The main principles of health are a healthy diet, regular exercise, work, rest, and positive thinking.

A healthy diet consists of the following nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, fibre, minerals, proteins, vitamins, and water. You can find these nutrients in fruits and vegetables, cereals, meat and fish, dairy products, and nuts. We should eat at least five portions of fruits and vegetables a day. Raw fruits and vegetables are recommended because they give the body lots of vitamins and minerals. Eat more fish and less meat. Having cereal with milk, nuts, and fruit is a good breakfast choice. Fitting in five meals a day, starting with a big breakfast, is a simple recipe for a healthy metabolism. If you want to keep your metabolism working at a steady pace, you need to give your body all the nutrients that it needs throughout the day. The last but not least important thing in our healthy diet is water. Water helps maintain body temperature, aids in digestion, and flushes toxins from your body.

Regular exercise or sport is the second principle of health. Go walking, jogging, or cycling; play basketball or tennis; or do aerobics or karate—the choice is yours. Be active at least once a day for half an hour to keep your body strong, healthy, and fit.

The third principle of health is work. Pupils work hard for good grades while adults go to work to earn money. Schoolwork translates to spending plenty of time sitting at the desk and studying. When you take a break, do something physically to get your blood flowing. You can run an errand for your mum and go to the shop in her place or take your dog for a walk. Ten minutes of physical activity will make you more alert and ready for schoolwork.

For inner happiness, it is important to live with the right proportion of work and rest—the fourth principle of health. You need to be able to unplug yourself completely. Turn off all your electronic devices, including your mobile, and relax. You can hang out with friends, read a book, or indulge in a hobby that you enjoy.

The fifth principle of health is positive thinking. Focus on the good stuff. Positive thoughts lead to positive feelings, and positive emotions have a positive effect on your body.

These five principles of health give us a long, healthy, and happy life. If we live by these principles, we can avoid most diseases, undue stress, and many forms of unhappiness.