If a person doesn't consume soda or excessive caffeine or junk food, what are the most important changes they can make for better health? Drinking green tea? Eating more greens? Fewer animal products or less sugar or gluten?
As someone who makes a conscious effort to eat healthy and try and stay fit,I can say it makes a world of difference.First up if you stop taking Soda/soft drinks you are reducing your calorific intake(it has a LOT of sugar), your intake of synthetic products. A can of soda normally has somewhere in the region of 150 Cal, you have to BRISK walk for say 20 mins to burn it off. An orange on the other hand has 50 Cals and also is a great source of Vitamin C. So by giving up soda, you're making sure you have a healthier diet, you probably have lesser chance at diabetes Even 1 Soda a Day Can Hike Your Diabetes Risk. Drink water, BEST drink EVER.There are various studies related to caffeine but yes excessive consumption is ofcourse bad for you, by reducing that youre promoting a sense of control over your body, no you dont need your daily fix to stay alert, you can do it on your own.Also remember that with Coffee you also take a lot of sugar,which increases your calorific intake and you have to burn THAT many calories more to make sure you dont gain weight.Coffee also dehydrates you, so if you're an active individual, there is a chance that coffee is making you perform less than 100%. I have read a few studies suggesting that it also affects your libido.Eating more greens just ensure you get your daily dose of minerals and vitamins , since meats are protein rich but dont provide your daily dose of vitamins and minerals. They also give you a lot of fiber which keeps you full for lesser calorific intake therefore ensuring that your BMI stays in check. The fiber also ensure that your bowel movements are regular and keeps your stomach fit. But try and not over do it , else it just might give you an upset stomach.Green tea: In the words of Russel Peters : TAKE IT AND GO. I take it after dinner, and I have noticed I have better sleep and also it aids digestion for me.There are a WORLD of benefits for green, too many to type out , so I will just mention the biggies.Reduces the risk of cancer!Fights ageing signs!Helps with weight loss since it boosts your metabolic rate naturallyFor the rest you can just read here25 Benefits to Drinking Green TeaAll the above is based on my personal experience/ reading , if you have anything to add on or correct , please feel free to Cheers :)