Healthy Habit #2 - Savor Leisurely Dining
Eating comfortably and slowly discourages overeating and fosters relaxation, which aids digestion. The body processes food more easily and efficiently when it's calm...

What you can do:
Take time to savor the scent, texture, and flavor of food. [snip] Instead of bringing everything to the table at once, have a salad course, then fruit, entrée, and dessert—with, say, at least 10 minutes between each course to digest, chat, and relax. Whether you're dining with a spouse, family, or just you, set the table and sit down, rather than grazing in the kitchen—and enjoy.

Healthy Habit #3 - Practice Portion Control
We have an abundance of delicious and nutritious food available in America; we just need to pay attention to portions. An average meal in France is 25 percent smaller than one in America... a typical carton of yogurt sold in Philadelphia was 82 percent larger than one offered in Paris, and a soft drink was 52 percent larger. In Japan, foods also come in smaller sizes and are often eaten out of bowls, rather than large plates or platters.

What you can do:
Japanese from the Okinawa region, who enjoy the longest life span in the world (an average of 82 years), practice "hara hachi bu," which translates to "eight parts out of 10" and means Okinawans stop eating when they are 80 percent full...

Healthy Habit #4 - Eat a Variety of Unprocessed, Fresh Foods
The first thing many foreign visitors comment on when they enter an American supermarket is how many choices are available. It's not uncommon to find wild Alaskan salmon, olive oil from Greece, and grains from Italy all in one store. Organic foods and farmers' markets have also never been more popular. Many of these outlets feature interesting varieties, such as heirloom fruits and vegetables.

Shopping in countries such as France and Italy may also involve several stops--at the butcher, the greengrocer, and the baker--which not only increases the shopper's activity level, but also results in meals made with unprocessed ingredients...

What you can do:
Skip the prepared food aisles at the market and choose fresh, whole foods. Also, indulge in salads: With so many prewashed fresh vegetables and fruits available, you can put together a big, colorful one in minutes. Combine bagged baby greens, sliced mushrooms, cherry or sweet grape tomatoes, prechopped fresh bell peppers, and red onions. Drizzle with a bottled, reduced-calorie vinaigrette, and add whole-grain crackers, melba rounds, or matzoh crackers on the side to sneak in whole grains. Also, take vegetables beyond salads and steamers by pairing sautéed broccoli or spinach with whole wheat pasta, and tossing with roasted beets and walnuts.

Healthy Habit #5 - Spice Up Your Plate
Herbs and spices add delicious, attractive, and healthful flair to your plate. In addition to being low in calories and virtually fat free, researchers are discovering that herbs, such as garlic, thyme, and rosemary, and spices, like cinnamon, cloves, and curcumin (also known as turmeric), may fight disease. One recent, 40-day study of 60 people with type 2 diabetes found that eating half a teaspoon of cinnamon twice daily significantly lowered subjects' blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

What you can do:
In the United States, we have many ethnic restaurants and food choices where spices take center stage, and there are still more ways to add them to your diet...start a container garden on your windowsill. You can also experiment with using unfamiliar spices on familiar foods....You can also add fresh herb leaves, such as basil, mint, or tarragon, to salads for a flavor boost. [source]