HEALTH 

GOOD HEALTH.

 Health is a blessing from God which is to be maintained by human being and every living organism. Either rich or poor people needs good health. HEALTH have more value than wealth.

Table content: 

• 3 State Health definition.Building your health diet.Fiber foods.Foods which gives carbohydrates

Health definition

Health concerns both physical and emotional well-being.it is a state of physically, mentally, socially well-being. It is also a state of being free from illness or injury.

DEFINITION OF THE THREE STATE.

1. PHYSICAL HEALTH.
2. MENTAL HEALTH.
3. SOCIAL HEALTH.

1 PHYSICAL HEALTH.

Being physically health means that your body is functioning without pain, discomfort, or lack of capabilities. Causes of ill health include injuries, diseases, diet, stress and genetics. Poor cleanliness acts can produce illness in all body parts systems. Physical health is critical overall well-being and is the most visible of many dimensions of health which include social, intellectual, spiritual, emotional and environmental health. You can be called physically health when you are not under attack from illness, or to be absence from disease to a good fitness level.

Physical has many components, let us look to the key areas that should be addressed.

Diet and nutrition – includes nutrient intake, health digestion, and fluid intake

Alcohol and drugs – includes the abstinence from or reduced consumption of these substance

Physical activity – includes endurance, strength, and flexibility

Rest and sleep – includes periodic rest and relaxation along with high quality sleep

Medical self-care – including addressing minor ailments injuries and seeking emergence care as necessary

Physical health components.

Nutrition and diet: A well balanced diet should contain carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins and fats. Restricting specific nutrients should be done the supervision of a licensed health professionals. Fluid, ideally in the form clean water, should be done regular always and consumed. Meals and snacks should be consumed throughout daily basis, and portion sizes should be sensible.

Physical activity:

 Everyone of us in the world should have to do activities for his physical fitness gain on daily basis of life, children or adults. Both leisurely physical activity and structured exercise. Walking hiking and biking are other examples of leisurely physical activity. Examples of more structured forms of exercise include sports, running and strength training.

Rest and sleep:

 Regular activity is essential for physical health, allowing the body to rest is just as important. Taking time on relaxing or short naps can help rejuvenate the body. Sleep should take place in a quiet, good dark environment and should go for 8 to 10 hours of sleep and rest. Consistent sleep that is not much longer or shorter than 8 to 10 hours should be advised and addressed by a health professional.

Medical self-care:

 Basic items lozenges, bandages and over the counter pain-relieving medications, should be easily accessible from home. Long term coughing fevers, or other ailments should be addressed through primary care. Emergency treatment should be sought when signs and symptoms are significant life threatening.

2 MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health, it is a state of successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling good relationship with other people, and the ability to change and to cope with stress and challenges. Mental health is essential to a person well-being, family, and the ability to contribute to community or society, and interpersonal relationships.

Mental illness is the term that refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders. It can be characterized by alteration in thinking, mood, and or behavior that are associated with distress and/or impaired functioning.

Important of mental health

Disability can be caused by mental disorder. The result disease burden of mental illness is among the highest of all diseases. In period of time, an estimated of 40 percent of the world are suffering from any mental illness and 7 percent are suffering from seriously debilitating mental illness.

Mental and physical health they are close connected. Mental health plays a major role in people`s ability to maintain beater and good health. Mental illness, such as anxiety, depression affect human`s ability to participate in health-promoting behaviors and drugs compliance.

In turn, problem with physical healthy, such as chronic disease like HIV, diabetes, cancer, and kidney failure and more can cause and have serious impact on mental health and reduces a person`s potential and ability to participate in treatment and recovery.

The knowledge understanding of the brain functions under normal conditions and in the response to stressors, combined with knowledge the brain develops over time, has been essential to understand and explain mental illness.

Improving family functioning and positive parenting can have

Interventions targeting families dealing with adversities , such as parental depression and divorce, can be effective in reducing risk for depression among children increases effective parental protection

Some preventive interventions benefits that exceed costs, with the available evidence strongest for early childhood interventions

positive outcomes on mental health and can reduce poverty risk School-based preventive interventions aimed at improving social and emotional outcomes can also improve education academic

There are multi-time effects of multiple preventive interventions on reducing substance abuse, conduct disorder, aggression, antisocial behavior, and child maltreatment

The incidence of depression among pregnant women and adolescents can be reduced

School programs is the biggest and greatest opportunity in the world for preventing mental health

All season mental health must be done in all ways to increase health of people in our world

3 SOCIAL HEALTH

It is the ability to interact with people and the environment and to satisfying person relationships.

