Transformation 2020: Nutrition for Your Health
To succeed in developing proper nutrition, try to keep things simple. Eating a healthier diet doesn’t have to be complicated. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories, for example, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness. Focus on avoiding packaged and processed foods and opting for more fresh ingredients whenever possible.
Here are a few tips on developing a healthier dietary lifestyle:
Prepare more of your own meals.
Preparing your own meals will help to maintain your food intake, for a stress-free and cost-effective approach toward achieving better health. Research has shown that people who choose home-cooked meals regularly tend to consume less sugar and processed foods.
Replace unhealthy foods with healthier alternatives.
Replacing sugary foods and processed foods with healthier alternatives can provide you with enough energy to keep you active through the day. Fruits and vegetables make for great snack alternatives because they are naturally low in fat and calories and help reduce the ricks to some chronic diseases.
Read all food labels.
Reading food labels is important to avoid misleading marketing tactics manufacturers use to lure people into buy processed and unhealthy products. Food labels can be tricky, but it is important to know how to read them to differentiate between deceiving labels on junk and truly healthy foods.
Focus on how you feel after eating.
Do certain foods make you feel tired quickly? Is dairy hard for you to digest? Monitoring how your meals have an effect on your body and determine the healthiest choices for you and your family.
Drink plenty of water.
Your body is made up of about 60% water, so, staying hydrated is essential for proper nutrition. Water intake can positively impact energy levels, brain function and even help with weight loss. Drinking about 2 liters of water per day has been shown to increase metabolism.
Sources:
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/healthy-eating.htm
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-read-food-labels
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-water#section7