A Common Sense Guide to Healthier Eating

Chances are that you can use a bit of a tune up when it comes to your diet and nutrition. None of us are perfect eaters 100% of the time, but it’s always a good idea to strive towards being as healthy as we can be when it comes to food.

Many of us have lost sight of the fact that food is here to be fuel for our body. It’s not a comfort device and it’s not meant to be a source of pleasure per se, such as that pleasure that we feel when we indulge in that double fudge cake or a tub of ice cream. It’s time for most of us to re-establish a healthy relationship with our food to improve our health and to help trim our tummies.

Watch what you Drink

Most of the beverages out there are absolutely unnecessary for us to consume. Apart from water and low fat milk or soy milk, we really don’t need to be drinking anything else. Alcoholic beverages are loaded with sugars, coffees and teas are loaded in caffeine, and soda has both tons of sugar and caffeine which are not good for our health.

Even fruit juices are so full of sugar that they can be more of a detriment to our health than a benefit. Drink water and drink it regularly to not only keep your body hydrated, but to also flush out the toxins that may be causing weight gain and bloating, and to keep yourself feeling full for longer so that you don’t reach for those unhealthy snack foods.

Fruits and Vegetables are Important

Most of us just aren’t eating enough fresh fruits and vegetables these days. While a daily multivitamin will help ensure that we are obtaining the correct amount of nutrients we need, nothing tops eating fresh fruits and vegetables.

If you have found yourself struggling to include these in your diet before, make a point to have 1 or 2 servings of fruits and/or vegetables with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Try to add them into a smoothie or into any pasta dishes that you may be making, and make an effort to have one snack a day have fruits or vegetables be the sole focus. The goal is to get 5 to 10 servings each and every day for optimal health. The best thing about fruits and vegetables is that they are great for weight loss. They keep us feeling full for longer, and the sugars in the fruits and vegetables will help allay any cravings for “bad” foods.

Make Wholegrain Substitutions

One of the easiest things you can do to improve your health is to look at all of the “white” foods that you eat and make them “brown”. This means that the white tortilla shells, the white rice, and the white pasta you enjoy should all be tossed out and replaced with whole grain alternatives. There seems to virtually be a whole grain substitute for any “grain” or “bread” product out there these days, including dinner rolls and French loafs, so always go for the “brown” product over the “white”.