healthy eating
Introduction
The key to healthy eating is creating a healthy eating pattern, means choosing a variety of nutritious food in the right amount. Through this one can lower risks of health problems like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancers. Based on (2015 -2020 Dietary Guidelines) making choices of the right nutritious food is a part of our everyday routine. During the Corona Virus pandemic, people are urged by the Ministry of Health to make sure they maintain a proper healthy diet every day to keep their immune strong enough.
Guidelines for healthy eating food
Firstly, one should eat a mix of foods across all the food groups, meaning choose foods and beverages from all food groups –vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy and proteins. In each week try eating several types of vegetables, including dark green, red and orange, starchy ones, legumes and others. Secondly, eat and drink the right amounts for you, meaning the number of calories depending on one’s age, sex, height, and how active one is. Thirdly, limit food and beverages higher in saturated fats, added sugars and sodium, On the concept of drinking one should make sure he or she takes two litres of water in a day, helps on to keep dehydrated.
Research is done by (J Midwife Women’s Health 2010) large body evidence supports the utility of health dietary patterns emphasize whole-grain foods, legumes, vegetables and fruits. On this research evidence based on elements such as managing dietary fats, carbohydrates, the glycemic index, protein, vegetables and fruits, beverages, vitamins, and minerals, weight control, exercises.
Mental health is an integral part in human beings, a state of well-being which an individual realizes his or her abilities, can cope with the normal life stress in life, and can make a contribution his or her community (WHI,2001a, p.1). On mental we being, has been affected by the rise of Covid 19 pandemic. It has mainly caused stress among people due to the changes implemented especially the social distancing issue, which may cause loneliness among people. The main challenge is how to cope up with the stress during this pandemic. This can be overcome through adhering to:
1.Being in a positive socioeconomic and environmental surrounding.
2.One to be linked up with upright behavior, this is avoiding substance abuse, violence and abuses of women and children on the other hand.
3.Mental health is enhanced by effective public health interventions.
4.Being on a climate that respects and protects basic civil political-economic and cultural rights which is fundamental to mental health.
5.Intersectoral linkage is also key meaning policies and programmers in government and business sectors act on the welfare of prevention and treatment of ill-health.
Factors contributing to poor food intake.
On food choices, the key, to the choice of biological determinants like hunger, economic determinants such as cost, physical determinants such as access, education skills.
On food prices, this occurs due to the number of environmental dimensions, such as the geographic region of the country, urban versus rural setting, type of stores example supermarkets and type food available.
Availability of time to purchase and prepare meals-due to work overload on working places one lack time to purchase and prepare food for healthy meals’.
Access to food outlets –due to poor infrastructure the food availability in the supermarkets and markets is limited food access for small towns and rural areas.
Nutrition knowledge, skills and abilities, most people lack the knowledge to know the healthy meals to maintain a healthy diet thus poor food intake.
- References
- A Melink
- P H Sherrill
- J Helford
- Allen Farmer
- I Hogg
- . D Peace
- S Choice
- L A Wales
Melink, T.A., Sherrill, P.H., Helford, J., Firmery, Allen, I., Hogg. D. & Peace, S. (1992) Choice, L.A. & Wales, K.R. (1994) Screening elderly Participation and Satisfaction. London: Policy in the community: the relationship between Studies Institute. dietary adequacy and nutritional risk. J. Am