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Good nutrition is vital to a healthy and long life. There are a variety of ways to obtain good nutrition in your diet. Understanding the importance of it is the first step in obtaining the vitamins and minerals essential to meeting the needs of your body and mind. Here are a few great pointers on getting to grips with this vital aspect of a healthy lifestyle.

Eating a full five servings of fruits and vegetables every day is important for several reasons. First, fruits and vegetables both provide vitamins and minerals crucial for your body’s operation. Both are full of water, and foods that contain water (fruit, vegetables, beans) are much more filling than dry, processed foods.

Calcium is one of the most important things our bodies need to perform optimally. Whether you’re nine years old or forty-nine years old, everyone needs calcium. At younger ages, calcium aids in the building of healthy bones. At older ages, our bones begin to deteriorate. Calcium can slow and even stop that process.

Vitamin D is an important part of a healthy diet. It assists in bone and teeth formation by maintaining calcium and phosphorous levels in the body. Vitamin D also helps in immune function and cell growth. Lowering cancer risk is yet another benefit of vitamin D.

No one maintains perfect nutrition. In fact, to set such a goal would be to set yourself up for failure. Instead, think of nutrition as a balancing act between what you want to eat and what you should eat. Focusing too heavily on the “should” side will set you up for failure and guilt, while focusing only on what you want will pile on the pounds and make you less healthy.

Nutrition is something you should study if you are striving for good health and/or weight loss. A holistic approach points out that nutrition provides the building blocks for a healthy body: leave out some of those “building blocks” and you will not have sound health. Therefore it is important to search diligently through writings on nutrition and put your knowledge into practice.

In making decisions about nutrition, you should cast a wide net. If you take mind and spirit into consideration in other aspects of your life, you should also do so in regard to nutrition. One writer who does this is Sally Fallon in her book, “Nourishing Traditions”.

Try to substitute healthy alternatives for fatty or sugary foods you enjoy. For example, instead of a bowl of ice cream, you can have some yogurt with fruit. Instead of french fries, try half of a baked potato. You don’t have to cut out all the good tasting food in your life, just make healthier choices about what the tasty things you do eat.

Try new ways to eat foods you eat on a regular basis. Instead of just eating plain yogurt, pour a bit of honey in and experience a new taste sensation. Instead of always steaming broccoli, trying frying it up with a few other vegetables. You’ll be more likely to eat healthily if you have fun with it.

Drink skim, low-fat, or non-fat milk on a daily basis. There are less calories and fat in these types of milk, but exactly the same calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients. Your body needs calcium to have strong bones. This is especially important in childhood while bones are forming and in old age when bone loss can occur.

Oatmeal for business is what you need to begin your day. Oatmeal is not only nutritious, but it helps you feel fuller longer.

Berries are among the best things that you can eat during the course of the day. Blueberries, blackberries and strawberries contain a very high amount of antioxidants to cure your body from the inside out. Incorporate these fruits into your regimen to cure your current acne, and prevent new blemishes from forming.

As you can see, good nutrition is easy to incorporate into your lifestyle if you make a few simple choices. You may need to tailor these tips to your personal needs. Begin today to make the positive choices you need to make. You must develop a plan to give yourself the nourishment your body and mind deserve, and stick with it. You will notice a difference.…