Eating for Beauty It's often said that good health is the foundation of beauty. I'm
willing to take that statement a step farther and claim that a balanced
diet is the foundation of good health - and, therefore, beauty. For
proof, just read the numerous medical studies that link healthy eating
with disease prevention and disease reversal. These same studies
connect high fat intake, high sodium consumption, and diets with too
much protein to numerous illnesses, including obesity, cancer,
cardiovascular diseases, diverticular diseases, hypertension, and
kidney disease. And of course, there are all the looks-stealing side
effects of a poor diet, such as thinning hair, scaly skin, breakouts,
pale complexion, nail disorders, and excess weight. A nutrient-weak
diet can also exacerbate existing skin conditions such as psoriasis and
rosacea.
There are all kinds of health reasons to curb your salt
intake to the recommended limit of 500 mg per day. For those prone to
breakouts, iodine - a mineral found in iodized salt and seafood is
believed by many professionals to contribute to acne flare-ups.
But
what exactly is a balanced diet? Generally speaking, it is a diet
comprising carbohydrates, dietary fiber, fat, protein, water, 13
vitamins, and 20 minerals. More specifically, it is a diet built around
a wide variety of fruits, legumes, whole grains, and vegetables. Animal
protein, high-fat foods, high-sodium foods, highly sugared foods,
sodas, and processed foods are consumed sparingly, if at all. Of
course, there are several ways to get your daily allotment of
nutrients. Here are several of the most common diets.
All about omnivores
How
healthy is an omnivorous diet? It depends. Omnivores may eat cheese,
eggs, meat, poultry, fish, or seafood every day, choose refined snacks,
and get only one daily serving of fruits and vegetables. This is not
the healthiest option for those on an omnivorous diet.
On the
other hand, those omnivores who limit animal-based foods to two or
three times a week, choose water over soft drinks, and get the
recommended five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables have a
much healthier diet. The usual complaints about traditional omnivorous
diets revolve around the diet's high levels of cholesterol and
saturated fat (found in animal-based foods), which can increase the
risk of cancer diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. However, an
omnivorous diet can actually be a healthy one, provided that thoughtful
choices are made. To keep cholesterol and saturated fat to a minimum
and nutrients to a maximum, omnivores should aim to eat five or more
daily servings of fruits and vegetables, choose whole grains over
refined grains, enjoy daily legume or soy food protein sources, and
limit their consumption of animal-based foods.
|