Healthy Lifestyles

Lifestyle Choices

A large body of medical research shows that lifestyle greatly influences health status. It is well recognized that daily health habits - what you eat and drink, whether or not you smoke, how much exercise you get and how effectively you manage stress - contribute to how well and how long you live. Conditions such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity may be prevented by improving your lifestyle.

Nutrition guidelines for Americans

The following guidelines are based on recommendations by leading health organizations, including the USDA, the U.S. Surgeon General's Office, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and the 5 A Day For Better Health Program:

  1. Achieve and maintain a desirable body weight. To do so, choose a balanced diet in which energy (calorie) intake is consistent with energy expenditure. To reduce caloric intake, limit consumption of foods relatively high in calories, fat, and sugar, and minimize alcohol consumption. Increase energy expenditure through regular exercise. More details at calories and carbohydrates.
  2. Reduce overall consumption of fat (especially saturated fat and trans fat) and cholesterol. Choose foods low in fat such as vegetables, fruits, whole grain foods, fish, skinless poultry, lean meats and low/non-fat dairy products. Use food preparation methods that add little or no fat. Avoid or limit whole milk products, fatty meats, tropical oils, egg yolks, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (usually found in processed and packaged foods and commercial baked goods). More details at fats and cholesterol.
  3. Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables (including an assortment of colors). Fruits and vegetables contain important nutrients, dietary fiber, phytochemicals and antioxidants (powerful disease-fighting compounds). More details at fruits & vegetables.
  4. Eat a wide variety of healthy, complex carbohydrates. Include whole grain breads, cereals and pastas, brown rice, legumes, lentils, and beans. These complex carbohydrates provide fiber and important vitamins and minerals. Avoid foods that are low in nutritional value, such as candy, cookies, cakes, pies, chips, sodas, etc., as well as refined white rice, pasta and bread. More details at carbohydrates.
  5. Reduce intake of sodium by choosing foods relatively low in sodium and limiting the amount of salt used in food preparation and at the table. More details at sodium.
  6. Drink water. Avoid or limit colas, juices sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, and caffeinated beverages. Limit consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Suggested additional reading: