Saturday, July 28, 2012

Steps To A Healthier You


MyPyramid contains eight divisions. From left to right on the pyramid are a person and six food groups:

Physical activity, represented by a person climbing steps on the pyramid, to illustrate moderate physical activity every day, in addition to usual activity. The key recommendations for 2005 (other specific recommendations are provided for children and adolescents, pregnant and breastfeeding women, for older adults and for weight maintenance) are:

Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight. (At least 30 minutes on most, and if possible, every day for adults and at least 60 minutes each day for children and teenagers, and for most people increasing to more vigorous-intensity or a longer duration will bring greater benefits.)

Achieve physical fitness by including cardiovascular conditioning, stretching exercises for flexibility, and resistance exercises or calisthenics for muscle strength and endurance.

Grains, recommending that at least half of grains consumed be as whole grains

Vegetables, emphasizing dark green vegetables, orange vegetables, and dry beans and peas

Fruits, emphasizing variety and deemphasizing fruit juices

Oils, recommending fish, nut, and vegetables sources

Milk, a category that includes fluid milk and many other milk-based products

Meat and beans, emphasizing low-fat and lean meats such as fish as well as more beans, peas, nuts, and seeds

Source