By KELVIN YEE

BA (Hons) Mass Communications, IACT College

Remember the days when your mum used to go on and on about how you should eat your vegetables? I certainly do. For those of you who still wonders why mum made you eat them, well just remember – “Mother knows best”.

At least it’s true in this case. It is not the act of eating your vegetables that matter the most but rather the habit of eating right.

Remember the last time you had a juicy hamburger topped with cheese along with some fries and a soft drink? How did you feel after that? Did you feel great, or did you feel like your energy was somehow sapped away?

Eating right is a lifestyle everyone should practice. I understand that in this day and age, everyone is busy and on the go. They would rather go for food that arrives quickly than eat something healthy.

While fast food is delicious and I do agree that this does save time and allow you to be more productive, but think about it – would the problems coming from eating badly save you time in the future?

Did you know that almost one in every two Malaysians are obese? And it is not just a matter of appearance. Obesity leads to a myriad of illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and erectile dysfunction. Eating well will curb this problem and allow you to lead a longer, more vibrant life.

Furthermore, it allows you to enjoy life more and have more energy to face the tasks before you. Healthy eating can reduce your stress levels. Combine this with daily exercise and you will increase this effect even more.

Having less stress means you will be able to sleep better and be more rested when you wake up. It also means your face will have fewer pimples!

So how does one “eat well”? Firstly, eating well may mean kicking some old habits out the window. This is where perseverance comes in.

We all loathe and change. The bigger the change, the more reluctant we are to undergo it, so start eating well by making small changes. When deciding to have a snack, pick that piece of fruit in your fridge instead of that chocolate bar.

A good guide to follow would be the food pyramid. One of the things it tells you to do is have a diverse range of food. Eating more complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables as well as omega-3 fatty acids will promote good health and longevity.

Another important tip is to drink plenty of water. An interesting fact about drinking water is that we do not actually need to drink eight glasses or two to three litres a day. It really depends on conditions like body weight, the weather, and activity level. We are also consuming water by eating fruits, juice, tea, milk and vegetables.

I do realise that eating healthy is in fact quite difficult considering how some of us really have no time and no money. Sadly, I am one of those people. I study in a college and food is really expensive. In most restaurants, you would probably have to spend about RM10 a meal and that is if you do not order a drink.

What I usually do is that I pack food from home. In case I need a quick bite, I usually buy an egg sandwich or just have some yogurt. In terms of exercising, when I am very busy, I try my best to squeeze in at least 15 minutes to do some quick work-outs, like cycling around my neighbourhood.

Always remember that dieting is no replacement for eating well. Dieting may be dangerous because it can stop you from getting the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.

What are you waiting for? Start eating healthy today. Eat right to live well.