Our bodies evolved in harmony with the earth. They are amazingly complex adaptations to what the earth provides. We were given every ingredient we need for good health. But the current prevalence of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other problems, tells us that something has gone awry. These tips on nutrition are designed to help you get your body back to a state of harmonious health.
Write down and collect healthy recipes. Cook books are expensive and seldom have much useful information. Make your own instead. Buy a pack of index cards and use them to copy down any healthy recipes you try and enjoy. Replace all those high calorie, unhealthy recipes you had been saving with the new ones.
A great way to live a healthier lifestyle is to moderate the amount of processed foods you consume. Processed foods are high in refined sugars that are terrible for your body. As with all things, processed foods are fine in moderation. However, you want to make sure that most of your food intake is from natural sources.
To improve your diet, you may want to consider reducing the amount of meat and dairy you consume. You don’t have to go completely vegetarian, but try cutting out meat from one or two dinners per week at first. There are lots of tasty and nutritious alternatives to meat available at any grocery store.
While high-protein meats and poultry can be part of a healthy diet, many nutritionists suggest including at least one meat-free meal into your weekly diet. Instead of meat, add in additional servings of low sodium cooked beans, soy products, or a variety of unsalted nuts like pecans, peanuts, and walnuts.
To naturally reduce developing depression, be sure the food you eat has Vitamin B6. Depression is often caused by an imbalance in serotonin, and vitamin B6 regulates serotonin levels. To improve mood, try foods like asparagus, wheat germ and chicken breast, all with high amounts of Vitamin B6. You want to increase the amounts of vitamin B6 you consume during the winter months.
Teenagers can have a hard time getting the nutrition that they need. Girls tend to find that this is a time that they gain weight easily, while boys tend to lose it. Helping your teen strive for a healthy diet that is geared toward nutrition and maintaining a healthy weight will help them get through this hard time of life.
A good nutrition tip is to start taking iodine as a supplement. Iodine works to produce the T4 and T3 hormones, which are essential in regulating your thyroid. If you’ve been to the doctor and you found out your T4 or T3 levels are down, taking an iodine supplement can be very beneficial.
To increase the effectiveness of vitamin supplements, include plenty of manganese in your diet. Manganese has been shown to help your body absorb a variety of vitamins and minerals. Foods rich in manganese include pineapple, soybeans, and brown rice. Consuming these foods about an hour before you take any vitamins w,ill help your body take full advantage of them.
It is always a great idea to avoid eating junk food. Not only does junk food have poor nutrition values, but also it is often times loaded up with toxins and preservatives. Find better alternatives when you get a sweet tooth, fruits offer you a great escape, and milk chocolate is a healthier alternative to other junk foods.
Some foods with a high concentration of carbohydrates are not that bad for you. Although many people avoid carbs whenever they can, items like beans and legumes are actually very high in protein and very high in fiber. A gram of fiber negates a gram of carbs, so the more fiber the food source has, the less net carbs you’re ingesting.
In order to ensure your child’s nutritional needs are met, respect the appetite they have or don’t have. If your child isn’t hungry, forcing food on them will only teach them to ignore their natural hunger signals. Serve them small portions of good foods, and they will most likely eat enough on their own to meet their needs.
By now, you have probably started to understand the complex systems by which our bodies ingest and use nutrients. You have seen how good nutrients lead to good health. These tips are just a beginning. Now it is up to you to shop with care, eat a balanced diet of quality foods, and embrace good eating habits, so you can achieve optimal health.