It involves your ability to form satisfying interpersonal relationships with others and it also relates to your ability to adapt comfortably to different social situations.

Improve your social health by:

Make your personal real life awesome; your life must be the real one in everything you set to be your goal. Don’t let your bad attitudes take control over anything you want archive

Be close and open and show a good attitude to your friends, be friendly if you want friends

Don’t concentrate on anything your phone, television, when someone is talking to you, improve socializing with people using all your five senses

More tips your for health balance.

Exercise your body and brain :

Your brain does too. Studies show that regular exercise, a 45 minutes of walking around or a light kilometer running of a half pace – helps fight the effects of aging on the brain. Many types of exercise count, including swimming, hiking, bicycling, walking, aerobics and gymnastics. Ball juggling Enter into dancing, your body and your heart benefits from exercise. And ballroom dancing is another good exercise, especially fun on chilly times. How does exercise work to prevent mental decline? It is believed exercise may stimulate the body to fight stress that`s normally occurring in the brain, stress that causes oxidative damage. All this good stuff from a little exercise.

Drink coffee tea.

 A cup of coffee tea have health benefits. Caffeine in coffee stimulates the brain and nervous system, it lowers the risk of diabetes, Parkinson`s disease, mood problem, headaches.

Discovery has discovered many beneficial substances, including chromogenic acid, a compound in the antioxidant family that my improve glucose metabolism. Coffee contains magnesium also, this is a mineral that can also improve insulin sensitivity and enhance glucose tolerance.

Coffee is also a naturally calorie-free.

Sweet Potatoes:

It is a super food for winter and it is one of the sweetest ways to make a health change, go much for sweet potatoes. They boast a wealth of antioxidants; petrochemicals including beta carotene; vitamins C and E; calcium; copper; potassium; iron; and fol-ate. The fiber in sweet potatoes promotes a health digestive tract, and the antioxidants my play a role in preventing heart disease and cancer. Roasted sweet potato is delicious without any additional of fats and flavor, it is natural sweet.

Children sleeping tips:

Good weight to more important to kids; does your children have enough time to sleep? IF they don’t have enough time to sleep they may be affected because the can sleep at school whilst time for studies. Sleep shortfalls my increase hunger hormones, so kids eat more and there are less likely to get exercise and burn off calories when they`re tired.

 Help kids quiet down a few moment of time before they sleep.                                                                              
Don’t put gadgets, televisions, and computers in kids` bedroom.

Avoid large meals of eating before sleep.

Maintain good temperature in their bedrooms, quiet, dark, relaxing and not too cold or hot and may the place be away from too much sound.

Text messaging, video games, too much studying should end in early evening.

flu treatment: 

The changes of temperatures as it get chillier people spend much time indoors, flu season sneaks in. Because the flu virus can infect the lungs, it cause a serious complication like pneumonia, which can lead people to hospitalization, even lead to death .The end of the year October and November is the best time treatment and vaccination

Children are the most to be take care against flu. Children under the age of 3 years old there are in a group for flu shots.

We have two types of flu vaccines: Nasal sprays and flu shots.

Flu shot:

This can be recommended for:

People living in hospital areas or other term facilities

People of any age with chronic medical conditions such as asthma and people aged 55 and above.

Children aged 5 months to 16 years and pregnant women.

Also protect yourself and your children from catching and spreading viruses:

Avoid not touch your eyes, mouth, nose even to come conduct with the affect person who is coughing and sneezing since that is how germs spread.

Cover nose and mouth with a towel or a tissue when you sneeze or cough, wash the towel after use or throw the tissue away.

Use soap and water to wash your hands frequently especially after you coughed or sneeze.

Avoid thes foods maintain your health.

French fries

This type of food is popular fast food items that many people enjoy. This popular fast food item is a calorie-rich food option, and this implies that it is good food to eat. You should therefore, try as much as you can to avoid eating this type of food.

