Proper nutrition is the basic foundation of good health. Everything your body needs comes from the food you eat-energy to move, and building blocks for everything from muscles to brain chemicals. That’s why nutrition is so important. Read on for some nutrition tips to keep your body and mind well.
Many people take an inconsistent approach to nutrition because the subject isn’t naturally exciting. They may start the day with a donut, then feel guilty later and try to go for something healthier. If you are one of these people, consider simplifying things for yourself by making different, less unhealthy choices when you get your junk-food fix. If you like donuts, try a low-fat muffin next time. Then maybe work your way down to an egg-white flatbread. Also try changing your half-and-half to milk. If you make slow, incremental changes, soon you will find that you’re making more nutritious choices and that the old junky choices just don’t taste as good.
You will want to consider pesticides and their effect on your food. They are generally portrayed as detrimental. But if you talk with farmers, you may come to a more nuanced view. For instance, you may hear that some fungicides are necessary; that a healthy crop cannot be produced without them, and that none of the chemical is retained on the produce you buy.
A really useful way to help you stay fit is to keep a log of the food you eat each day. By recording what you eat each day, you’ll keep track of your calories, and you’ll also be able to pick up on which foods you like or don’t like.
When considering your nutrition vegetables are a great choice, but be sure that you are not losing nutrients by how they are being prepared. Often times, boiling will actually cause your vegetables to lose a large percentages of their nutrients to the bottom of the pot. You will retain the most vitamins by either microwaving or steaming your vegetables.
Eating well and taking supplemental vitamins are keys to maintaining one’s health. For one to appreciate what “eating well” means, they must understand that having a well-balanced diet is very simple, but also very important for one’s physical and mental well-being. The human body requires the proper mix of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates, in order to function. Food is fuel for any animal and having a good understanding of what is good for one’s body is important. Lean meats, fruits and vegetables and grains are all important and all of these need to be items in one’s daily diet.
Keep your portions reasonable to your body size. Try resisting the urge to get up, and fill up your plate with that second helping. Look online to see the recommended potions of food that you should be having for a variety of foods such as meat, dairy, and whole grains.
One of the greatest things you can put into your body is fiber. This well help with your digestive tract and will give you tons of energy. Many companies are now making products that are packed full of fiber and also taste great. Try to eat the same amount of fiber each day.
There are healthy alternatives to many of the food products that we all eat. For example, try using a balsamic vinaigrette for dressing, instead of something fattening like Italian or Caesar. You can avoid cake and ice cream by substituting other sweet treats, such as yogurt, fruit or even a combination of the two, in the form of a parfait.
To help your body fight off diseases, eat plenty of foods containing Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps to regulate your body’s immune system responses, and lowers the risk of many infections. It can also prevent chronic fatigue. Foods rich in Vitamin D include salmon, eggs, and tuna. Milk is another excellent source.
Finding proper nutrition information is easy. For those of us starting out, it’s a good idea to eat a balanced diet. You will need to make sure you are getting about 15-20% protein, around 20-30% fat and at least 50-55% of carbohydrates. This will leave your body feeling fresh and refined.
Substitute slices of fresh raw vegetables for potato chips. Sometimes, when you have the munchies, nothing will do except something crunchy. Potato chips are not a healthy choice! Slice up some celery, squash, zucchini, cucumber or whatever other crunchy vegetables you can find. Add some low calorie salad dressing and munch away!
The benefits of practicing proper nutrition are varied and plentiful. Hopefully you learned something from this article that can improve your nutrition, and you’ll put it into play today! Try eating good, healthy food and see if it doesn’t change the way to feel and think every day! Good luck!
