Eat a healthy, balanced diet and stay active

The key to a healthy balanced diet is not to ban or omit any foods or food groups but to balance what you eat by consuming a variety of foods from each food group in the right proportions for good health.

The five food groups on the eatwell plate are:

Fruit and vegetables

These should make up about a third of your daily diet and can be eaten as part of every meal, as well as being the first choice for a snack.

You should eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. Research suggests this can help to protect against cancer, obesity and various chronic diseases such as heart disease. This is because of the unique package of nutrients and plant compounds they contain.

Bread, rice, potatoes and pasta

This food group should also make up about a third of your diet and contains the starchy carbohydrates that are the body’s main source of energy.

When selecting products from this food group, choose unrefined carbohydrates over those that have been refined, as they will contain the whole of the grain. Wholegrain foods are rich in fibre and other nutrients that have many health benefits, and people who consume wholegrains seem to have a reduced risk of certain cancers, diabetes and coronary heart disease.

The final third of the eatwell plate is made up of three groups containing foods that need to be consumed in smaller proportions than the other two principal categories. These food groups also contain nutrients essential to our diet, so it’s important not to leave them out altogether.

Milk and dairy foods

These should be eaten in moderation because of their high saturated fat content, but they’re an important source of calcium, which is essential for healthy bones and teeth. Choose low-fat or reduced-fat versions.

Meat, fish, eggs and beans

This food group includes both animal and plant sources of protein, which is a major functional and structural component of all cells. Protein provides the body with between 10 and 15 per cent of its dietary energy, and is needed for growth and repair.

Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar

This group makes up the smallest section on the eatwell plate and includes foods that should only be eaten sparingly because, although they’re an important energy source, they contain very few nutrients and are often known as ‘empty calories’.

Foods from this group are high in unhealthy components such as saturated fat, trans fatty acids, sugar and salt – all of which are associated with an increased risk of developing certain diseases.

They should only be eaten as occasional treats, or to increase the palatability of other important foods (such as olive oil on salads, a scraping of spread on bread, or a sprinkling of sugar on some tart fruits).

• The hot tip to make your hair smell aromatic is to prepare your own hair perfume at home. Mix 6 tablespoons of powdered charcoal, 5 tablespoons of powdered myrrh and 1 tablespoon of powdered benzoin together and sieve it thoroughly. Add 2-3 drops of bergamot oil and 2-3 drops of sandalwood oil, 1 tablespoon of potassium nitrate and mucilage of tragacanth to the mixture until it acquires the consistency of a stiff paste. Heat the mixture over a water bath. Shape it into little cones and dry them. Whenever you wash your hair, light one of the cones while your hair is still damp and let them soak the smell of the cone.
• A perfect way to get rid of dry, brittle, dull hair is to massage mayonnaise into your hair thoroughly, starting from the roots to the hair ends. Then pile your hair on top of your head and cover them fully with plastic food wrap. Wrap the pre-heated towel around it and keep it on for 10 minutes. This will help in deep-conditioning your hair. Now, replace the towel with another pre-heated towel and leave it on for 10 minutes too. Now remove all the wraps and shampoo your hair. This cholesterol treatment once a month for your hair is a boon that will keep it soft and shiny.
• If you don’t have time to shampoo your oily hair daily, you can try this out. Pour some cornstarch into a dish and dip a clean, large blush brush into it. Brush your scalp and hair roots thoroughly with the cornstarch and leave it on for 10 minutes to soak off the oil. Then brush away the cornstarch flakes, ridding your hair with all that unwanted greasiness.
• Make a mixture by adding ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar with 1 gallon of distilled water and store it in the refrigerator. Once a fortnight, shampoo and rinse your hair thoroughly and then pour 2 cups of the mixture over the scalp and let it saturate the hair. Rinse your hair with cold water to get rid of all the drab of hair styling products.
• A possible cure for your impossible dandruff is vinegar. Massage it into your scalp and leave it to dry for a few minutes. Wash the hair thoroughly and repeat the process daily. Dandruff usually disappears within a few days.
• The ancient Mayan women used avocados to keep their skin and hair healthy. Here is their infallible hair mask that you can use too – Mix ½ ripe avocado, 1 tbsp. olive oil, ½ small banana and 1 egg yolk together and massage it into your hair. Cover it with a plastic wrap and leave it on for one hour. Rinse the mask with warm water and then shampoo your hair thoroughly.
• Say goodbye to your dandruff by dissolving 2 aspirins in your dandruff shampoo before washing your hair with it. Moisturize your hair with a good conditioner later.
• Powder your greasy hair by putting it a little at the root of your hair before straying. For very oily hair, powder your hair heavily and keep it on for 15 minutes. Then wash the hair completely and condition lightly before making the desired style.
• To bleach your hair naturally or just lighten their color, rub lemon juice on them and wander out for a walk in natural sunlight.

Do you suffer from heartburn and indigestion? Most people ignore these, but that’s a mistake. If you have these you should pay close attention, because they might be acid reflux symptoms – a digestive disease that affects a significant percentage of the population.

What does it mean to have acid reflux?
In summary, it means that you have stomach acid that is spilling into the esophagus. There is a valve at the top of the stomach that is meant to prevent this from happening, but on many people it doesn’t work as it should. Whether you are young or old, male or female, black or white… this is something we’re all at risk for.

How serious is acid reflux?
Perhaps the most unfortunate thing about acid reflux is that it’s a disease that isn’t always taken seriously. Because of this, the symptoms often go untreated (or they aren’t treated properly). When there is persistent heartburn, it is known to wear away the esophagus and cause the formation of scar tissue. This can lead to all kinds of medical problems, like coughing, throat pain, and it can even make the acid reflux worse. Long story short, acid reflux is a serious condition that should be looked at by a licensed medical professional.

Healing & recovering from acid reflux
Even when you are administered proper medical treatment, acid reflux is a disease that can’t always be cured. Because of this, many rely daily on antacids and other remedies to reduce acid reflux symptoms.

But in addition to medicines, you should talk to your doctor about getting on a healthy diet, including low acid foods that are rich in vitamins and nutrients. However there many vitamins and dietary supplements which are known to have heartburns as side effects – i.e. ascorbic acid, alpha lipoic acid, CoQ10, and others. Therefore if you are using these health supplements, talk to your doctor to find out the best way to take them in order to minimize the side effect of heartburn.