Happy March everyone! Spring is here, and it’s time for us all to come out of hibernation. The first official day of Spring was March 20th, 2017. March is known as National Nutrition Month. Nutrition can mean different things to different people, all depending on what their health goals are.
In general, however, when we talk about nutrition and “healthy eating”, we want to look to include foods in our diet that have health benefits to them. Foods loaded with vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties can all help improve our health and well-being.
Here we discuss general healthy eating tips that you can incorporate into your lifestyle today!
- Eat more fruits and vegetables. These foods are high in vitamins and minerals, loaded with fiber, and there’s so much you can do with them! Whether it’s a salad, stir-fry, roasted, or pureed, you can ALWAYS fit in fruits and veggies.
- Focus on lean proteins. Fish, poultry, and legumes will provide tons of protein without the saturated fat.
- Eat less sugar. Not only is sugar an “empty” calorie food with no nutritional value, but it also has been known to cause inflammation in the body, and cause our blood sugar to spike too quickly. While dessert tends to be the main culprit, sugar can also be found in some of our favorite everyday PROCESSED foods – so to start, eat less processed food! Read ingredient and food labels. Common sugar culprits include ketchup, salad dressing, flavored yogurt, and pasta sauce, to name a few. There are naturally sugar-free options for these foods, so look for those options in the grocery stores or make your own so you can control the ingredients.
- For grains, choose whole. While the focus of your meals should be fruits, vegetables, and lean protein, it is important to include some grains in your diet. Whole grains are the right choice, and are a good source of fiber and vitamins. Brown rice, oatmeal, and quinoa are excellent choices because they are minimally processed but loaded with nutrients and fiber.
- Include healthy fats. We know our bodies need fat – it gives us energy, transports fat-soluble vitamins to our cells, and provides essential fatty acids, which keep our hair looking lustrous, our skin soft, help our brains and nervous system, and regulate blood pressure, liver function, immune and anti-inflammatory responses. Healthy fats include mono & polyunsaturated fatty acids. They can be calorically dense, so watch your portion sizes, but focus on including nuts, avocados, fish, olive oil and eggs.
- Watch your portion size. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. No matter if you’re choosing healthy or indulging, watching your portion size is important. Use your hand to measure: your fist is 1 cup, thumb is 1 tablespoon, and the palm of your hand is 3 ounces of protein.
When you’re ready to make a change, set a realistic goal and stick with it! You can do anything you set your mind to. And the staff at King Street Chiropractic Wellness Center are always here to support your health efforts along the way. Talk to Dr. Jeff Borenstein or Dr. Steven Trauben today to find out how they can help!
