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21 April, 2008

Healthy diet, exercise essential for healthy ageing

Dr. Abdulrahman Mseiger, Chairman of the Arab Center For Nutrition in Bahrain, said a healthy diet system along with regular exercise constitute the basis for healthy ageing. Healthy diet requires eating the right quality and quantity for a person's age and physiological conditions, he added. Such a diet is important to provide the body with the necessary food elements and to protect against many diseases.

Dr. Mseiger spoke recently in a series of lectures across the UAE in preparation for "Abu Dhai Aging Conference 2008" due to be held next week at Emirates Palace under the patronage of H.H. Lt. Gen. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and will chaired by H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairperson of the Family Development Foundation and Chairperson of the General Women Association.

According to Dr. Mseiger, people should adop a healthy dietary system gradually. He says: "Although you cannot change your lifestyle over night, it is important to start changing. Over time, you will get used to a healthier lifestyle and will feel the difference in your health and your mood. Try starting by replacing some foods that have low dietary value with richer ones. If your fruits intake is too little, add more of your favorite fruits with or between meals. If you don?t exercise, don't rush- start by 10 to 15 minutes a day and make gradual increments." "Adult people and those approaching aging are advised to change to a healthy diet in order to get a healthy aging. To start with, they're advised to eat assorted meals. The human body needs over 40 nutrition elements to stay healthy and fight diseases. There is no single food that contains them all," Mseiger said.

"They should also pay attention to carbohydrates as a minimum of 60% of our energy intake should come from carbohydrates." Fruits and vegetables are also an essential part part of any healthy nutrition system. Not only they contain nutritive elements, they also contain fibers, which help fight cardio diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and constipation. In addition, fruits and vegetables are known to contain antioxidants, which help protect against cardio diseases and cancer.

Maintaining an ideal weight is also important. Dr. Mseiger says overweight increases the possibility of cardio diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure and even cancer. He says: it is not about fatty food, it is about how much fatty food we take.

Further advises from the chairman of Bahrain's Arab Center for Nutrition include regular exercise, regular, yet moderate meals, minimal salty food, without breaking the recommended amounts of food elements, less sweets and fatty food, and of course having regular breakfasts and dairy products.

In addition, Mseiger also advises individuals to quit smoking, minimize the time they spend watching TV, avoid alcohol and tension especially with food. He also recommends sharing food with other and says: Don't eat alone!
WAM

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