The body requires almost 40 different nutrients to maintain health, and these need to be drawn from various food types. Whole grain food products as well as fruits, vegetables, bread, meat, fish and dairy items must be consumed on a regular basis to fulfill these needs. Choosing a variety of food items for intake ensures that you consume the required level of carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vitamins. The amount of calories that your bodies requires depends on your body structure, age, gender and the kind of physical exertion your undertake in your daily routine; therefore, the amount of food of each type you consume should be adjusted accordingly.

Most of us do not understand the importance of eating fruits and vegetables. Many do not like to take them in their fresh, unprocessed form and green vegetables have a particularly poor reputation with most children, and even adults. Nonetheless, their importance in maintaining a healthy body state is undeniable. If their taste or appearance is keeping you away from them, there are now countless recipes available online and in cookbooks that can help you create a tasty dish with all the essential fruits and vegetables that your body needs for its growth and sustenance.

It is important to maintain a stable weight if you want to lead a healthy life. Being overweight, or worse, obese has multiple health concerns associated with it including heart disease, high blood pressure and certain cancers. Being underweight also increases risk of menstrual irregularities and osteoporosis. Thus, to remain physically fit, your weight must be maintained at a prescribed level.

Your eating habits have an enormous part to play when it comes to keeping healthy. Ensure the intake of three proper meals throughout the day with moderate portions of a variety of food products. It is recommended that snacking be avoided, but when you must do so, make sure that you do not consume so much that you are too full for your upcoming meal. However, even if you are not too hungry at the time of your planned meal, it is a good idea to eat a little so that you do not break the routine your body has become used to over time.

If you are trying to modify your diet to increase or reduce the consumption of certain kinds of foods, remember that moderation is still the golden rule to follow. Do not abruptly cancel the intake of a certain kind of nutrient that you have been consuming for a long period of time, even if it is not advisable for your body. Allow yourself some time so that you can gradually quit. A similar approach should be adopted when you are cutting the overall quantity you consume everyday. Dieting does not mean starving yourself suddenly after years of feasting at each meal, it means to slowly let your body adapt to smaller portions of food more suited to it.

Most of us are well aware of these proper eating habits that would help to keep us fit and lead a healthy life, but we ignore them out of carelessness or laziness when a little bit of attention and effort can surely go a long way in giving our body the treatment it deserves.