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With over 65 percent of the population considered obese, no doubt United States has heart disease as the number one killer disease. The numbers are rising alarmingly and the cost of health is slated to go up steeply in the near future. The trend refuses to ebb and is rapidly going from bad to worse. The government is concerned, and as a result it unveiled its new food pyramid that emphasizes on a well-balanced diet and a good deal of exercise. While the exercise component to the pyramid was indeed new, so too was the outlook on a balanced diet. The new pyramid takes into account that not all members of a food group are equal. Certain vegetables might be better for you than others and so it is important to remember that you have to pay attention to which members of food groups you consume. The actual servings are not as important as what is in those servings. That does not imply that you can continue with the same size of the servings and the traditional 3 meals per day, if you want to reduce weight. On the contrary, you should try to have three fairly light meals with two snacks during the day for best results. This will increase your metabolism and improve your chances for sustained weight loss. Your metabolism is basically the speed at which your body's engine is running. The higher the metabolism, the more energy it takes to keep the body functioning normally. When you skip breakfast or go for long periods between eating, the body naturally slows the metabolism as a means of conserving energy. Eating meals more often and in smaller amounts actually keeps the metabolism up and increases your chances for sustained weight loss. It is a known fact that muscles are the most energy burning tissue in our body. So, larger are your muscles, higher will be your metabolism. You can increase your body metabolism by exercising regularly. It helps, especially if you lift weights as ultimately it is beneficial for your heart. Apart from work outs, aerobic exercises such as jogging, biking, cross-country skiing and swimming also help maintain a strong heart and healthy body. You may not do them daily. In fact, it is best to perform aerobic exercises three days a week for about thirty minutes for best results. If you push too hard, you may land up with injuries that will discourage you from exercise altogether. Most importantly, drink lots of water for your health in general and your heart in particular. Being a natural purifier, water helps remove toxins from your body. As a rule of the thumb, you need to drink half an ounce of water for every pound you weigh. It is important to realize the benefits of exercise and balanced diet not only to enjoy good health but also to reduce medical costs. A good diet and proper exercise will help you feel better about yourself than you do now. To avoid the possibility of becoming another statistic you need to take steps to improve your diet and lifestyle necessary for a better heart and better living.
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Julia Pizer is the owner and operator of F heart, the #1 source on the internet for information about heart. For questions or comments about this article visit: www.fheart.com/articles Get a unique version of this article from our heart article directory
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