Weight Loss | Health Articles | General Dietry Guidelines

Eat as wide a variety of foods as possible for a balanced diet.
Eat regularly throughout the day, having breakfast, lunch and dinner, with snacks in between.
Eat the best-quality foods that you can - fresh, unrefined and unadulterated foods.
Drink plenty of water to cleanse your system, stay hydrated and stave off hunger.
Eat a considerable amount of complex carbohydrates and fibre - pasta, bread, potatoes, cereals, grains and pulses.
Avoid refined carbohydrates such as pastries, biscuits and cakes, as they are high in saturated fat and may contain trans-fats.
Eat a diet low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.
Ensure that you consume mainly unsaturated fat - monosaturated and polyunsaturated - for essential fatty acids to maintain optimum body function.
Eat at least five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day - where possible eat them raw or lightly cooked for optimum intake of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, and eat plenty of leafy greens and red and orange vegetables.
Eat more plant and fish-based meals and less meat.
Ensure that you eat a sufficient amount of protein for cell growth and maintenance.
Watch out for foods that contain large amounts of sugar and salt. Beware of labels claiming that a food is 'low fat' - high sugar content may be just as fattening! Use herbs and spices for taste and use less salt when cooking.
Minimise your consumption of alcohol as it is highly calorific and in large quantities bad for your health - however if you do enjoy the occasional drink, choose red wine, as evidence shows that in small quantities it does have some nutritional value.
Do not eat within half an hour of waking or in the two hours before going to bed, as your metabolism will not be functioning at an optimum rate.
Reduce your consumption of stimulants such as tea and coffee - they hinder the absorption of nutrients and put your body in a state of stress.