How does one really weigh in on what food is healthy to consume anymore? Going to the supermarket today can be frustrating, reading long labels in detail to make sure how clean our food choices are is getting confusing. What is the best advice a health coach can give to people who are interested in adopting a healthier lifestyle? When in doubt of what food is healthier, choose to eat real food.
The basis of healthy eating includes whole unprocessed foods, and by choosing a wide range of whole, real foods, the nutritional value is high and essential vitamins and minerals are readily absorbed. Adopting a healthier nutritious diet should include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and protein sources from either plants, legumes, fish, grass fed meats, eggs, and poultry. Be sure to eat loads of leafy green vegetables, complex carbohydrate choices should include whole grains such as; brown rice, quinoa, farrow, or vegetables such as sweet potato and squash. Fat options include fats such as; olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, nuts and seeds. This is an easy sustainable lifestyle that promotes good health, less brain fog and increased energy.
Stabilizing blood sugar levels also depends on healthy food choices. Eating many refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup and high processed food can cause spikes in blood sugar. Also waiting too long between meals can cause you to crash and lose energy and this point is crucial because when this occurs people are more likely to eat anything at that moment. It is important to keep healthy snacks around in your bag or car that can help curb hunger until your next meal. These snacks should include natural complex carbs that include fiber to help balance your blood sugar levels such as apples, vegetables are also great such as carrots and celery sticks, and proteins and fats such as nuts and seeds. See there are many choices!
Looking back in time and comparing statistics on worldwide health has shown that the more processed food became, and the increase of consumption of refined sugars, and refined grains, the down spiral on health began. Sure people are living longer today because of modern medicine, however, why then are so many people suffering from health problems today?
Besides many other factors related to health issues, food does play a vital role in our state of health. When in doubt, the best advice for a nutritional balanced diet is to go for real food choices, in other words food from nature. If it has a long label with ingredients you can’t pronounce, its probably processed. Eating a balanced diet means making sure you include: natural, organic at best, nutritional sources of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Healthy eating habits also including sitting down and enjoying your meal to promote better digestion, don’t eat when you are stressed or in a rush, try to schedule your meals as part of your daily routine and enjoy that sacred moment.
Another important thing to keep in mind is what works for others may not work for us. It is also important to listen to your body by being attentive after you have eaten your meal, examine how you feel, and if you have bloating, or feel suddenly tired, something you ate may not agree with you.
References
https://www.foodpolitics.com/2011/06/deconstructing-the-usdas-new-food-plate/
Walters, T. (2012). Clean food. New York, NY: Sterling Publishing.