A balanced diet is the key to success, not only in our professional life, but especially in our private life. Health and well-being are one of the foundations of family happiness, and a proper menu will certainly help our loved ones to be happier every day we spend together.
Speaking of healthy eating, our best friend should be the so-called Pyramid of Healthy Food and Physical Activity. Following the rules known from this graphic form of presenting products and their proportions will provide us with plenty of energy and will reduce to an absolute minimum the risk of diet-related diseases. Currently there are three types of this pyramid developed by the Institute of Food and Nutrition – for children and adolescents, adults and the elderly. However, multi-generational families can breathe a sigh of relief, because each type contains only illusory differences from the others.
The basic issue differentiating each type of pyramid is the number and frequency of meals consumed over a full 24 hours. For children and adolescents it will be optimal to eat five meals every 3 or 4 hours, and for adults four to five (at the same intervals). Seniors, on the other hand, should prepare to consume up to six meals a day every 2 or 3 hours.
Other discrepancies between the pyramids mostly concern the proportions of certain foods in the diet. People of all ages are recommended to follow very similar rules. The first of them is the consumption of vegetables and fruits, which, apart from their taste and versatility, guarantee the proper development of the body, especially in the early stages of our lives. One of the foundations of each pyramid is also eating fish, cereal products, pulses and eggs. These products will provide us with the most important ingredients to become stronger and healthier.
An integral part of everyday life is of course drinking water. 1.5 liters a day is an absolute minimum for everyone – from children to parents to grandparents. In addition, children and adults should consume milk – for the former, three or four glasses a day are optimal, while for the latter, two glasses are sufficient. For the elderly, dairy products such as yogurt or kefir are more advisable. They also can not forget about daily supplementation with vitamin D (2000 IU / day). Regardless of age, we should remember to avoid animal fats (they can be successfully replaced by vegetable ones), red meat, sugar, sweets, alcohol and fast food.
All kinds of physical and mental activity are also very important, especially from the perspective of children, young people and seniors. Practicing sport in any form will not only bring a lot of satisfaction, but will also have a beneficial effect on our health. In turn, engaging in any social activities will help develop interpersonal skills, which will certainly leave a positive mark on our broader mental well-being.
Featured Image: Freepik