Margarine

Margarine is also popular in the world and used in barking and breakfast. This is another food item which is not necessarily to be a main food item but rather as the additive. It contains a lot of fat and this might not be good for your health. It contains what is known as trans fats, and this regarded to be the most unhealthy form of fat that one can consume. The fat in margarine can result in various complications, including heat-related disease, obesity and other similar complications that specifically arise from a fat diet.

Yogurt

Yogurt is mostly given to children and many people like it but it has its effects that must be known. It is sweet and test much better than milk. This is because yogurt is subjected to many other additional processing activities that are meant to enhance its taste and appearance. Unfortunately, one of the processing activities involves the addition of sugars. The sugar in yogurt therefore, makes it a poor dietary choice that one might opt for, it therefore leads to diseases such as obesity that are related high sugar diet.

Cooking oils

Vegetable oils are quite popular in many households and are used for food preparation but this does not mean that they are safe. This oil pack a lot of fats and such fat are harmful to our body organs. This fat affects the liver and the heart functioning.

BUILDING YOUR HEALTH DIET.

All food diet is need in our body on daily bases of life. We all, need balance of protein, minerals, vitamins, fiber, fat, carbohydrates. Let me review them to you.

Protein

Protein us the energy to get up and go around and keep going even to do our life duty and even excises, while also supporting mood and cognitive function. Many of us need more high quality protein as we age. A variety of plant based sources of protein each day can ensure your body gets all the essential protein it needs.

Too much protein can be harmful to people with kidney disease, research suggests that many of us need more protein.

Foods which gives protein:

Best High Protein Foods


Eggs


These white orbs are one of the most perfect high-protein foods at the supermarket: cheap, versatile, low-carb, and packed with branched-chain amino acids. Look for eggs fortified with extra omega-3 fatty acids to give yourbreakfast scramble an extra nutrition boost.



Hard-boiled eggs are one of the most portable protein foods. You can also make a shake with dried egg protein powder instead of whey.



Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt has become such a popular choice because it has twice as much protein as other types of yogurt. It's also rich in bone-building calcium andprobiotic bacteria, which is great for gut health. Look for plain Greek yogurt to keep sugar—and your weight—in check.

Cottage Cheese


Make cottage cheese your go-to protein for a healthy late-night snack. It's high incasein, a dairy protein that digests more slowly than whey. Slow-digesting protein feeds your muscles all night so they don't catabolize, and it keeps you from waking up starving at 3 a.m.



Swiss Cheese


Ounce for ounce, Swiss cheese provides more protein than other varieties commonly available in the supermarket, making it a muscle-friendly option for your sandwiches and burgers. If you're concerned about the calorie density of full-fat Swiss, low-fat versions have aprotein-to-fat ratio of around 8-to-1 while still providing good flavor.

2-Percent Milk


You could chug watery, flavorless skim milk, or you could enjoy the richer taste of 2 percent while getting a little extra fat to help you absorb the milk's vitamin D and get you closer to your macro targets.

Organic milk has the highest nutrient content, including protein and omega-3s. Mix it with protein powder for a revved-up shake.

Whey Or Casein Protein Powder


Whey protein powder is clean, fast-digesting, and most of its calories come from protein. It's also convenient—just mix it with water in a shaker bottle. Reach for protein powder whenever you need quick, no-prep protein, like after a workout, for an on-the-go breakfast, or alongside a low-protein meal.

If you need something that'll help you hide from hunger a little longer, go for slow-digesting casein powder instead of whey. It won't hit your muscles as fast, but it can keep you full for hours and can help you lose fat without losing muscle mass.

You can also use protein powder to make high-protein pancakes. They make a great pre-workout or post-workout snack if you need a break from shakes.

If you're sensitive to artificial sweeteners, look for an unsweetened protein powder or one sweetened with stevia.

Smoothies

Protein Content: 16 g per 1-cup serving, on average

Up your protein-shake game by blending casein or whey protein powder into a smoothie with fruit for its vitamin content. You can also buy premade smoothie drinks, but make sure they have a substantial dose of protein (at least 20 grams for a 2-cup bottle) and not just fruit, which can send you into sugar overload.



