Life is a gift and must be preserved with care because it is our right to protect it. But what we do to protect it depends on the information we have at a given time and this boils down to our choices. So we must make conscious effort to seek the right information and build on it while taking care of ourselves.

Healthy Eating

Eat less Salt: excess of salt can lead to high blood pressure. Most of the salt requirement of our body is met in the food we buy, so we should keep an eye on our salt intake.

Skip eating out : Eat more meals at home. Preparing food by yourself not only polishes your culinary skills, it is economical too.

Salad: Every time I go to the store, I pick up a head of lettuce, some broccoli, celery, carrots, and grape tomatoes. Once at home, I chop up all of the ingredients, stick them in a big sealable container, and put it in the fridge. It only takes about 10 minutes, and you can get a good 3-5 good sized salads out of it. It's also easy to do a fruit salad this way.

Make soups, casseroles and stews a day ahead. Allow to stand overnight and skim any fat from surface. Keep nutritious low calories snacks .e.g. carrot, celery sticks, dips ready in refrigerator, ready for snacking. "do not" have tempting treats in your home .What you eat can and does make a difference to how you feel and to your energy levels. You could describe energy as the fuel on which our bodies run. Our bodies create energy by breaking down carbohydrate, fat and to a lesser extent protein.

Eat less carbs - There is a common myth that "fat turns into fat". Well, not exactly. I can guaranteed you that if you replaced (calorie for calorie) your carbohydrates for healthy fats, you would lose weight. I'm not saying go on the Atkins diet, but try to stick with a "lowish"carbohydrate diet made up mostly of slow-digesting carbs and vegetables.

The most important healthy cooking tip to remember is this: food is nourishment, but it is also a great source of joy. Not many people eat solely for the purpose of fueling their bodies. This is our primary reason for eating, but we also long for a pleasant eating experience. The smells, the tastes, and the feel of the food all contribute to the experience. Healthy cooking just involves adding another dimension to that experience: knowing that you are doing something positive for your body.

Adding exercise to your daily health regime is as simple as making time in the evening, or getting up earlier in the morning. All it can consist of is walking for at least 20 - 30 minutes at about 5 days a week. There are many variations of exercise, but if you at least start by walking, you are then giving your body some chance of staying somewhat healthy and mobile.