Eat Right Eat Healthier

A healthy diet is built on a base of regular exercise, which keeps calories in balance and weight in check.  Eating a plant-based diet is healthiest.  Choose plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats, like olive and flaxseed oil.

Whole Grains

The body needs carbohydrates mainly for energy.  The best sources of carbohydrates are whole grains such as oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and brown rice.  They deliver the outer (bran) and inner (germ) layers along with energy-rich starch.  The body can't digest whole grains as quickly as it can highly processed carbohydrates such as white flour.  This keeps blood sugar and insulin levels from rising, then falling, too quickly.  Better control of blood sugar and insulin can keep hunger at bay and may prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.  Plus, a growing body of research suggests that eating a diet rich in whole grains may also protect against heart disease.

Healthy Fats and Oils

The average Australia gets one-third or more of his or her daily calories from fats, so placing them near the foundation of the pyramid makes sense.  Note, though, that it specifically mentions healthy fats and oils, not all types of fat. Good sources of healthy unsaturated fats include olive, sunflower, flaxseed oil, and other vegetable oils, trans fat-free margarines, nuts, seeds, avocadoes.  These healthy fats not only improve cholesterol levels (when eaten in place of highly processed carbohydrates) but can also protect the heart from sudden and potentially deadly rhythm problems.

Vegetables and Fruits

A diet rich in vegetables and fruits has bountiful benefits. Among them: It can decrease the chances of having a heart attack or stroke; possibly protect against some types of cancers; lower blood pressure; help you avoid the painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis; guard against cataract and macular degeneration, the major causes of vision loss among people over age 65; and add variety to your diet and wake up your palate.

Nuts, Seeds, Beans, and Tofu

These plant foods are excellent sources of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.  Beans include black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, lentils, and other beans that are usually sold dried.  Many kinds of nuts contain healthy fats, and packages of some varieties (almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, hazelnuts, and pistachios) can now even carry a label saying they're good for your heart.

Cut way back on Australian staples which are really unhealthy such as red meat, refined grains, sugary drinks, and salty snacks.  Go for a plant-based diet rich in non-starchy vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. And if you eat meat, fish and poultry are the best choices.

Use Sparingly: Red Meat and Butter

Eating a lot of red meat may also increase your risk of colon cancer.  If you eat red meat every day, switching to fish, chicken, or beans several times a week can improve cholesterol levels.  So can switching from butter to olive oil.  And eating fish has other benefits for the heart.

Use Sparingly: Refined Grains—White Bread, Rice, and Pasta; Sugary Drinks and Sweets; Salt

White bread, white rice, other refined grains, potatoes, sugary drinks, and sweets can cause fast and furious increases in blood sugar that can lead to weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic disorders.  Whole grain carbohydrates cause slower, steadier increases in blood sugar that don't overwhelm the body's ability to handle carbohydrate.  The salt shaker is a new addition to the "Use Sparingly" tip of the Healthy Eating Pyramid, one that's based on extensive research linking high-sodium diets to increased risk of heart attack and stroke.