The healthy eating principles can be demonstrated using two visual guidelines, namely the Malaysian Food Pyramid and Malaysia Healthy Plate.It assists you in selecting the appropriate servings for different food groups to provide nutrients needed daily.Visual guide shows the proportions of food groups that should be eaten in one meal.
2. Exercise is Easy You can Do It Anytime, Anywhere
Break your sedentary time every 30 minutes with active movements, such as simple stretching and walking while watching TV at home or while at work sitting in office. Here are some simple exercises you can practise anytime.Here are examples of activities and calories burned in 1 hour.
3. Water is Essential for Life
How much of water do we need a day. Drink 6 to 8 glasses (1.5 – 2.0 liter) of plain water daily.How to stay hydrated? Make it a habit – drink 1 to 2 glasses of plain water as you wake up or at breakfast and between meals.Choose healthier beverages. Understand the amount of energy and other nutrients in various beverages and consume as appropriate.
4. Eat More Whole Grains!
Health benefits of eating more whole grains. Maintain a healthy body weight. Promote gut health. Stabilise blood sugar level. Lower blood cholesterol level.Whole grains and refined grains: what are the differences?How to incorporate whole grains in diet? Here are some suggestions to gradually increase your whole grains intake.
5. Colourful Fruits & Veggies for Health
Fruits and veggies contain vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients may have potential protective effects against diet-related chronic diseases.What’s in a serving? The Malaysian Dietary Guidelines recommends at least 3 servings of vegatables and 2 servings of fruits daily.Tips to retain nutrients in cooking vegetables. Wash before you cut. Use healthier cooking methods. Don’t use too much water. Use herbs or spices to enhance natural flavours.
6. Milk: Nutrient Powerhouse for All
Malaysian Dietary Guidelines recommends us to consume 1-3 servings of milk and milk products every day.Let’s include milk in our diet!What if I don’t like to drink milk? You can try to consume other dairy foods which provide calcium goodness as found in milk. Cheese. Yoghurt. Ice cream made from milk.
7. Cook Nutritious Meals at Home
Invest some time to cook everyday for your family. Make cooking as part of your healthy lifestyle.Practise healthy and tasty cooking methods. Baking. Steaming. Stewing. Soup. Stir-frying. Grilling.Eating out or ordering from eateries? Whether you eat at home, dine out or order meals from deliveries, choose smaller portion sizes; if that is not available, share foods with others. If you dine out, you can also “tapao” (take-away) the remainder.
8. Shop Wisely: Read Food Labels
Use nutrition information on food labels to help make healthier food choices.Be a nutrition savvy shopper. Invest in time and effort to be a wise shopper.
