Making some simple dietary changes can result in you leading a healthier lifestyle. Generally, achieving a balanced diet will mean taking the following steps:

• Eating more starchy foods . Starch is a good energy provider and adding it to your daily diet can help to reduce your fat intake and increase fiber. Starch can be found in foods such as bread, potatoes, rice and pasta.
• Eating more fruit and vegetables . Fruit and vegetables contain a large amount of the vitamins and minerals your body needs to function at its best. They are also very low in fat and are therefore helpful if you are trying to lose weight. Specific fruits and vegetables have many other healthy properties and contain specific nutrients. It is recommended that both adults and children eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. A new 5-a-day logo can now be found on food products to guide consumers.
• Eating more fish, especially oily fish . Fish is a good source of protein and iodine, and oily fish in particular is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. Try to eat at least two portions of fish per week, one of which should be oily fish.
• Reducing fat and sugar intake . Saturated fat is unhealthy in large quantities. It can raise the cholesterol level in your blood and lead to heart disease. Fat intake can be reduced without too much effort by choosing leaner cuts of meat and lower fat varieties of food. For example, low fat spread contains less fat than butter, and skimmed, or low fat milk is healthier than whole fat milk. You could also try spray oil for cooking which uses oil more sparingly. Your sugar intake can be reduced by only eating sugary foods as a treat. Try to consume sugary foods and drinks as part of a meal, rather than in between meals, and try sweetening dishes with dried or fresh fruit instead of sugar.
• Reducing salt intake . You should consume no more than 6g of salt a day, less for children. Choose foods with 'reduced salt' or 'no added salt' and avoid processed foods which tend to be very high in salt. Tinned fish, vegetables, and legumes, are often in salted water, so it is a good idea to wash them before use. Try adding other seasonings, such as herbs, spices, garlic and lemon juice to food, for flavor. Sodium content, rather than salt, is usually listed on the nutritional information of most foods. A lot of salt is more than 1.25g (0.5g sodium) per 100g.
• Getting active and achieving a healthy weight . Being a healthy weight is important because it significantly reduces your risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. You are also less likely to have back and joint problems, breathlessness and difficulty sleeping. Losing weight is achieved by reducing the amount of calories you eat and increasing the amount of physical activity that you do. If you want to lose weight, always talk to your doctor first. They will be able to advise you of the best way to lose weight safely and sensibly.
• Drinking more water . Most people do not drink enough water on a daily basis which can lead to headaches, tiredness and a lack of concentration. Try to drink at least 6-8 glasses, cups or mugs of fluid a day, ideally water.
• Eating a healthy breakfast . Breakfast is important because it refuels your body, both mentally and physically. There is much evidence to show that eating breakfast increases your concentration and productivity, and people who eat breakfast tend to be healthier than those who do not. A healthy breakfast could consist of wholegrain cereals or breads, fruit, skimmed or low fat milk, and 100% fruit juices. You could also try hard boiled eggs, low fat yogurt, or low fat bran muffins.