Your dietary intake and eating habits have the most influential means of determining how you feel and perform on a daily basis. By following some basic dietary principles, not only can you feel and function better, but you can also significantly increase your ability to fight and resist disease.

Are You Ready for Another Type of Diet?

Diets come and go. Some are good and some are downright terrible. Our best advice is that, if you can sustain the diet on a long term basis and it incorporates sensible principles (like the one below), it is most likely OK.

Healthy Diets for All Australians

Here are general guidelines you can all follow:

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• Fresh is best. Always attempt to eat your food as close to its natural state as possible for maximum nutritional content.
• Throughout each day, drink 1.5 ltrs of water – avoid energy, fizzy and sports drinks – they are full of sugar.
• Eat a wide variety of nutritious foods such as breads and cereals (particularly wholegrain), vegetables, legumes (such as chickpeas) and fruits.
• Drink coffee and tea in moderation – no more than 2-3 cups per day. Alternatively, switch to decaf or caffeine free drinks such as herbal tea that have positive effects on your health.
• Drink alcohol in moderation – for adults only.
• Limit wherever possible the intake of refined sugars (carbohydrates).
• Australians have low intake of omega fatty acids. Aim to eat fish twice per week.
• Limit saturated fat intake (processed foods, fried foods, and animal fat).
• Consume low salt foods and avoid adding salt to your food.
• A good balance between exercise and food intake is important, this helps maintain a healthy body weight.
• Exercising such as walking, swimming, riding, et cetera for 20 minutes per day. Three days per week will make a huge difference to your energy levels and immune function. Make a start – it will become a habit before you know it.

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The Cost of a Healthy Diet

The volume you eat at a meal is essential too. Eat smaller meals, regularly spaced throughout the day when you are hungry. Overeating can slow you down, make you feel drowsy and force your body to stack on unnecessary weight.

Plan a better diet today, lest you regret a worse tomorrow.