To make a plant-based smoothie, substitute a vegan protein powder in place of animal-based casein or whey. A blend of rice protein and pea protein is a good option for muscle growth.

Frozen Greek Yogurt

Protein Content: 6 g per 1/2-cup serving

Frozen Greek yogurt is frosty and creamy like ice cream, but contains about twice as much high-quality protein. Compare brands and look for those with the lowest sugar levels (or make it yourself). Some brands actually list fruit before sugar in the ingredient list, which is a plus.

High Protein Seafood

Yellowfin Tuna

Protein Content: 25 g per 3-oz. serving

This meaty swimmer delivers a boatload of easily digested, high-quality protein. You'll also benefit from the healthy amount of vitamin B and the potent antioxidant selenium, making it a great nutrition choice.When possible, look for troll- or pole-caught tuna, which are considered the most sustainable options.

Halibut

Protein Content: 23 g per 3-oz. serving


Among white fish species, halibut reigns supreme when it comes to the protein you need to build muscle like a champ. Each 3-ounce serving also has a mere 2 grams of fat, making halibut an even better catch of the day.Pacific halibut is generally considered a more sustainable choice than Atlantic.

CALCIUM

Our body uses calcium to build healthy bones and teeth, keeping them strong for structuring the body as we age and send messages through the nervous system, and regulate the heart rhythm. Not getting enough calcium in your diet can also contribute to anxiety, depression, and sleep difficulties. Every age must, it’s vital to include calcium-rich foods in your diet, and get enough magnesium and vitamins D and K to help calcium to do its job.

Foods which provides calcium 
1. Seeds

Seeds are tiny nutritional powerhouses. Some of them are high in calcium, including poppy, sesame, celery and chia seeds.

For instance, 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of poppy seeds has 126 mg, or 13% of the RDl.

Seeds also deliver protein and healthy fats. For example, chia seeds are a rich source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids.

Sesame seeds have 9% of the RDI for calcium in 1 tablespoon. They also have other minerals, including copper, iron and manganese.

BOTTOM LINE:Several kinds of seeds are good sources of calcium. For instance, 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds has 13% of the RDI.

2. Cheese

Most cheeses are excellent sources of calcium. Parmesan cheese has the most, with 331 mg — or 33% of the RDI — per ounce (28 grams).

Softer cheeses tend to have less. One ounce of brie only delivers 52 mg, or 5% of the RDI. Many other varieties fall in the middle, providing about 20% of the RDI.

As an added bonus, the calcium in dairy products is more easily absorbed by your body than when it comes from plant sources.g

Many kinds of cheese are also packed with protein, such as cottage cheese. And aged, hard cheeses are naturally low in lactose, making them easier for people with lactose intolerance to digest.

Dairy may have additional health benefits as well. A recent study suggests dairy may lower the risk of heart disease.

Another study found that eating cheese daily was linked to a lower risk of metabolic syndrome, which raises your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

However, remember that full-fat cheese is also high in fat and calories. Most cheeses also have a lot of sodium, which some people are sensitive to.

BOTTOM LINE:Parmesan cheese delivers 33% of the RDI of calcium. While high in fat and calories, cheese may actually lower your risk of heart disease.

3. Yogurt

Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium.

Many types of yogurt are also rich in liveprobiotic bacteria, which have various health benefits.

One cup (245 grams) of plain yogurt contains 30% of the RDI. It also contains vitamin B2, phosphorous, potassium and vitamin B12 .

Low-fat yogurt may be even higher in calcium, with 45% of the RDI in one cup.

While Greek yogurt is a great way to get extra protein in your diet, it delivers less calcium than regular yogurt .

One study linked eating yogurt to better overall diet quality and improvedT metabolic health. Participants who ate yogurt had lower risks of metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

BOTTOM LINE:Yogurt is one of the best sources of calcium, providing 30% of the RDI in one cup. It's also a good source of protein and other nutrients.

4. Sardines and Canned Salmon

Sardines and canned salmon are loaded with calcium, thanks to their edible bones.

A 3.75-ounce (92-gram) can of sardines provides 35% of the RDI, and 3 ounces of canned salmon with bones have 21% .

These oily fish also provide high-quality protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart, brain and skin.

