One of the most important ways in which we can influence our health is by monitoring what we eat. Eating unhealthy by having too much animal fat, salt, sugar and artificial additives can cause irreparable damage to our bodies, especially to the cardiovascular system and the kidneys. Eating healthy can increase vitality, immunity and life expectancy. We can also influence the health of future generations by teaching our children healthy eating habits.

Food can be used not only to prevent illness but also to treat it. Throughout the ages and in all cultures, food has played an important role in healing the sick. Yet in contemporary Western societies the emphasis in healthcare has moved from traditional methods, such has diet, to modern medical techniques and reliance on pharmaceuticals. As a result, self-help dietary remedies are rarely considered.

The principles of healthy eating
A healthy diet is plenty of unrefined complex carbohydrates and fibre. Foods such as beans, lentils, potatoes,whole meal pasta, whole grain bread, and cereals should make up the bulk of our diet. Protein rich foods, such as meat or fish, can be added to this for good health. Other essential ingredients in a healthy diet are vitamins and minerals and phytochemicals(biologically-active substances in plants) which are found in fruit and vegetables,essential fatty acids in nuts, seeds, oily fish and in oils such as olive oil.

Healing Foods
It is very easy to adopt the healthy eating habits by following these simple measures

1. Buy more fresh fruit and vegetables as they are rich in antioxidants-substances that help to prevent degenerative diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Also include cereals, pulses and fish.
2. Cut down on meat, dairy products and convenience food.
3. Replace meat with oily fish.
4. Tailor food to match your actual calorie needs, for most people this means eating less.
5. Buy a cook book that focuses on the Mediterranean diet.
6. Reduce your intake of sugar, coffee, tea, fizzy drinks and alcohol.
7. Eat at regular intervals, up to five times a day if this suits your needs.
8. Eat food that is in season and locally produced.
9. Make sure your diet is varied as possible.
10. Use fresh ingredients as often as possible; avoid canned or dried food which contains additives.
11. Be flexible in your eating and aim for balance and enjoyment. Avoid rigid dietary programmes.

Make slow-release starchy food such as, oats, rye bread, pasta and basmati rice the staple foods in your diet; everything else revolves around them.

Tip: Enjoy rye bread or crisp bread with low-fat spreads or cottage cheese. Serve pasta and Basmati rice with tomato based vegetable sauce. Avoid any made with cheese, cream, butter or oil.

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Include a wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables and salad leaves.

Tip: Go easy on dried fruits and avocados; dried fruits is high in sugar and avocados are high in fat. Try to avoid using salad dressings such as mayonnaise, instead use low-fat salad dressings. Do not eat fried potatoes such as chips, or potatoes baked with a cheese sauce.

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Eat moderate amounts of low-fat dairy products.

Tip: Choose skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, low-fat yoghurt and low-fat cheeses such as fromage frais, cottage cheese and ricotta. Avoid milk shakes made with whole milk.

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Eat lean meat such as game with all visible fat trimmed off. Remove the skin from poultry and include foods such as fish, lentils, split peas and dried beans.

Tip: Steam,grill, bake or poach, but do not fry. Eat nuts, nut butters and seed in moderation. Cut out high-fat meat products such as pies, pasties, sausages and beef burgers. White fish such as cod is less fattening than oily fish. Always drain the oil from canned fish.

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Use low-fat spreads. Use oil such as olive oil sparingly. The occasional once or twice a week will not do no harm, but cutting down on fats is the best approach when you are dieting.

Tip: Avoid all crisps, biscuits, cakes and pies as they contain a lot of hidden fats.

Antioxidants are a group of vitamins, minerals and enzymes that protect the body from the harmful effects of free radicals. Free radicals or oxidants are molecules with one or more unpaired electrons, this, makes them unstable and in consequence they rush around the body causing oxidative damage to cells and tissues. They have both endogenous origin which is created inside the body and exogenous origin coming from outside the body.

Endogenous free radical are created :

* Through normal bodily functions such as breathing and physical activity. When oxygen is used to create energy, free radicals are the by-product of this process.
* When cells detoxify they create fee radicals.

Exogenous free radicals enter our bodies through:

* Pollution or cigarette smoke and radiation from the sun
* Industry sources and medical x-rays.

The damage they cause they cause are linked to over 100 diseases, which is why antioxidants are so important, as they have protective molecules that help neutralise the effect of free radicals by preventing their formation. If they are already formed, antioxidants are able to replace their energy, thereby limiting the damage done to the body.
Fighting ill health

There are 100 of antioxidants to be found in the food we eat. the most important being the vitamins C and E the carotenoids beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene and the mineral selenium. These help prevent many diseases and can reduce the risk of prostate, stomach and lung cancer. It has also has been found to have an important preventive role in other cancers such as pancreas, colon,rectum, oesophagus, oral cavity, breast and cervical cancer. A study published in the American journal of Epidemiology concludes that women who have high blood levels of carotenoids can reduce their risk of developing breast cancer by 44 per cent.

Antioxidants also play a vital part in preventing coronary heart disease which is one of the major causes of heart attacks and strokes. Another study shows that those who consume high levels of antioxidants, especially lycopene, have half the risk of having a heart attack compared to those who consume fewer antioxidants.

In order to give the body the best chances of fighting free radicals, it is preferable to obtain them through a balanced diet. This should include at least five daily serving of fresh fruit and vegetable. In this way the body obtains many different antioxidants which help maintain the body's natural defences.

Sources of important antioxidants
Fruits, especially citrus, vegetables, including green and red peppers, tomatoes, potatoes and green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin E: Vegetable oils such as soybean, corn and sunflower, vegetable oil products like margarine, whole grains, wheat germ, nuts and seeds, green and leafy vegetables such as spinach, apricots and broccoli.

Beta-carotene: Carrots, green peppers, apricots, tomato and tomato based foods.

Lutein: Spinach, kale, romaine, leeks, broccoli, celery, mustard greens, lettuce, parsley, corn, kiwi fruit, egg yolk.

Selenium: Cashew nuts, halibut, salmon, scallops, tuna.

[For more info on herbs you should check out my hub over at hubpages: Ultimate Resource on Herbs]

Ginseng

Used as a Chinese cure-all for centuries, scientists have shown ginseng stimulates our central nervous systems, boosts metabolism and improve mental alertness. It helps the adrenal glands, which regulate hormones.

Tip: Hoftels One A Day Ginseng With Guarana, $7.49 for 28 capsules from health-food stores, also contains stimulant guarana for a double hit.

Royal Jelly

Considered one of the golden herbal remedies, royal jelly is made by worker bees from pollen for their queen. The list of reported health benefits is impressive: improved general health, stimulated immune system, boosted stamina and increased energy.

Tip: GNC womens's Dong Quai & Royal Jelly costs $9.49 for 100 capsules in their stores. Seven Seas make convenient One A Day Royal Jelly tablets at $6.99 for 30 from all good chemists.

Nettle

Herbalists consider this common spring weed an excellent blood cleanser, making it a great detox herb. Research also shows it's high in minerals and iron and recommended to stimulate digestion.

Tip: If making tea is too much trouble, try Solgar's Nettle Leaf Extract, $13.95, which comes in 60 gelatin-free capsules to suit vegetarians.

Nut

This stimulant seed kernel contains around three per cent caffeine and has a similar effect to ginseng. Native to the West African rainforests,the seeds are chewed traditionally, but these days you can buy them in tablet form.

Tip: Potter's Chlorophyll contains kola nut and is recommended for temporary tiredness. It costs $4.89 for 100 tablets from health-food stores and pharmacies.

Kelp

This particular type of seaweed is incredibly nutritious and particularly good for vegetarians who don't eat much protein. Research shows it contains high concentrations of minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron.

Tip: Try Potter's Malted Kelp Tablets, $3.95 for 100. The Food Supplement Company's FSC Icelandic Kelp, $2.79 for 250 tablets from health-food stores, is another good source.

It's worth remembering that there are qualified herbalists who can help customise a preparation to exactly what you need. In some cases, it can be cheaper to have a consultation with a herbalist than go out and buy half a dozen supplements from a store. Like any medicine, herbal preparations can also be dangerous if not taken properly and too much can actually do you more harm than good. If you're pregnant or have any other serious medical condition, make sure you speak to your GP or a qualified herbalist before using a remedy.

A slimming diet should provide all the nutrients that the body needs. As these nutrients have to come from a lower calorie intake, it is important to cut down on confectionery, cakes, biscuits, sugary and alcoholic drink, which are relatively high in calories and low in nutrients. Choose a variety of nutritious foods such as vegetables, fruit lean meat, poultry, fish and low-fat dairy products.

Of all the major components of food, fat is the most concentrated source of energy. Fat has about nine calories per gram and has twice as many calories as protein and carbohydrate at four calories per gram. Therefore the reducing the amount of fat you eat is the most effective way to reduce calorie intake. Starchy food should be eaten in moderation and with the minimum of fat. Starchy foods such as oats, rye, pasta and basmatic rice have slow release energy and should be eaten as they are filling and will shave of hunger pangs. Products that made from whole grain are best because they provide vitamins, minerals and fibre. Include plenty of vegetable, salads, and pulses such as, beans, peas and lentils. Fresh fruit makes a good choice for a low-calorie desert.

Fat-Fighting Tips

To help to reduce fat intake, choose lean cuts of meat and trim of visible fat before cooking. Try to avoid high-fat meats such as sausages, bacon and minced beef. Poultry should be eaten without the skin and fish steamed, grilled, baked, or micro-waved rather than fried. Sweet and savoury pies and pastries, biscuits, cakes, crisps and nuts are all high in fat and best avoided if you want to lose weight. Replace full-fat dairy products with low-fat alternatives.

You will lose around 1.3kg(3ibs) or more in the first week of dieting, due to an intial loss of water from the body. It is best to aim for a steady weight loss of 450-900g(1-2lbs) a week, which will educe body fat. Increasing your calorie intake and by having a regular exercise routine will burn fat and tone up your muscles for a leaner shape.

When you are dieting, it is important to make sure that the foods you eat are nourishing. Eat a wide variety of foods from the food groups below and you should obtain vital nutrients required for good health.