Living a healthy lifestyle involves various habits and practices that can have a positive impact on overall health. Here are some details on healthy lifestyle practices, food labels, and dietary supplements:
Healthy Lifestyle Practices
- Regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy body weight can have a positive impact on overall health.
- Keeping a record of dietary supplements and medicines taken can help discuss whats best for overall health with healthcare providers.
Food Labels
- Food labels provide information on nutrition, ingredients, weights, measures, date marking, directions for use and storage, and country of origin.
- Ingredients are listed on products in descending order by weight, with the first ingredient listed being present in the largest amount.
- Using the "per 100g" or "per 100mL" column of the nutrition information panel on food packages is the best way to compare similar products.
- Terms such as "oven fried" and "baked" or "toasted" imply that fat has been used during food preparation.
- Look for ingredients ending in "-ose" or "-tol" to identify added sugars.
- Supplements do not provide the benefits of phytochemicals and other components found in food, and taking vitamin and mineral supplements is no substitute for a healthy diet.
Dietary Supplements
- Some dietary supplements can improve overall health and help manage some health conditions.
- Manufacturers are permitted to make certain types of health-related claims on dietary supplement labels, but these claims must be followed by the words, "This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration".
- Taking vitamins and mineral supplements in large doses can be harmful to health and cause toxicity.
It is important to note that living a healthy lifestyle involves a combination of various practices and habits, and it is always best to consult with healthcare providers before making any significant changes to diet or exercise routines.
