Nutrition Secrets

FDA guideline of nutrition is general for one type of person. But we are not one type but several types of people. We come from different backgrounds and different genealogical makeup. You might find what a good nutritional fit is for one individual may lack for another individual.

There is a set of guidelines that the government publishes for different vitamins and minerals. These are based on population studies and consider what people consume on a regular basis. Nutrition in food is based on these factors.

The latest Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index shows that 63.1% of adults in the U.S. were either overweight or obese in 2009. This is because of fast food, sitting in front of the TV while eating, and snacking on unhealthy snacks.

What else will make us fat is living with stress, battling emotions, and genetics. The first two we can control.

The secret in nutrition is finding the perfect balance. What is the perfect balance of protein? What is the perfect balance of vitamins or minerals?

Instead of going to a fast food restaurant, stop at the grocery store. Keep in mind that the most nutritional food is located around the outer part of the store. Generally it starts out with the fruits and vegetables, then to the deli. Search the deli for sliced meat, fish and fresh fruit. Avoid the foods heavy in gravy and mayonnaise. Moving from there is the fresh meat products. Chicken and fish is the better choice over red meat. As we take our walk along the back of the store we come to eggs, milk, cheese and yogurt. If you have cholesterol problem, one large egg has about 213 mg of cholesterol, all of which is found in the yolk. Therefore, if you eat an egg on a given day, it's important to limit other sources of cholesterol for the rest of that day. Eggs are high in protein and nutrients. You can chose skim milk over whole milk, and buy low fat cheese and yogurt (if possible).

Tip brought up by NoRR4Me: Don't shop while hungry.

Don’t eat more calories than you burn. If you have a sedentary life style, it is time to start exercising. Begin with something easy, like taking a couple 15 to 30 minute walks during the day. In becoming more fit, people start choosing nutritional foods over junk food.

Read up on what type of vitamins and minerals to take for your age group. As we age, our bodies' process nutrients less efficiently, resulting in the need for us to increase our nutrient intake. Vitamin D is a nutrient essential to the prevention of osteoporosis. The need for B vitamins increases with age as well.

With the exception of avocados, olives and coconuts, fresh fruits and vegetables have no fat, cholesterol or sodium. This is the best source of vitamins and fiber.

Get your fat from fish. This fat is called omega-3 fatty acids which lower heart-disease risk, stimulate the immune system and might even reduce the incidence of depression.

One of the best nutrition tips is to drink 8 glasses of water a day. It flushes the system of toxins and keeps us running properly.

The copyright to this article is owned by Sandy Mertens (sandyspider). Permission to republish this article in print or online must be granted by the author in writing. (You can, however, freely use the opening introduction and photo with a link to the article here on HubPages to read the remainder of the article.)