Almost everyone wants to stay healthy and make wise food choices. But sometimes, it’s hard to do the best we can, when it comes to our nutrition. Here are some smart ideas to help you and your family with putting good things in your bodies, while enjoying what you eat.
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.
When considering nutrition for your child, be sure that you follow the same guidelines that you ask of them. This is important because you will have an extremely hard time trying to convince them why they need to do something when you, yourself do not. And no matter what you do, your child most likely will find out what you are doing just through their natural curiosity.
In order to maintain a healthy body, getting the right amount of sleep is very instrumental. A good sleeping tip that anyone can do is to limit the intake of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine. These substances can disturb sleep patterns, and therefore, will prevent the body from having proper rest.
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.
If your child is a picky eater, a regular daily routine for meals can help. Give him or her snacks and meals at about the same time of day. Be sure that your child drinks plenty of water between meals instead of milk or juice, and don’t offer treats between meals.
Whenever you go on a diet there is always the possibility that you will deprive yourself of certain vitamins and minerals. Giving your body the proper nutrients it needs is difficult with any diet so you should always take a multivitamin supplement. A supplement will help to keep you healthy by giving you some of what your diet is lacking.
When possible, choose wild salmon over farmed salmon. Both types offer nutritional benefits, but wild salmon has higher nutritional value. Farmed salmon may be overexposed to antibiotics and pesticides that farmers add to the water. Some farmed salmon may even have artificial coloring injected into the meat to give it a more attractive orange hue. With wild salmon, you do not have these risks.
For best nutrition, be sure to choose fats wisely. Butter was once thought to be the enemy due to the high amount of saturated fat. However, margarine has been found to be high in trans fats, which are unhealthy for the heart. Best would be to limit your fats as much as possible; second best would be one of the “Smart Balance” non-trans-fat type margarine’s, and third best would be to use real butter, but very sparingly.
Be aware of what you drink. Avoid any drinks that contain alcohol or sugar, replacing them with water, low-fat milk or tea. Sugary drinks are packed full of empty calories that add no nutritional value to your diet. Drinking one sugary drink a day can cause you to put on unnecessary weight, and increases your risk of developing high blood pressure.
If you are part of a large group that is headed to an eatery that is less-than-modest with its portions, consider sharing with a friend who has a similar palate. Not only will you save money, you might also spare yourself the inevitable food coma that quickly follows an overindulgent meal. This is also a good choice for diners who find the idea of “doggy bags” and leftovers distasteful.
Put out a colorful bowl of fresh fruit on your counter or dining room table. Not only is it pretty to look at and good for your home decor, but it encourages people to grab a healthy snack on the go, or when sitting at home. An apple a day really is a good decision.
Seniors can live longer, stay sharp mentally longer and maintain a high quality of life longer, with good nutrition every day. Brightly colored fruits and vegetables help keep bones stronger, which reduces the risk of fractures. The nutrients in fruits and vegetables can also reduce recuperation times in the event a fracture occurs.
Skip adding salt when you boil water. It can decrease its boiling time and add unneeded sodium to rice, pasta, or whatever you plan to boil. This salt is not needed to do the job, so just forget it and wait an extra few minutes for the water to come to a rolling boil.
It’s a good idea to add cabbage to your diet. Not only does it store well, and is a versatile ingredient in everything from kimchi-topped burgers to the humble coleslaw, but it’s filled with copious amounts of fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and lots of minerals. A quick steaming is a great way to preserve the nutrients.
While potatoes are extremely nutritious, the monotony of brown skin and white flesh can be fairly boring. Adding other vegetables to a puree, such as cauliflower to mashed potatoes, can help boost the nutritional value. Adding colored varieties, like naturally purple or yellow varieties, can add spark and interest to a plate.
One tool that you should always have in your nutrition arsenal is a kitchen scale. Many people think that they are good at eyeballing portion size, but research has shown time and again that most people are actually horrible at estimating accurately. A small kitchen scale can avoid this problem completely.
As you can see from this wide variety of tips, improving nutrition doesn’t have to be difficult. The next time you struggle with making wise food decisions, take another look at these tips for advice and motivation. Soon, you’ll be on your way to a healthier lifestyle and also, feeling good about what you eat.