It is a well-known fact that maintaining a healthy diet is one of the keys to obtaining a healthy lifestyle. However, it is only recently that healthy eating has become more popular. With more health-focused food products (like plant-based proteins) on the forefront, the public perception of healthy eating has switched from being a short-term weight loss fix to a long-term lifestyle change. In fact, a recent food and beverage survey shows that 93% of consumers are willing to make some healthy long-term changes to their diet, while 63% of consumers are willing to make healthy eating a permanent choice.
Benefits of a Proper Diet
Aside from the obvious health benefits, eating a balanced diet on a regular basis may provide several long-term advantages. With proper nutrition, you can experience a higher quality of life, keep yourself safe from illnesses and even boost your brain function. Here are just a few long-term benefits of proper nutrition:
A balanced diet provides your body with the nutrients it needs to function properly
Since our body alone cannot produce everything that we need to function, we must rely on 6 essential nutrients in order to ensure our body is functioning properly. These nutrients are:
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Proteins
- Fats
- Carbohydrates
- Water
You can get the right amounts of these nutrients by maintaining a healthy diet. This includes eating the right amount of lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, complex carbohydrates, water, and fats. This ensures that your body is obtaining an optimum amount of all the essential nutrients. In the long term, the proper consumption of these nutrients will help foster vital body functions such as growth, the immune system, the central nervous system, and disease prevention.
A healthy diet can help protect you from diseases and chronic illnesses
Maintaining a healthy diet is one of the most effective ways to prevent chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The two leading causes of heart disease are high blood pressure and high cholesterol intake. This is due to the fact that many of us frequently consume processed, store-bought foods which are high in saturated fats and sodium. By consistently prioritizing foods that contain average sodium levels and are low in saturated fats, you can prevent high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, lowering your long-term heart disease risk.
Furthermore, keeping a healthy diet is key to maintaining a healthy weight. People who are overweight are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes since their bodies aren’t able to produce insulin efficiently. In fact, over 88 million people have pre-diabetes and over 80% of them don’t even know it. Maintaining a healthy diet is an easy way to maintain proper insulin levels and prevent type 2 diabetes in the long term. Additionally, reducing your consumption of processed food and beverages can also reduce your long-term risk of developing cancer.
Eating nutritious foods can also improve your mood and energy levels
A healthy diet not only has positive long-term physical effects but positive mental effects as well. Did you know that your daily tiredness might be caused by your diet? Fatigue is a typical symptom of nutritional deficiencies (most commonly iron and Vitamin C). Supplements are frequently thought to be a quick remedy for these problems, but they may not always be the best option. Though supplements may increase your consumption of a certain nutrient, they may not actually raise the levels of that nutrient in your body.
An easier, more effective long-term solution would be to focus on obtaining these nutrients from a balanced diet. Over time the deficiencies in these nutrients will be solved and will increase your energy levels and gradually boost your mood. Furthermore, it has also been proven that maintaining proper nutrition can also combat the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses.
Proper nutrition can also help improve cognitive function and memory
A healthy diet also plays a big role in improving brain function and memory. Studies even show that eating certain foods and nutrients can prevent cognitive decline and cognitive conditions like dementia. These foods include:
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Flavonoids and polyphenols
- Fish
Additionally, following the Mediterranean diet (a diet high in fruits, vegetables, grains, fish, and olive oil) is also proven to reduce cognitive decline and prevent conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Learning to Eat Healthily
Making the decision to eat healthy in the long term doesn’t have to be a difficult one. By ensuring you prioritize the consistent consumption of fruits, vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, and carbohydrates in your diet, you can build a strong nutritional foundation that can improve your overall long-term well-being.
For more information on how we can help, chat with our iHealthOX Care Team.
Sources:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322268
https://www.clancymedicalgroup.com/diet-affects-long-term-health/
https://atlasbiomed.com/blog/diet-and-nutrients-affect-energy-levels/
https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/factsheets/nutrition.htm
https://policyadvice.net/insurance/insights/nutrition-statistics/
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