Healthy eating habits, regular exercise
and proper stress management are key to a healthy lifestyle. It is all about
striking a balance.
Eating well is not just a joy but also a
skill. We get more out of our food if we understand what food is, what good and
bad things different foods contain, how much nourishment we need and how to be
sure we are getting it. Healthy eating habits include having a balanced diet
5 that comprises a
combination of several different food types. The idea of a balanced diet
includes eating food in the right proportions to get all the nutrients our body
needs. It is not having roughly equal measures of everything. It is about
striking a balance, so that there should be a lot of some foods and just a
little of others. For example, fats and oils are important
in our diet for various reasons, from
absorption of fat-soluble vitamins to providing us with 10 s energy. However, we only need a
small amount of these compared to fruit and vegetables of which we need a lot,
or food with protein which we only need in moderate amounts.
Healthy eating includes ensuring our
daily diet contains fibre-rich foods. There are different types of fibre which
fall into two categories - insoluble fibre and soluble fibre. Insoluble fibre
acts as a bulking agent which helps to regulate our bowel function, prevent
constipation and 15 keep our large
intestine healthy. Soluble fibre, on the other hand, helps to reduce blood
cholesterol levels and regulate blood sugar levels, thus lowering the risk of
heart disease and diabetes. Therefore, having both fibre types in our diet is
important.
Physical activity is an essential part
of a balanced and healthy lifestyle. We usually find time for things we enjoy
and which are fun. Unfortunately, for most of us, exercise is not seen as 20 such, so we tend to omit it. Why is exercise
important? When we exercise, our heart exercises too as it pumps blood at an
increased rate. We are also using up calories to power our muscles, which helps
us to lose weight and keep our body trim. Exercise has also been shown to have
a positive effect on a range of medical conditions like hypertension, diabetes
and lower back pain.
Being physically active ensures we have
good mental health which helps us in stress 25 management. Physical or emotional stress
comes naturally when we are anxious or depressed.
It should be managed well so that it
does not affect our health. Long-term stress increases the body’s requirement
for beta-carotene, vitamin B, the 'energy vitamin', vitamin C, the vital
nutrient for immunity, and zinc, essential for growth, healthy skin, overall
development and immunity. Getting adequate amounts of these nutrients in
our diet is necessary in times of 30 stress for our body to regain its healthy state. Calcium and magnesium
are beneficial in calming the body and mind to keep us mentally alert. Eating
the right balance of foods that are low in fat and high in carbohydrates can
help to strengthen our resistance against stress. Steer clear of junk food that
is high in simple sugars. This is because they stimulate the release of
adrenalin, the stress hormone, and intensify stress reaction. It acts as a sedative
which causes us to be 35 sluggish
when we really need to be mentally alert. Learn to unwind by having a relaxing
hobby, exercising regularly and having lots of rest to help us overcome stress
for better health. Above all, learn to laugh for laughter can reduce stress by
lowering the production of the stress hormone. At the same time, laughter
raises levels of endorphins and other relaxation-inducing hormones.
Other keys to a healthy lifestyle
include maintaining an ideal body weight that corresponds to our height. Having
a body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 to 24 is considered ideal, a BMI of 25 to 29.9
is considered overweight and individuals who fall into the BMI range of 25 to
34.9 are considered to be at especially high risk for health problems. Therefore,
a healthy lifestyle also means maintaining one's BMI index within the ideal
range. Leading a healthy lifestyle also means 45 leading a life free from the vices such as
alcohol consumption, smoking, excessive intake of coffee and keeping late
nights. Drinking and smoking have long been documented as harmful to
our health. Too much coffee is also not recommended as the caffeine in
the beverage can have a negative effect
on our health. Getting enough sleep is just as important for maintaining
50 a healthy life. Our body needs sleep
to help the tired muscles rest and repair. Insufficient sleep can affect one's work, studies and
relationships with people.
In order to have a healthy lifestyle, we
may need to make some changes to our present lifestyle to enjoy a healthier, happier and perhaps longer life.
Word Bank
insoluble - tidak larut
omit - tidak dimasukkan
sluggish -lembap
Answer all the questions. You are advised to answer them in the
order set.
From paragraph 2:
a. What is a “balanced
diet”?
A diet that comprises a combination of different food types.
b. How is a diet considered ‘balanced’?
When the food eaten is in the right proportions to meet the needs
of the body.
Why should we eat a lot of fruit and vegetables?
They are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and fibre.
From the evidence in paragraph 3:
a. Why do we need to eat food which contain
insoluble fibre?
They help to regulate our bowel functions, prevent constipation
and keep our large intestine healthy.
b. How does soluble fibre contribute to good
health?
It helps to reduce blood cholesterol levels and regulate blood
sugar levels.
In paragraph 5, the writer mentions the
need to get ‘adequate amounts of these nutrients’. What does “these
nutrients” refer to?
They refer to beta carotene, vitamins B and C and zinc.
In your own words, explain why we should avoid junk food when we
are stressed.
Junk food will stimulate
the release of adrenaline which acts as a sedative. It will make us sluggish
when we really need to be mentally alert.