While seafood can contain mercury, smaller fish such as sardines have low levels. Not only that, both sardines and salmon have high levels of selenium, a mineral that can prevent and reverse mercury toxicity.

BOTTOM LINE:Sardines and canned salmon are super healthy choices. A can of sardines gives you 35% of the RDI for calcium.

5. Beans and Lentils

Beans and lentils are high in fiber, protein and micronutrients.

They also boast lots of iron, zinc, folate,magnesium and potassium.

Some varieties also have decent amounts of calcium.

However, winged beans top the chart. A single cup of cooked wing beans has 244 mg, or 24% of the RDI.

White beans are also a good source, with a cup of cooked white beans providing 13% of the RDI. Other varieties of beans and lentils have less, ranging from around 4–6% of the RDI per cup.

Interestingly, beans are credited with being one of the reasons that plant-rich diets are so healthy. Research suggests that beans may help lower LDL (the "bad") cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

BOTTOM LINE:Beans are highly nutritious, and one cup of cooked wing beans delivers 24% of the RDI for calcium.


6. Whey Protein

Whey protein is found in milk and has been extensively studied for its health benefits.

It's an excellent protein source and full of quickly digested amino acids.

Several studies have linked whey-rich diets to weight loss and improved blood sugar control.

Whey is also exceptionally rich in calcium. A 1-ounce (28-gram) scoop of whey protein powder isolate contains 200 mg, or 20% of the RDI .

BOTTOM LINE:Whey protein is an exceptionally healthy protein source. A scoop of whey protein powder has 20% of the RDI for calcium.


7. Some Leafy Greens

Dark, leafy greens are incredibly healthy, and some of them are high in calcium.

Greens that have good amounts of it include collard greens, lambs quarters,spinach and kale.

For instance, one cup of cooked collard greens has 266 mg — a quarter of the amount you need in a day .

Note that some varieties are high inoxalates. These are naturally occurring compounds that bind to calcium, making some of it unavailable to your body.

Spinach is one of them. So although it has a lot of calcium, it's less available than the calcium in low-oxalate greens, such as kale and collard greens.

BOTTOM LINE:Some dark, leafy greens are rich in calcium. One cup of cooked collard greens contain 25% of your daily needs.


8. Figs

Dried figs are rich in antioxidants and fiber.

They also have more calcium than otherdried fruits. In fact, dried figs contain 5% of the RDI in an ounce (28 grams).

Moreover, figs also provide decent amounts of potassium and vitamin K.

BOTTOM LINE:Dried figs contain more calcium than other dried fruits. A single ounce has 5% of your daily needs for this mineral.

Fiber

Eating foods in dietary fiber (grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts,
 and beans) can help you stay regular lower your risk for heart disease, diabetes and stroke. It can also improve your skin and
 even help you to lose weight. According to your age and gender, nutrition experts recommend eat at least 20 to 35 grams of fiber per each day for optimal health.

Fiber foods 

Fat

• Fats are not all same. While bade fats can wreck your diet and increase your risk of certain diseases, good fats protect your heart and brain. We have what we call health fats, this are vital to physical and emotional health. You have to understand how to apply more health fat in your diet and this can help you to improve your mood, boost your well-being and even trim your waistline.

Food with healthy fat 

• 1.Eggs are an inexpensive and easy source of protein. People often think egg whites are a healthier option than whole eggs because they contain less fat, but while it's true that the egg yolk contains some fat, it's also packed with important nutrients. One whole egg contains 5 grams of fat, but only 1.5 grams are saturated. Whole eggs are also a good source of choline (one egg yolk has about 300 micrograms), an important B vitamin that helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system. As for the cholesterol? The latest nutrition research has found that eating cholesterol doesn't raise our blood cholesterol. In fact, research has linked moderate egg consumption to improved heart health.

2. Walnuts

• Walnuts are one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically alpha linoleic acid, an omega-3 found in plants. A recent study linked a handful per day to lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol as well as improved blood vessel function. Research has also shown that eating nuts appears to reduce the risk of blood clots that can cause heart attacks as well as improve the health of the lining of our arteries.

