant foods because plant foods:

• add plenty of bulk but few calories to your diet, so you feel full without adding weight
• are usually low in fat and have no cholesterol, which means they reduce your risk of heart disease
• are high in fiber, which reduces the risk of heart disease; prevents constipation; reduces the risk of developing hemorrhoids (or at least makes existing ones less painful); moves food quickly through your digestive tract, thus reducing the risk of diverticular disease (inflammation caused by food getting caught in the folds of your intestines and causing tiny out-pouchings of the weakened gut wall); and may lower your risk of some gastrointestinal cancers.
• are rich in beneficial substances called phytochemicals, which may reduce your risk of heart disease and some forms of cancer

Basic 2,000 calorie daily diet include 2 cups of fruit, 2.5 cups of vegetables (include dark green, orange, and starchy veggies, plus beans), 3 or more 1-ounce servings of whole grain products.

In order to derive no more than 35% of calories from fat and no more than 10% of calories from

saturated fat and that it deliver 300 milligrams or less of cholesterol a day: 

• most of your fat calories should come from foods such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils that are rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats
• dairy products, such as milk, should be low- or no-fat
• poultry and meat should be lean
• with trans fats, less is always better

Avoid excessive amounts of salt because it attracts and holds water. When you eat less salt, you retain less water, you’re less bloated, and you feel thinner.