Diet and Eating Habits
Why eat healthy?
Eating the natural foods humans are well adapted at utilizing, enhances ones ability to cope with the reality of every day life. This in essence improves the probability of living a longer, healthier and happier life. Quality food consumption becomes especially important in the present world of high stress and pollution – making a healthy diet an essential aspect of modern self health care.
Eat Healthy to provide the necessary nutrients that your body needs to create new cells, clean toxins, and to just function every day, also eating right now can help prevent future diseases such as diabetes and cancer.
If you want to eat healthy, it is important to make healthy choices in what you eat all the time, meals and snacks.
Foods with refined grains, such as white flour or refined wheat, have high amounts of starch that the body just stores away and doesn’t use. Try to eat more whole grains such as whole wheat (bread, etc.), brown rice and oats — which provide energy over a longer period of time after you eat them.
Remember to eat a balanced, varied diet, and eat sweets and foods that are high in fat or calories only in moderation. Following a healthy diet is something you must do for your entire life.
Best strategies to improve nutrition and encourage smart eating habits is to:
- Maintain a balance between your calorie intake and calorie expenditure—that is, don’t eat more food than your body uses. The average recommended daily allowance is 2,000 calories, but this depends on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity.
- Eat a wide variety of foods. Healthy eating is an opportunity to expand your range of choices by trying foods—especially vegetables, whole grains, or fruits—that you don’t normally eat
- Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes—foods high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, low in fat, and free of cholesterol. Try to get fresh, local produce
- Drink more water. Our bodies are about 75% water. It is a vital part of a healthy diet. Water helps flush our systems, especially the kidneys and bladder, of waste products and toxins. A majority of Americans go through life dehydrated.
- Limit sugary foods, salt, and refined-grain products. Sugar is added to a vast array of foods. In a year, just one daily 12-ounce can of soda (160 calories) can increase your weight by 16 pounds. See suggestions below for limiting salt and substituting whole grains for refined grains. Limit sugary drinks, such as soda and fruit-flavored drinks. Serve water and low-fat milk instead.
- A healthy diet improves your energy and feelings of well-being while reducing your risk of many diseases. Adding regular physical activity and exercise will make any healthy eating plan work even better.
- Limit fat intake by avoiding deep-fried foods and choosing healthier cooking methods, such as broiling, grilling, roasting, and steaming. Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy products.
- Be sure you serve fruit or vegetables at every meal.
- Serve lean meats and other good sources of protein, such as fish, eggs, beans, and nuts.
Steps towards healthy eating
- Take time to chew your food: Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
- Avoid stress while eating: When we are stressed, our digestion can be compromised, causing problems like colitis and heartburn. Avoid eating while working, driving, arguing, or watching TV (especially disturbing programs or the news). Try taking some deep breaths prior to beginning your meal, or light candles and play soothing music to create a relaxing atmosphere.
- Listen to your body: Ask yourself if you are really hungry. You may really be thirsty, so try drinking a glass of water first. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly. Eating just enough to satisfy your hunger will help you remain alert, relaxed and feeling your best, rather than stuffing yourself into a “food coma”!
- Eat early, eat often: Starting your day with a healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating the majority of your daily caloric allotment early in the day gives your body time to work those calories off. Also, eating small, healthy meals throughout the day, rather than the standard three large meals, can help keep your metabolism going and ward off snack attacks.
NOTE: eating habits don’t have to change all at once. You can gradually get rid of unhealthy foods and start eating them less.
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March 28 2009 07:33 pm | Healthy Living
April 12th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
I don’t usually comment on this stuff but I gotta say.. nice blog
April 30th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Hi, interesting post. I have been thinking about this topic,so thanks for posting. I will definitely be coming back to your blog.
June 14th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
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