Nutrition is one of the biggest issues when it comes to a dysfunctional body. Are you feeling sluggish, sad, irritable or weak? Does your hair break or do you have itchy skin and ridges in your nails? Chances are high that you are not taking care of yourself and ingesting the proper amount of vitamins and minerals! Poor nutrition is the number one reason why your body might be having a tough time functioning properly and can lead to serious health problems!
Eat nuts for a snack instead of crackers. Even though nuts are higher in fat content, eating only a small amount can satisfy your hunger for a longer period of time. Crackers are mainly carbohydrates. You will need to eat more of that to satisfy your hunger over the same period of time, leading to eating more calories. So, in the long run, nuts are better snacks.
Eat more soy containing foods for healthy bones. Many of the soy foods which contain soy, contain a lot of calcium, or they are fortified with calcium. Magnesium and borron, which work with calcium for optimum bone health, are also found in soy foods. Soy foods are great for strong, healhty bones.
Foods marketed as health foods are not always as healthy as you may think they are. Be sure to always check the nutritional information on the packaged or prepared foods that you eat and pay attention to the serving sizes as well. A snack food may have small amount of fat per serving, but if you eat several servings at a time, the small amounts of fat can add up.
Eat a jello or pudding cup for dessert. Try to resist reaching for a candy bar or a bag of mini doughnuts. Instead, try eating jello or pudding cups. Individually, they are in reasonably sized, relatively low calorie portions. They are great for killing just about any cravings of the dessert variety.
Broccoli is a big star in the nutrition “show.” It is loaded with betacarotene, lutein and lycopene. Studies have shown these nutrients to be valuable in preventing cancer. They help liver function. Eat broccoli every day and your health is sure to benefit. You won’t need to buy supplements to provide these nutrients if you eat broccoli consistently.
People who are nutritionally aware have made an effort to reduce or eliminate hydrogenated fats in their diet. Studies have shown the dangers of hydrogenated fats, found most commonly in margarine, peanut butter, and bakery products. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life of products, but it “gums up” our bodily systems.
You might be drinking soy milk to make sure you’re getting the calcium you need. But you must shake it each time you pour a glass in order to be sure you benefit from the calcium it contains. The calcium in soy milk slowly settles to the bottom of the carton, so if you don’t shake it each time, it won’t end up in your glass.
Save your used drink bottles, fill them with water and freeze them. Having water available to quench your thirst is imperative to good health. Frozen water bottles will likely stay cool all day and an added wellness benefit, is that they are handy to grab to wet down a wipe and cool yourself off on hot days.
A great nutrition tip is to not rely too heavily on eating protein bars. Protein bars can be great when you’re on the run and need that extra bit of protein, but most of them tend to be very high in fat, which is why they’re sometimes called glorified candy bars.
Raisins and other dry fruits make for a great addition to hot cereals. Keep a box or two around so you can always take advantage of the vitamins they pack. Simply sprinkle them into your oatmeal, grits, cream of wheat or any hot cereal after you’ve cooked it. They will quickly absorb moisture and release part of their flavor right into your bowl.
It can be hard to maintain proper nutrition during pregnancy when you’re feeling tired, so plan ahead for days when you just don’t have the energy to cook. Take advantage of those days when you are felling good to make a second tray of lasagna or a double batch of chili to freeze for later use.
When you are eating, it helps if you actually eat your food slower. When you savor your food, it is more likely that you will feel full much quicker, than if you just wolf it all down at once. You can even try eating half of your meal and then pausing for a few minutes and then finishing the rest.
In order to have a happy, healthy body you must take care of it! A multivitamin is an easy way to jump start a healthy diet. Once a routine is established you can begin to work on other ways to get a better diet going on top of the vitamins. Proper nutrition is important and should be a priority for your entire life and is not difficult to achieve.