3. Avocados

• One medium avocado has approximately 23 grams of fat, but it is primarily monounsaturated fat. Plus, a medium avocado contains 40 percent of your daily fiber needs, is naturally sodium- and cholesterol-free, and is a good source of lutein, an antioxidant that may protect your vision. Try enjoying it in place of foods that are higher in less-healthy saturated fat—use 1/5 of a medium avocado to replace the mayo on your sandwich, the butter on your toast, or the sour cream on your baked potato. Keep in mind that they’re pretty high in calories, so you generally want to stick to no more than 1/4 an avocado at a time.

4. stachios

• Nuts like pecans, pistachios, cashews, and almonds also pack a lot of healthy fats. Almonds are the richest in vitamin E, and pistachios have lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids important foreye health. All you need to eat is a 1/4 cup serving per day to reap the benefits. Some varieties are fattier than others, like cashews and macademia nuts, so you need to pay closer attention to serving sizes. (Nuts have, on average, 45 grams of fat per cup.) Nutritionists love pistachiosbecause the fact that you have to shell them helps you eat slower and naturally control portion size. The peanut (technically a legume) contains monounsaturated fats but all of its polyunsaturated fats are omega-6s, which evidence suggests may not do us any favors.

5. Olives

• One cup of black olives has 15 grams of fat, but again, it is mainly monounsaturated. Plus, no matter what variety of olive you enjoy, they all contain many other beneficial nutrients as well, such as hydroxytyrosol, a phytonutrient that has long been linked to cancer prevention. New research is showing that this phytonutrient may play a role in reducing bone loss as well. And if you have allergies or other inflammatory conditions, olives might be just the snack for you as research suggests that olive extracts function as anti-histamines on the cellular level. Even with all these benefits, it is important to be mindful of your serving size as olives can be high in sodium. Stick to 5 large or 10 small olives as the perfect portion.

6.Ground flaxseed

• One cup of ground flaxseed has a whopping 48 grams of fat, but it's all healthy, unsaturated fat. And here's the thing, you only need 1-2 tablespoons to reap the benefits. Flaxseed is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, too, so ground flaxseed is a great way for vegetarians (or those who don't eat fish) to meet their need. Also, flaxseed contains up to 800 times more lignans than other plant foods. These plant nutrients contain both plant estrogen and antioxidant properties, and research suggests that they may help prevent certain types of cancer. Last, but not least, flaxseed contains both insoluble and soluble fiber, so it can help you feel fuller longer as well as reduce cholesterol and promote heart health. Sprinkle a little bit on yogurt or oatmeal, or scoop a spoonful into a smoothie. Or try baking it into this delicious, nutty pie crust

Carbohydrates 

Energy to your body can also be supplied from a source called carbohydrates. But most should come from complex, unrefined cards that have been stripped of all brain, fiber, and nutrients. Cutting back on white bread, pastries, starches and sugar can prevent rapid spikes in blood sugar, fluctuations in mood and energy, and a build-up of fat on sum of body parts. 

Foods which gives carbohydrates

Breads

• Whole-grain or multi-grain breads are healthy and offer a variety of nutrients and good carbs for healthy energy. Rye bread is also an excellent source of fiber. A whole wheat bagel contains approximately 70 grams of carbohydrates, while an English Muffin contains about 27 grams.

The American Diabetes Association states that whole-grain breads contain vitamins, minerals and fiber. University of Michigan Integrative Medicine recommends choosing breads or whole-grain products containing at least 3 grams dietary fiber per serving size.

Cereals

• Whole-grain hot cereals like oatmeal or cold cereals that have whole oats, whole wheat or other whole grains near the top of the ingredients list are excellent choices. Such sources also contain vitamins and minerals, proteins and healthy fiber in their whole-grain state. For example, a 1/2-cup serving of oatmeal contains 27 grams of carbohydrates, while 1 cup of Corn Flakes contains 24 grams. Oatmeal is a good option for you if you eat gluten-free. Check the label to make sure that it is not processed in a plant that also processes wheat, as there could be cross-contamination.

Vegetable Varieties

• Including vegetables into your daily diet increases your intake of carbohydrates as well. Vegetables contain many vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to help boost your health and prevent disease. Certain vegetables, considered starchy vegetables, contain more carbohydrates than other nonstarchy vegetables. Examples of starchy vegetables include corn, peas, potatoes and squash. Nonstarchy vegetables still contain healthy carbohydrates, just not as many. Examples of these are asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, mushrooms, onions, peppers, greens and tomatoes.

