Healthy Eating And Physical Activity

Learn about all the food groups and the benefits of physical activity to improve your quality of life.

A healthy lifestyle is associated with a set of habitual behaviors and attitudes that contribute to people’s well-being. Promoting healthy habits is promoting health and improving quality of life.

Eating is sharing, having a good time, celebrating, getting together with family, with friends. It is also enjoying, eating delicious trying new flavors and preparations.

Eating is learning and teaching, transmitting customs, family traditions and healthy habits.

Cheer up to cook, rescue our products and recipes, our culinary identity, homemade food. I discovered that cooking can be a pleasant moment.

Eating is much more than feeding us. It is transmitting culture; it is a moment of encounter, of strengthening ties and of transmitting affection.

Why eat healthy? Because it helps you take care of your health, feel and look better, as well as prevent various diseases. That is why food plays a determining role in health care. A healthy diet is one that provides all the essential nutrients and energy that each person needs to stay healthy. Therefore, it is necessary to consume foods from all groups and in the right amounts.

Graph of the Daily Diet for the Argentine population.

Read More at How Does Healthy Eating Prevent Diseases

Vegetables and fruits:

This group represents half of the graph. This shows the need to increase its consumption in the daily diet. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, water and phytochemicals which make them very beneficial for health. How much is the portion? 3 fruits a day and 2 servings of vegetables are recommended, which can be distributed half a plate of vegetables at lunch and half a plate at dinner.

Legumes, cereals, potatoes, bread and pasta:

Potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn and cassava are included in this group because the nutritional composition of these vegetables is more similar to cereals. They are the main source of energy. To make the most of its nutrients, it is convenient to choose whole grains. How much is the portion? Per day, the recommendation is ½ a flat plate at lunch or dinner + 2 mignons, preferably whole wheat, or 3 slices of bread, or 1 cup of sugar-free cereal flakes, or 4-5 crackers.

Milk, yogurt and cheese:

This group is very important for the incorporation of calcium, as well as for its contribution of proteins, zinc, and vitamins. It is recommended that they be preferably skimmed to reduce their fat content.

How much is the portion? 3 portions a day are recommended, for example a cup of milk + a pot of yogurt + a matchbox size piece of fresh cheese.

Meats and eggs:

This group is an excellent source of protein and iron.

How much is the portion? The recommendation is once a day a portion of meat medium size of the palm of the hand or an egg. You also have to take into account the frequency, you should include fish 2 or more times a week, other white meats 2 times a week and red meats up to 3 times a week.

Oils, dried fruits and seeds:

This group provides essential fatty acids commonly called good fats, as well as protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber.

How much is the portion? The recommendation is 2 tablespoons of oil per day preferably raw. You can also add a handful of unsalted dried fruit and/or a tablespoon of unsalted seeds. It is important to respect these amounts as they are a more concentrated source of energy than other foods.

Optional: sweets and fats:

This group is called “optional” since they are not essential to consume, and when they are incorporated, small portions should be chosen. This is because they provide excess calories and few nutrients, their frequent consumption predisposes to obesity, hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, among others.

Agua:

Water has a central location in the graph, due to its importance for health. The recommendation is to drink 8 glasses of safe water daily.

“The fruit of a good diet is a healthy weight and a state of comprehensive well-being”

Physical activity

Physical activity is considered to be any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. With this definition we can say that physical activity encompasses exercise as well as other activities that include movement and that are carried out as part of play, work, active forms of transportation, household chores and recreational activities more information.

Regular physical activity is a habit that improves your quality of life.

These are some of its benefits:

• Helps achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
• Improves the functioning of the heart, lungs, muscles and bones.
• It allows you to rest better.
• Counteracts stress and increases the feeling of general well-being.
• Help in the prevention and treatment of chronic non-communicable diseases.

From the emotional point of view, regular physical exercise allows you to face life with greater optimism and a better disposition; improving mood and reinforcing self-esteem.

However, despite having so many benefits, in Argentina the 3rd National Survey of Risk Factors (ENFR) revealed that more than half of the population (54.7%) does not reach the recommended levels of physical activity.

Keep an active life! 30 minutes of physical activity every day helps you take care of your health and prevent diseases. 1 hour per day on the move is at least what children and adolescents need. Here are some tips to get you moving:

• I chose the physical activity that you like the most and is within your possibilities.
• Find the best time of day to do it.
• Exercise with family or friends, it’s a good way to stay consistent.
• Start little by little. You can start with 30 minutes of daily exercise and progressively increase the duration or intensity as your physical condition improves.
• Stay active during the day, climb fixed stairs, choose to walk or bike to work, take your dog for a walk, etc.
• Be consistent and set a goal as an encouragement to continue. Exercise at least three times a week.
• That the objective is to generate a trend towards a more active lifestyle, through the type of activity, duration, frequency and intensity