One of the resolutions many Canadians make in January is to change lifestyle habits that will result in optimum health. This is a worthy goal since healthy people feel better, have more energy and deal with fewer illnesses.

While one could give out 20 tips for ways to improve health, this column will discuss four. They are eating a balanced diet, weight loss, exercise and considering supplements where necessary.

In this age of nutrition information overload which is often contradictory from one report to the next, some folks give up before they even start. However, there are a few basics that do not change and following them will go a long way towards maintaining good health. The first is eating a balanced diet—that is including a wide variety of foods in your meal plan.

Why is this important? The reason is because it is difficult to remember all the nutrients that each food contains and what health benefits it offers. By eating a broad range of foods, you are covering your bases and will naturally be ingesting all the nutrients your body needs to maintain health and ward off diseases.

Having said that, you do well to follow a few guidelines as set out in Canada’s food guide. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables—the brighter the better since colour indicates concentration of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. For example, go for the darker greens (romaine lettuce, kale), deep orange vegetables (sweet potatoes, carrots), and red and purple fruit (blueberries, cranberries) as well as citrus. All fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, antioxidants and fibre to boost immunity, and help fight cancer, heart attack and stroke.

Eat whole grains

Also recommended is eating foods that provide healthy or complex carbohydrates such as whole grains in the form of breads, cereals, brown rice and whole wheat pasta. Try experimenting with some of the “new” grains on the market such as spelt, quinoa and millet. Decrease intake of sugar and heavily refined foods.

Include adequate protein in your diet since it provides the basic building blocks for growth and energy, but remember it doesn’t have to be meat. Other sources of protein are beans and lentils, nuts, seeds, eggs and soy products such as tofu.

For bone health, it is vital to have an adequate intake of calcium. Foods which are excellent sources of this mineral are dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese), but other foods such as leafy green vegetables, cabbage, broccoli, kidney beans and black beans also contain calcium.

Many Canadians should think not only of following a healthy diet, but also of losing weight while they’re at it. The best way to shed the pounds is to follow a well-balanced diet as outlined, but eat smaller portions, both at home and in restaurants. While you will want to watch fat intake, remember your body needs some fat—make that the healthy kind such as unsaturated fat (found in vegetable oils and fish) and keep intake of saturated fats (from animal products) and trans fats (processed foods) to a minimum. This may be an incentive for you to lose weight: almost every illness or medical condition is exacerbated by excess pounds.

Exercise should be part of every weight loss effort, but in reality, every individual should keep active by walking, playing team sports, or using the treadmill or whatever suits your lifestyle. Exercise is a big factor in maintaining cardiovascular (heart) health.

While nutritionists highly recommend getting nutrients from diet, there are cases where a supplement may be necessary. For example, some people cannot absorb nutrients from food (vitamin B12 is a common one) or may be intolerant of enzymes such as lactose in milk and so may need to take nutrients such as calcium in capsule form. Many Canadians do not get adequate amounts of vitamin D from the sun and thus should consider taking a supplement.

Athletes should make sure they are taking in adequate protein to help repair muscle damage that may occur after hard exercise. If in doubt, they should check out a protein supplement in the form of whey powder or a liquid shake. Vegetarians or those following low calorie diets might also benefit from extra protein.