How to improve nutrition – Good nutrition is one of the keys to a healthy life. You can improve your health by keeping a balanced diet. You should eat foods that contain vitamins and minerals. This includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and a source of protein.
Ask yourself the following questions first:
- Do you have a health problem or risk factor, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol?
- Did your doctor tell you that you can improve your condition with better nutrition?
- Do diabetes, cancer, heart disease, or osteoporosis run in your family?
- Are you overweight?
- Do you have questions about what foods you should eat or whether you should take vitamins?
- Do you eat a lot of processed and fast foods?
- Do you think that you would benefit from seeing a registered dietitian or someone who specializes in nutrition counseling?
10 Tips for Better Nutrition
Here are wellness tips to help plan and manage healthier meals.
BALANCE IS KEY
If you look closely, you can see that half of your intake during each meal should come from vegetables and fruit. The other half should come from whole grains and protein.
VARY YOUR VEGGIES
Variety is the spice of life – and the same goes with your veggies. A good indication of a variety of vegetables includes many different colors.
WHOLE GRAINS ARE THE GOOD GRAINS
Try to stick with whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, etc. Wedded to white bread? Try changing half of your grain intake to whole grains.
KEEP FRUITS WITHIN REACH
Keeping a variety of whole and cut-up fruits nearby is a great way to resist temptation and get the nutrients you need. Know that fruits vary in nutrition content, and opt for fruits with potassium such as bananas, prunes, peaches, and apricots.
DO DAIRY, BUT KEEP IT LOW-FAT
Stick to low-fat yogurt, milk, and cheese.
SKIP THE SODA AND JUICE WHENEVER POSSIBLE. DRINK WATER.
THERE’S A REASON FOR THE SEASONING
Healthy meals should not be boring! There are endless combinations of herbs and spices that can make nearly any dish incredible.
KEEP FRIED FOODS AND SATURATED FATS TO A MINIMUM.
Opt for baking over deep frying.
WATCH FOR SNEAKY SODIUM AND HIDDEN SUGARS
Find the salt and sugar content on packaged foods and go with lower numbers. Use no salt or sugar-added products.
PACK THAT PROTEIN
Proteins are essential building blocks for our bodies. Stick to lean meats such as poultry or fish. Eggs, beans, lentils, soy, and nuts are also excellent sources of protein.
Things to consider
- Fad diets aren’t the answer. Fad or short-term diets may promise to help you lose weight fast. However, they are hard to keep up with and could be unhealthy.
- Good nutrition doesn’t come in a pill. Try eating a variety of foods instead. Your body benefits most from healthy whole foods. Only take vitamins that your doctor prescribes.
- Diet programs or products can confuse you with their claims. Most people in these ads get paid for their endorsements. They don’t talk about side effects, problems, or regained weight.