The 4 food groups are: Breads/Grains, Fruits & Vegetables, Milk & Dairy products and Meats & Fish.  In general you should get 5-10 servings of grain products per day, 5-10 servings of vegetables and fruits per day.  Milk products very on age but on average you should get at least 2-4 servings per day and last but not least 2-3 servings of meat and alternatives per day.  It is very important to get the four food groups into our diets as each has different benefits.

More and more bad foods are being put out on the shelves.  Juices & punches are being sold and don’t even have any nutritional value.  The best advice we can give is always check the contents in the foods and drinks you buy.

In society today it is hard to say no to junk food all the time.  Especially with the smells of , McDonalds, , Wendy’s, Burger King, etc. flowing through the air as you walk down the streets.  You are probably craving that stuff now, just by us mentioning those names.  It’s OK, once in a while.  If you can try and go to a place that’s a little healthier instead. Places such as Thai food, Chinese and Subway is much better than some. Other places have a lot of grease and all that grease is not good for you.  To help decrease that craving, when making home cooked meals try to add more flavour and experiment with new meal ideas. It will taste better and it will be a lot healthier.

There is also other junk food like chocolate, candy, chips, pop, etc.… we need to try and substitute for these things with fruits, vegetables, crackers, nuts and other things that are of more nutritional value.  This is good for us and for our children, so just remember "an apple a day, keeps the Dr. away."

How can we feel better?  We can reduce salt intake, high sodium intake increases the risk of .  Cut down on the salt when cooking or at the table.  2/3 of sodium is derived from processed foods like pies, cereals, bread, canned soups, sausages, corned beef, cheese, ham and many more.  So, you are actually getting a lot of salt without adding any at all.

Increasing potassium intake is also a benefit, especially if you are trying to lose weight.  Potassium is a metabolic counterbalance to sodium.  Fresh fruit and vegetables are the best source of potassium, especially bananas, black currants, rhubarb, apricots, dried fruit, fruit juice, mushrooms and spinach.  Baked beans also contain potassium.

is also something we should all limit and keep to a moderation.  It has been linked to hypertension.  Binge drinking should be avoided as it can increase blood pressure the following day and if we want to keep the weight off, beer is a definite "no, no."

Vitamin D helps to form and maintain strong bones.  Without vitamin D, bones can become weak and thin which can only lead to bone deficiency diseases.  Good sources of Vitamin D are cod liver oil, cooked salmon, cooked mackerel, canned tuna fish in oil, canned sardines in oil (drained), fortified milk, fortified margarine, fortified cereals, cooked liver and beef, eggs, Swiss cheese and more.

Another thing that is essential to good health is the mineral magnesium.  Magnesium helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, it keeps heart rhythm steady, it supports a healthy immune system and keeps bones strong.  It also helps to regulate blood sugar levels, it promotes normal blood pressure and is also known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis.  The foods that carry this essential mineral are as follows:  cooked halibut, dry roasted almonds, dry roasted cashews, cooked soybeans, cooked spinach, dry roasted mixed nuts, shredded wheat cereal, oatmeal, baked potato with skin, dry roasted peanuts, smooth peanut butter, plain yogurt, bran flakes, cooked brown long grain rice, cooked lentils, avocado, kidney beans, pinto beans, chocolate milk, raw banana, whole wheat bread, seedless raisins and more.  Eating a wide variety of nuts, whole grains, legumes and vegetables will help you to reach your dietary need for magnesium.

These are just a few of  the important things we need to know to feel better and stay stronger.  Throughout our site we have listed links that will lead to other important nutrition sites to help you along the way.  We hope this has helped, oh, and one more thing.  It is also very important to exercise regularly while eating healthy.  It keeps our bodies looking good and feeling good as well.

Meal planning is a great way to stay on a healthy diet.  If you are trying to lose weight, a meal plan is a must as you can figure out what nutritional value there is before you eat.  Meal planning helps you to maintain your weight more on schedule.  Even if you are not on a diet and don’t want to lose weight, a meal plan is still a great idea.  That way you get all the vitamins, minerals, etc. that you need for your daily intake.