Fresh Fruits



• Fruits are another category of healthy whole foods that supply you with carbohydrates. Although fruit provides more sugar than the other categories of good carbohydrates, it's a natural sugar. They also contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients that help make fruits good for you. Consider adding a whole piece of fruit or sliced fruit, such as apples, pears, oranges, melons, peaches, nectarines and bananas, as a snack in between meals. A mixed fruit salad also makes a healthy dessert or snack that helps boost your good carbohydrate intake.

 Healthy Carbohydrates in Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are also a source of carbohydrates. Unlike starches, however, fruits and vegetables contain simple carbohydrates, which have one or two sugars bonded together; these simple carbs digest more quickly than complex carbs. Fruits, such as bananas, grapes, apples, cantaloupe and oranges, have more carbohydrates per serving than vegetables like broccoli, spinach, carrots, eggplant, mushrooms and kale. For example, a small apple has 15 grams of carbohydrates, but a 1/2-cup serving of steamed broccoli has 5 grams. Fruits and vegetables are also a source of fiber, as well as sources of vitamins and minerals.

Milk Is a Source of Carbohydrates, Too


Like fruits and vegetables, milk is also a source of simple carbohydrates. This category not only includes milk, but also yogurt. A 1-cup serving of milk or a 3/4-cup serving of yogurt has 12 grams of carbohydrates. The amount of carbohydrates in milk does not change, whether you're drinking or eating the full-fat version or the fat-free version. Milk and yogurt are also good sources of high-quality protein and calcium.


 Consume a Variety of Foods

Not all the nutrients and other substances in foods that contribute to good health have been identified, so eating a wide assortment of foods helps ensure that you get all of the disease-fighting potential that foods offer. In addition, this will limit your exposure to any pesticides or toxic substances that may be present in a particular food

Get More Whole Grains


At least half your grains should be whole grains, such as whole wheat, barley and oats. Whole grains retain the bran and germ and thus all (or nearly all) of the nutrients and fiber of the grain. Look for a product labeled “100% whole wheat” or “100% whole grain.” If it doesn’t say that, look for a whole grain listed as the first ingredient, though there still may be lots of refined wheat (also called “white” or “enriched” flour) and/or sugar. Another option is to look for the voluntary “Whole Grain Stamp” from the Whole Grains Council.

Keep Sodium Down, Keep Potassium Up

Excess sodium raises blood pressure in many people and has other harmful effects. People over 50, black people, and those with hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease—that’s most adults—should limit sodium to 1,500 milligrams a day (about two-thirds of a teaspoon of salt). Everyone else should aim for less than 2,300 milligrams a day. At the same time, consume more potassium, which lowers blood pressure. Potassium-rich foods include citrus fruits, bananas, potatoes, beans and yogurt.


Eat Plenty of Produce


Aim for 2½ cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit a day, for a 2,000-calorie diet. If you consume more calories, aim for more; if you eat fewer than 2,000 calories, you can eat less. Include green, orange, red, blue/purple and yellow produce. The nutrients, fiber and other compounds in these foods may help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases. Legumes, rich in fiber, count as vegetables, though are moderately high in calories. Choose whole fruits over juice for more fiber. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are good options.



Limit Refined Grains, Added Sugar

The refined carbohydrates in white bread, regular pasta and most snack foods have little or no dietary fiber and have been stripped of many nutrients. On food labels, watch out for “wheat flour” (also called “white,” “refined” or “enriched” flour) on the ingredients list. Also, limit foods with added sugar, such as soda and candy. These are sources of empty calories that contribute to weight gain. Many sugary foods are also high in fat, so they’re even more calorie-dense.




Enjoy More Fish and Nuts

Nuts, fatty fish, avocados and vegetable oils supply healthy unsaturated fats. Recent research suggests these foods, though high in calories, tend not to promote weight gain because they are satisfying. Still, it’s best to eat them in place of other high-calorie foods. For instance, substitute olive or canola oil for butter. Fatty fish helps reduce heart disease risks and has other benefits, largely because of its omega-3 polyunsaturated fats.