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Getting balance back into meals and snacks will have immediate and long-term benefits.

The secret of balanced meals and snacks is to enjoy a variety of nutrient-rich foods and beverages.

A healthy meal starts with more vegetables and fruits and smaller portions of protein and
grains.

Think about how you can adjust the portions on your plate to get more of what you need without too many calories. And don’t forget dairy – make it the beverage with your meal or add fat-free or low-fat dairy products to your plate.

Here’s how:
Start with Fruits and Vegetables

At lunch and dinner, divide your plate in half with an imaginary line and fill half with vegetables and fruits.

Add the Goodness of Whole Grains
On the other side of your plate’s imaginary line, add a serving of whole grains.

Minimally processed whole grains, like whole-wheat bread, multi-grain cereal, oatmeal, brown rice and whole-grain pastas, are also rich in nutrients, fiber and flavor.

For good health, you should make at least half of your grains whole.

Include the Power of Protein Foods

Lean beef, pork, fish, seafood, chicken, turkey, legumes (dried beans and peas) and fat-free or low-fat dairy foods (cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt and milk) are all good, healthy sources of protein.

Choose Beverages Wisely

Move away from sugary beverages with lots of calories and no nutrient value.

No one food group provides all the nutrients needed for good health. A variety of delicious foods from all food groups is the best way to meet your daily nutrition needs.

Download this handy PDF guide (source: myplate.com)

The physical exam is an essential part of any doctor’s visit.

For some people, having an annual physical examination is a source of reassurance that they’re as healthy as they feel. Others see it as an alarm system, to catch health problems before they become serious.

The value of the routine annual exam has been debated recently, but it remains a cherished tradition among many doctors and patients. What can you expect from your annual physical exam?

Read more: Annual Physical Exam: What can you expect?

What kind of things will the doctor look for during the physical exam?

History: This is your chance to mention any complaints or concerns about your health. Your doctor will also likely quiz you about important behaviors, like smoking, excessive alcohol use, diet, and exercise, The doctor will also check on your vaccination status and update your personal and family medical history.

Vital Signs. These are some vital signs checked by your doctor:

Blood pressure: less than 120 over 80 is a normal blood pressure. Doctors define high blood pressure (hypertension) as 140 over 90 or higher.

Heart  rate: Values between 60 and 100 are considered normal. Many healthy people have heart rates slower than 60.

Respiration rate: Around 16 is normal. Breathing more than 20 times per minute can suggest heart or lung problems.

Temperature: 37ºCor 98.6ºF is the average, but healthy people can have resting temperatures slightly higher or lower.

General Appearance: Your doctor gathers a large amount of information about you and your health just by watching and talking to you. How is your memory and mental quickness? Does your skin appear healthy? Can you easily stand and walk?

Heart Exam: Listening to your heart with a stethoscope, a doctor might detect an irregular heartbeat, a heart murmur, or other clues to heart disease. We do this using an ecg machine which we have at the Medical Centre.

Lung Exam: Using a stethoscope, a doctor listens for crackles, wheezes, or decreased breath sounds. These and other sounds are clues to the presence of heart or lung disease.

Head and Neck Exam: Opening up and saying “ah” shows off your throat and tonsils. The quality of your teeth and gums also provides information about your overall health. Ears, nose, sinuses, eyes, lymph nodes, thyroid, and carotid arteries may also be examined.

Abdominal Exam: Your doctor can use a range of examination techniques including tapping your abdomen to detect liver size and presence of abdominal fluid, listening for bowel sounds with a stethoscope, and palpating for tenderness.

Neurological Exam: Nerves, muscle strength, reflexes, balance, and mental state may be assessed.

Dermatological Exam: Skin and nail findings could indicate a dermatological problem or disease somewhere else in the body.

Extremities Exam: Your doctor will look for physical and sensory changes. Pulses can be checked in your arms and legs. Examining joints can assess for abnormalities.

Experts and successful exercisers reveal the top tips and tricks they use to get the most from their fitness routines.

Getting and staying fit can be a challenge. For many of us, it’s hard just to get up off the couch. So what’s the secret of people who have managed to make exercise a way of life?

Find out 10 Workout Secrets (Source:WebMD)