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The secret of good health is a balanced and nutritious diet. If you are not as healthy as you should be, you need to plan to eat and eat according to your plan. Then you can save yourself from problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and many other disorders. The catchwords are balance, moderation and variety; remember them and enjoy a sound mind and body.

This is the age of fast foods and eating out — the obvious consequence of fast-paced life, extreme work pressure and long and erratic hours of work and travel. Home food has become a rarity, a great challenge but worth adopting nonetheless.

Therefore, go about making changes in a planned and systematic manner. As they say, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. So, plan your meals at the beginning of the week and stick to the plan. Include whole grain cereal, whole-wheat toast, fruit, low-fat yogurt, 100% juice, and skim milk in breakfast, and pack leftovers from dinner so you don’t have any excuse to run for a hotdog or pizza. Eat salads without dressing for a quick and easy dinner, and store readily available vegetables with low fat dip for all time snacks for children.

To beat the strenuous work schedules, prepare meals that can be stored in the freezer such as casseroles and pasta dishes so that all you need to do during week days is to take a dish out of the freezer in the morning, and heat it when you come back from work. And, dinner is ready in 35-45 minutes without much effort.

Eating healthy on a regular basis does take planning and discipline. At first, it may seem rigorous because you are learning how to prepare meals. Grocery shopping may also feel like a chore. But, within a couple of weeks, it will become a habit and second nature. You will feel more in control knowing exactly what ingredients are being used. Therefore, you do not have to worry about hidden fats or too much salt, that are likely present in most restaurant foods.

By providing healthy meals to your family you not only improve their health but also educate them about leading a healthy lifestyle. You become a good role model for your family that will go down from one generation to the next. This way you can correct the health problems inherited from parents and end the risk for your family's future generations.

However, don’t go overboard following the plan obsessively. Remember, moderation is the key. A cookie once in a while will save you from devouring an entire box in a weak moment.

Your meals should include protein, whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. As per RDA recommendations 55-70% carbohydrates, 20-30% fats and 15-20% proteins should be your daily intake. The World Health Organization adds 40-50 grams of fiber to it. Remember, a balanced, moderate and varied diet is essential to good health. Concentrate on foods that are high in vitamins, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, unrefined carbohydrates, high fiber that is low in sugar, low in fat and low in sodium. Plus, you must limit your intake of salt, sugar, caffeine, fats and alcohol to avoid stress that leads to cancer. According to the American Cancer Society 60% of cancer is related to diet.

By changing your eating habits you can live a healthy and less stressful life. All you need to do is to make a plan and stick to it. If you include your family in the process of planning, it will be easy to follow the plan. So, start eating well today in order to manage stress and reduce risk of disease. It will help you control weight and feel more energetic.