Secretly we all want just a few things in life, none the least of which is to live a life that is healthy and energetic. One way to accomplish this is to eat a well balanced diet that fuels the body to take on life's challenges.

Did you know that one of the best things you can do to improve your overall health and well being is to eat a diet that is well rounded and nutritious?

Diet can make the difference between feeling great and feeling just o.k. But how do you know which foods will propel you to health and well being?

Proper nutrition is easy. In fact, all you need to do to ensure your health and well being is follow five simple steps, outlined below.

Top Five Tips for Maintaining Optimal Nutrition

?Eat a well balanced diet. This means you have to incorporate foods from each of the four food groups.

?Adopt the phrase moderation. At no time should you consider some foods 'bad' and other foods 'good'. Rather, all foods can be nourishing if they are eaten in moderation. Chocolate cake will not make you fat if you don't eat it every day for dinner!

?Take a multi-vitamin. Even the healthiest dieter may not get all of the vitamins and nutrients they need from diet alone. Why? Our bodies aren't always able to absorb nutrients efficiently from the foods we eat. Thus it is important to take a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement daily.

?Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can wreak havoc on your diet, and even contribute to weight gain.

?Exercise daily. Even 10 minutes of routine exercise can help your body maintain its peak fitness level.

Excessive consumption of alcohol can also wreak havoc on your diet. Alcohol inhibits the body's ability to absorb vital nutrients, such as calcium. In addition, alcohol in the evening can interfere with your sleep cycle.

Other things you can do to improve you nutrition include incorporating lean proteins and fish into your diet. Fatty fishes including salmon provide key nutrients called "essential fatty acids" which help your brains abilityto function properly.

Nutrition is a choice. For you to be the healthiest person you can be, it is vital that you make choices that are good for you and your well being. Adopting just a couple of the strategies above will help you tremendously on your journey toward optimal health.

Beverley Brooke, Editor of Health & Finesse - Free health, diet and fitness articles and weekly newsletters http://www.healthandfinesse.com