Why a 'healthy foods' diet is the best diet of all

You can't go wrong by including a mixed buffet of fresh foods in your daily diet. By doing so, you have a winning formula for keeping well throughout your life.

You cannot go wrong by including a mixed buffet of fresh foods in your daily diet. Prepare raw ingredients simply, consume reasonable portions and eat only when you are hungry. By doing so, you have a winning formula for staying fit, warding off illness and disease and remaining well and active throughout your life.

The food you consume is only one aspect of a healthy lifestyle, but it is a vital one. In developed nations, processed and packaged foods, high sugar content, unreasonably large portion sizes and the trend away from fresh, natural ingredients have contributed to skyrocketing obesity rates. Agri-business has replaced the family farm, and "fast food" is a substitute for the family dinner table.

Recent reaction to food concerns in North America led to a revamping of nutrition guidelines in both Canada and the United States, ushering in a new emphasis on fresh, seasonal, locally-grown produce. Both nations have revised previous food and nutrition recommendations. Canadian citizens can customize a food guide based on taste preferences and physical exercise. It's a perfect way to institute a personal fitness regimen and an innovative way to teach children beneficial habits.

The Slow Food Movement is also gaining momentum. Advocating a return to natural ingredients and family togetherness, planting gardens, shopping at local farmers' markets, cooking family meals together is gaining traction. Urban farming points to a new era of local food production.

As scientists discover more about what makes food healthy and how nutrients effect the body, it's possible to tailor a diet to fight certain diseases, protect against specific illnesses and promote healing for various conditions. Anti-inflammatory properties of fatty fish, whole grains, ginger and turmeric, garlic and onions, and berries are well-known. Other foods are known to reduce cholesterol, keep blood pressure in check and promote healthy digestive enzymes. Even morning coffee and a daily glass of wine are now on that "approved list" for a healthy diet.

A well-balanced diet of "whole foods," prepared carefully and eaten in moderation, is probably the best recipe you can follow to promote health and remain fit.