 What is Balanced Diet?  Why eat Healthy?  Components  Balanced Diet for Kids  What next?

Balanced Diet is a food preparation which provides complete nutrients as well as supplies carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber in their normal proportions. It is the basis for all diet modifications. Milk & Diary Foods Fruits & Vegetables

Vegetables Keeps our body healthy Eating a diet rich in fruit and vegetables can lower the risk of and prevent a number of serious illnesses and health problems, such as cancer, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

What's in our Fruit and Vegetables? They are made up of water, melons up to 94%, which is also essential for the body and their skin and seeds contain plenty of fibre, which our body needs to help cleanse and rid itself of waste and toxins. Fibre is needed to keep bowel movements regular, lower cholesterol, prevent constipation, bowel cancer and other illnesses of the bowel and intestine such as diverticulosis.

What's in our Fruit and Vegetables? Different coloured fruits and vegetables contain different minerals, nutrients and antioxidants For example, dark green leafy vegetables such as watercress, cabbage or spinach contain certain carotenoids that protect, delay and may prevent the onset of degenerative age-related eye diseases such as cataracts or macular degeneration.

What's in our Fruit and Vegetables? They are also rich in vitamins C and E, which are both very powerful antioxidants Red, orange and yellow coloured fruits and vegetables such as melon, tomatoes, carrots and apricots contain lots of vitamins A, C and E, which all help to fight certain types of cancer and act by neutralising free radicals in the body.

What's in our Fruit and Vegetables? As well as containing large amounts of vitamins A, C and E, fruits and vegetables are also rich in vitamins B and K plus minerals such as potassium, calcium, phosphorous, manganese and iron.

How much Fruit or Vegetables do we need daily? We should eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables daily.

One portions of Fruit and Vegetables: 1 portion = 80 g = 3 oz = ½ cup = 3 tbsp 1 medium piece of fruit (apple, pear, orange, banana) 1 handful of grapes or cherries 2 small fruits such as plums, apricots 1 slice of large fruit eg: pineapple or melon 1 glass of fruit or vegetable juice 1 small packet of dried fruit such as prunes, raisins, ½ avocado or grapefruit small side salad 1 large tomato or 6 cherry tomatoes 1 small tin of fruit ( g) 3 large tbsp of vegetables 3 tbsp of pulses - chickpeas, beans, lentils 1 corn on the cob 1 bunch of watercress or rocket

How to include more Fruit and Vegetables in your diet Start the day with a glass of freshly squeezed orange or grapefruit juice Add sliced banana, strawberries, kiwi to your breakfast cereal Have a fruit smoothie for breakfast made with banana, yoghurt and other fruit Add lettuce, sliced tomato, cucumber and rocket to sandwiches Add diced red, orange and green pepper to tuna mayonnaise Choose dried fruit snacks over crisps or chocolate Add sliced fruit to yoghurt or other desserts

How to include more Fruit and Vegetables in your diet (cont) Choose healthy dips with vegetable crudités over unhealthy snacks Make healthy homemade vegetable soups for lunch or dinner Always have a side salad of lettuce, cucumber, tomato and onion with your meal Try different and exotic salads for a change Try to eat 3 different vegetables with your main meal Have a fruit salad for dessert Make healthy risottos or couscous with fresh vegetables

Exercise and your Body Exercise can feel good and give you a natural high that's better than drugs or alcohol? Your body wears out when it's NOT used. Ultimately, the amount of exercise you REALLY need is the amount it takes to give you the results you want.

Exercise and your Body (cont) In Dr. Michael Colgan's book, "The New Nutrition", Dr. Colgan writes, "At The Colgan Institute, we have found that for fat loss, five days a week for 30 minutes is much superior to three days weekly at 70 minutes even though the total weekly time of the three day people is an hour longer. In order to keep the metabolic rate churning, frequent exercise is the key."

Water and your Body A general rule of thumb is to drink eight 8oz. glasses of water a day. This is equivalent to 64oz or 2 quarts or almost 2 liters or half a gallon. Often the guideline is to drink daily half as many ounces of water, as the number of pounds in your body weight.

FINAL WORD TAKE A REST AFTER LUNCH, TAKE A MILE’S WALK AFTER DINNER. It is UNHEALTHY to go to bed immediately after Dinner