There is an awful lot of information out there on how to eat healthy. You need not feel overwhelmed by this plethora of nutrition information, though. Improving your diet does not require a rigid, all-encompassing plan. You can make positive changes in the way you eat just by making use of a few quick, handy tips:
When choosing foods, think about nutrition. Green beans seem nutritious, for example, but broccoli is a knockout in terms of nutrients, so it is better to pick broccoli for dinner. Potatoes are yummy, of course, and quite innocent, when they’re not slathered in butter or cream, but if you want to pack a truly nutritive punch, swap them out for sweet potatoes from time to time. They’re jam-packed with vitamin A and C and fiber. It’s said that sweet potatoes (NOT sweet potato fries, sorry!) are so nutritious, that you could survive on them alone.
Always eat a balanced diet. The ideal diet for most people, consists of about 20 percent protein, 30 percent fat and between 50 and 55 percent carbohydrates. Most people are aware that too much fat is bad, however, too little can be bad, as well. The same goes for carbohydrates.
One way of maintaining good health is to visit the doctor on a regular basis. By doing this the individual will be aware of any health issues that he may have and therefore removing the risk of being ill or sick. It is advisable to go to the doctor at least twice a year.
Everyone should have their vitamin D level checked at least once a year. If they are deficient their doctor can recommend a supplement to increase their level. Even though vitamin D is supplemented in milk, many people do not drink enough to get the amount they need. The other main source of vitamin D is from sunlight. Since people in northern countries have less sun exposure during the year they are especially prone to deficiency. Widespread sunscreen use has contributed to low levels of vitamin D also.
Sometimes it is better to add things to your diet rather than remove them. If you absolutely do not have the willpower to replace all those unhealthy snack foods you eat with fruits and vegetables, eat the fruits and vegetables anyway. Slowly begin to phase the snack foods out when you feel you can.
To maintain proper nutrition, as well as your muscle mass, you should strive to eat protein at every meal. The minimum you should consume a day is about a .5 gram per pound of your body weight. This will help you to maintain a youthful appearance since protein is essential for everything in our body, including the skin, hair and nails.
Avoid diets that require you to ingest higher amounts of fat, even if we’re speaking about good fats. The reason here is that ingesting fat can be habit forming, and after a while your cholesterol levels will start to increase, and although thinner, you may be at higher risk for heart disease.
Good nutrition starts at home. If you teach young children how to eat properly and introduce them to healthy foods early, they will be more likely to grow up enjoying a higher variety of healthy foods. Proper nutrition also leads to better food choices in the long run and less risk of obesity.
In some ways, the whole field of nutrition is simply more complicated than it has to be. More information is good, of course – except when it discourages you from taking action. You can avoid the whole mess by concentrating on simple changes that are easy to employ and deliver great results.
