Whole grains contain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are essential for a human’s health. However, many foods such as white bread and white rice are made with refined grains that are low in fiber and other nutrients found naturally in grains. Therefore, it’s better to eat a variety of whole grain foods, includes:

Check the Nutrition Facts labels to choose whole grain foods that contain at least 10 percent Daily Value of fiber and are low in saturated fat, trans fat, sugars, and sodium (salt). In addition, one of the following whole grains should be listed first on the ingredient list:

• Brown rice
  
• Oatmeal
  
• Rolled or whole oats
  
• Bulgur (cracked wheat)
  
• Popcorn
  
• Whole rye
  
• Graham flour
  
• Whole barley
  
• Whole wheat
• Whole grain corn

Wheat flour, enriched flour, and degerminated corn meal are not whole grains.

Healthy eating will help you get the right balance of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. It will help you feel your best and have plenty of energy. A Japanese-born gastroenterologist, Dr. Hiromi Shinya, has examined more than 300,000 people’s stomachs and intestines for 35 years and realize that our health depends largely on our dietary life. And from his experiences, healthy dietary habits will help you to enjoy your life.

Therefore, healthy eating is the best way to prevent and control many health problems, such as:

• Heart disease
  
• High blood pressure
  
• Type 2 diabetes
  
• Some types of cancer

One of the best known benefits of fiber is that it reduces constipation. But did you know that fiber may also reduce the risk of coronary heart disease? The total number of fiber grams to be consumed by children can be computed by adding their age plus five. For example, a 14-year-old girl should take in about 19 grams of fiber every day. Ideas for increasing fiber intake include:

Fruits and vegetables help to keep teens healthy and prevent disease.  They are also low in fat and calories, which help people to maintain normal weight. People of all ages should eat seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Ideally, adolescents should eat seven servings daily.

Fruits and vegetables can be fresh, frozen, canned, or dried. The following examples equal one serving size of a fruit or vegetable:

Heart disease could be a problem for everyone. Heart disease affects women just as much as it does men. But everyone can take steps to reduce their chance of developing the disease by preventing or controlling behaviors and conditions known to increase its risk. They’re so called “risk factors,” and there are two types—those you can change and those you can’t. Luckily, most of them can be changed. These are smoking, high blood pressure and cholesterol, physical inactivity, overweight, and diabetes. 

Those you can’t alter are your age (45 or older for men; 55 or older for women) and having a family history of early heart disease (a father or brother diagnosed before age 55, or a mother or sister diagnosed before age 65). Start now to improve your heart-health profile. For instance, following a heart healthy eating plan helps prevent or control high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, overweight, and diabetes. Here are some other steps you can take to help protect your heart health:

• Control high blood pressure. Have your blood pressure checked regularly (once every 2 years if it is normal, more often if it is not).
  
• Maintain a healthy weight and limit your intake of alcoholic beverages—to one drink a day for women and two for men. Adopt a lifestyle that combines sensible eating with regular physical activity.
  
• Stop smoking. If you can’t quit the first time, keep trying.
  
• Reduce high blood cholesterol. Maintain a healthy weight and get your cholesterol level checked once every 5 years (more often, if needed). The test measures the level of cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream. 
  
• Be physically active. Do at least 30 minutes of a moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, on most and preferably all days of the week.
  
• Prevent or manage diabetes. The steps that lower your risk of heart disease also reduce your chance of developing diabetes. If you already have diabetes, be sure to manage it.

Exercise helps prevent illness
Heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol level, and even cancer may be prevented through a good workout on a regular basis. Studies show aerobic exercise improves circulation, strengthening the heart to pump larger quantities of blood though our bodies. The blood carries nutrition to your cells and the lymph carries away waste. And your increased breathing oxygenates all the cells in your body, which strengthen your immune system.

Exercise helps prevent obesity
Exercise burns extra calories and improves your metabolism so you burn fat more regularly. Physical activity helps to reduce body fat by building or preserving muscle mass and improving the body's ability to use calories. When physical activity is combined with proper nutrition, it can help control weight and prevent obesity, a major risk factor for many diseases. Your overall appearance will also improve as blood and oxygen enliven your complexion, your hair, and your skin.

Improve your lifestyle through exercise
You'll sleep better, have a more positive outlook, reduced stress, better concentration, and more energy and endurance to run your life efficiently. It can even improve your love life. Overall, regular exercise slows the aging process and adds to the quality of your life.

Build confidence as you build skill
Playing a sport like tennis or doing yoga or Pilates is a skill you can continually improve. And as you do, you become more confident in other areas of your life as well.

"Balancing Calories

Enjoy your food, but eat less.
Avoid oversized portions."

"Foods to Increase
"Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
Make at least half your grains whole grains.
Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk."

Foods to Reduce
"Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals ― and choose the foods with lower numbers.
Drink water instead of sugary drinks."

The USDA released this new icon to urge healthier eating habits in the US.

MyPlate, which includes colored sections for grains and proteins and a dairy cup beside it, is part of the administration's push to encourage healthy habits. Dietary guidelines released in January told Americans to cut salt and fat, and the first lady has led a push to tackle obesity with her "Let's Move" initiative.

How do you feel about this new shift from the food pyramid to a plate? How does your plate look in comparison to the new USDA's MyPlate icon?