Choosing a Healthier Diet

A Healthy Diet plan and a Regular Exercise program is very important for management of Metabolic Syndrome and for good health and happiness. Metabolic syndrome consists of Over weight or Obesity, Diabetes, Hypertension, High Cholesterol and Coronary Heart disease or any combination of these five conditions. This control is obtained by proper Behaviour modifications for a healthy living habitsand Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes.

Choose a diet with plenty of Grain products, vegetables and fruits

* Give you a full feeling, which will help you reduce the amount of food you eat;
* Reduce the blood cholesterol levels;
* Help control blood sugar levels

There are over 40 nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy. Since no single food can supply all these nutrients, it is important to eat a variety of foods to make sure that you are getting enough of all of them. The Food Guide Pyramid was developed to show the recommended balance among food groups and help you plan a healthy diet.

Foods in these groups include: Breads [Starch]; Meat [Proteins]; Milk & Dairy Products; Fruits & Vegetables;

Bread, cereal, rice, pasta, beans, apples, bananas, oranges, berries, tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, asparagus, etc.
** Refer to the Diet Pyramid for the recommended amount of servings.

* Choose a diet low in Fat, saturated fat and cholesterol
There are many different kinds of fats. Although some fat is needed in a healthy diet, too much saturated fat can cause problems. Avoid foods high in saturated fat such as bacon, sausage, bologna, ham, butter, whole milk, ice cream, cream cheese, and peanut butter.

What counts as a serving? - [see Diet Plans]

Not only is it important that you eat the right foods, but that you eat the right amount or portions of each item of the food. Many food packages list the number of servings per package. But for other foods, it can be difficult to tell how much a serving is. Below are some examples to give you an idea of what makes up one serving.

Bread, cereal, rice & pasta group:
" 1 slice of bread; ½ hamburger bun,
" 1 small roll, biscuit or muffin,
" 3 to 4 small or 2 large crackers; 1 oz ready-to-eat cereal;
" ½ cup cooked cereal, rice or pasta;

Fruit Group:
" 1 whole fruit such as medium apple, banana, or orange;
" ¾ cup juice; ½ grapefruit; ½ cup berries;
" ½ cup cooked or canned fruit;

Vegetable Group:
" ½ cup cooked vegetables; ½ cup chopped raw vegetable;
" 1-cup leafy vegetables

Milk, cheese & yogurt Group:
" 1 cup milk or yogurt; ½ oz cheese;

Meat, poultry & fish; egg; dry beans & nuts Group:
" 2-3 oz cooked beef; 2-3 oz cooked chicken or turkey; 2-3 eggs;
" 3 oz water-packed tuna; 1-1½ cup cooked beans;
" 4-6 tablespoon peanut butter;

Eat less sugar
Your body burns sugars for energy. However, if you eat too much sugar, it will be stored as fat in your body. You may not notice, but sugar is commonly added to the food you buy in grocery stores. Sugar can be called different names; so be sure to check all food labels. Watch out for foods that contain a lot of the following sugars:
Corn fructose; dextrose; fructose; lactose;
Polydextrose; maltose; sucrose; glucose;
Usually, if the name ends in - ..--ose, it is a sugar.

Go easy on the salt
Diets high in salt and sodium can lead to high blood pressure and/or retain body water. Avoid foods such as potato chips, processed meats, ham, bacon, bologna, ketchup, soy sauce, mustard, pickles, and olives.

Limit alcohol and caffeine
Alcohol has a lot of calories and almost no nutrients. If these calories are not burned off, they will be stored as fat. Also, drinking alcohol can lead to conditions such as high blood pressure, brain & liver damage, and added risk for heart disease, just to name a few.
It is also important to avoid caffeine. Caffinated drinks are diuretics, which means they can cause you lose some stored body fluids.

Role of water in good nutrition
Drinking plenty of water is a must for a healthy lifestyle, because it keeps the body's functions working properly. Don't wait until you feel thirsty before you start drinking water ---- by then, you are already dehydrated. It is important to note that some health conditions and some medicines will need water restrictions. As with everything else, moderation is the key. Always consult your doctor about any questions you may have about your diet and water.

Underweight = Less than 18.5
Normal weight = 18.5 to 24.9
Overweight = 25 - 29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater