| Each day we make as many as 200 food choices. | | | | And it's not just what you eat! |
| These are influenced by many things, even the | | | | A small choice you can make every day is just to |
| folk we're eating with. Even though each of those | | | | take the elevator to get up two floors, or take |
| choices may only represent a small contribution to | | | | the stairs. Taking two flights of stairs briskly will |
| our final health - they all add up to making an | | | | do far more for your heart than taking the |
| immense difference. Here's how... | | | | elevator, that's for sure. |
| Many of the questions people ask me about diet | | | | Doing that five or six times a day, is just like |
| and health are about the small things. They are | | | | jogging to the top of a ten-storey building! |
| about the details in diet. Sometimes people ask | | | | It's those type of small changes that I'm talking |
| me "surely, if I just take care of the big things | | | | about, those small changes can make a really big |
| then I don't really need to worry about the small | | | | difference. |
| things?" | | | | The reason for making those choices is clear. |
| But when you analyse anything, the big things are | | | | In Europe, the U.S.. Australia and in fact most of |
| made up of lots of small things. If you take care | | | | what would be considered the western world, its |
| of the detail in your diet, then each of those | | | | poor lifestyle choices that (e.g. what we choose |
| things that you take care of will add up and make | | | | to eat, to exercise, etc) account for the leading |
| the big things far more effective. Here are a | | | | causes of death. Things like cancer, heart disease, |
| couple of those small things that you might like to | | | | diabetes and the rest. |
| consider: | | | | In fact, the WHO (World Health Organization), in |
| Firstly, when you go to the supermarket or your | | | | it's recent World Cancer Report, have said that |
| local shop to stock up, look down the ingredients | | | | the rates of cancer would increase by 50 percent |
| list to make sure you avoid eating foods that | | | | over the next 15 years. Statistics like that are |
| have got artificial sweeteners, MSG and a whole | | | | cause for concern. |
| range of additives and colorants. These are the | | | | However, all is not doom and gloom as WHO also |
| things that many manufacturers have to put into | | | | intimates that at least a third of the cases could |
| their food in order to put back the flavour and | | | | be prevented by folk making better lifestyle |
| vitamin content that their processing has | | | | choices. |
| processed out. | | | | Some folk think that in order to make these |
| Try as much as you can to use organically | | | | changes they have to make a lot of sacrifices. |
| sourced and grown produce. By sticking to organic | | | | But in reality, this is just not so. |
| (from a reputable producer), you know that you | | | | If you think about it, it won't cost you much at all |
| are not going to be eating and digesting pesticides, | | | | to take the stairs (often times it's quicker than |
| phosphates, all kinds of hormones and all the | | | | taking the lift). In fact just 20 or so minutes of |
| other things that commercial food producers use | | | | exercise a day can make the difference . |
| in order to overcome the problems that their | | | | And to eat organic may cost you a few more |
| fast-food production line cause. | | | | dollars a month, but these are all a small price to |
| It's making those healthy choices, the small ones, | | | | pay in exchange for a long, healthy, active and |
| that all add up to a much healthier lifestyle. | | | | sickness free life. |