The Benefits Of Eating Healthy
"Every day is a fresh start; leave behind yesterday's chaos and move ahead in life."
Switching to a healthy diet can be life-changing, especially if you are not already eating a healthy diet.
When we feel sluggish and out of sorts, our diet is the last thing we think about. We blame it on our job or our busy life. We never consider that better choices in what we put in our bodies could be the solution.
It's a fact that too much sugar can cause us to be irritable, jittery, and anxious. It also can cause headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating.
Do these symptoms sound familiar?
How about the effects of too much fat?
Too much fat can cause bloating, Diarrhea, gas, sluggish feeling, and weight gain.
Too much salt can result in high blood pressure, headaches, and swollen hands or feet.
I am sure many of us recognize a lot of these symptoms. The good news is that we can change our diet and eliminate low energy and headaches by changing what we eat.
5 Benefits Of Eating Healthy
Increased Energy-
Foods That Will Increase Your Energy
The first thing you can do to increase your energy is to avoid those foods that will drain your energy.
Examples of things that will drain your energy include, believe it or not, energy drinks, breakfast cereals, yogurt that contain added sugars, white bread, and other processed grains.
So to increase your energy, start your day with some oatmeal, nuts, and berries. You can also add some flax seeds and chia seeds to your oatmeal. Always go with wholegrain bread and cereals. Greek yogurt is also a good choice for breakfast. Add in some nuts and seeds. But make sure you choose those with low sugar when you eat yogurt.
Other foods that will boost your energy-
Apples
Bananas
Dark berries like blueberries and blackberries
Oranges
strawberries
Nuts
Brown rice
Dark leafy greens such as kale and spinach
Popcorn
Peanut Butter
Drinks-
Water is probably one of the most essential aspects of maintaining our energy. Keep a water bottle with you and drink throughout the day.
Coffee
Green tea
But avoid sugary drinks and diet sodas
Improved Digestion-
Creating some changes to your diet can significantly improve your digestion. Consistently add fruits and vegetables to your diet daily. Keep yourself hydrated. Limit your intake of sugar. Eat more chicken and fish, and limit the red meat you consume. Always choose whole grains. Fill up on fiber. And be sure to get some exercise in.
Improved Mood-
Many look to food when feeling down or in a bad mood. And usually, the foods we choose are not remotely healthy. And sadly, if they do make us feel better, that feeling doesn't last long.
But some foods will improve your mood. So if you are feeling down, you might want to have a cup of coffee and a piece of dark chocolate. I admit dark chocolate and coffee would most likely be my first choice. I mean, come on. What's not good about chocolate? It smells good; it practically melts in your mouth, and it has some sugar in it. And coffee is a much-loved beverage, and it also boosts our mood. That said, I don't think we should always depend on coffee and chocolate to improve our mood.
How about some blueberries? Did you know a cup of blueberries can improve your mood within several hours? Starting your day with a bowl of oatmeal can start your day in a good mood. And why not toss some blueberries into your oatmeal?
Other foods to indulge in to improve your mood.
Nuts-Walnuts, Brazil nuts, Peanuts, almonds, and cashews.
Strawberries
Apples
Avocados
Dark leafy greens
Improved Memory-
Foods that can aid in improving your memory are fatty fish such as sardines, salmon, and herring. Leafy green vegetables, nuts, berries, dark chocolate, eggs, and even coffee are among the foods that can improve your memory.
Help Prevent Diseases-
You could reduce your risk of cancer. Yes, what you eat can reduce your cancer risk. A plant-based diet can help with preventing both heart disease and cancer. As always, vegetables and fruit are essential to a healthy diet.
Whole grain breads and cereals provide you with vitamins and fiber and can help reduce your LDL cholesterol.
Foods Best avoided-
Fast food
Diet soda
sugary foods like donuts, cupcakes, candy bars
Any processed foods.
When shopping, don't forget to read the labels. Educate yourself about what you are putting in your body. If you can't entirely avoid those sugary and processed foods, at least limit them. But never give up trying to avoid them entirely. I know that is easier said than done.
Changing your diet can give you an entirely new outlook on life. Add some exercise, and you will be heading toward a healthy, more energized life. What have you got to lose? Try it; you just might like it.
It's not an all-or-nothing situation. You can start by making small changes. Start reducing the amount of sugar you consume each day. Gradually add in some extra fruits and vegetables. Start adding in some daily exercise.
Keep a journal of what you are eating and the exercise you do. Stay consistent, and don't give up; you will quickly see positive changes in how you feel. Most importantly, keep track of how you feel as you implement the changes to your diet. If you are feeling much better with more energy, that can motivate you to keep going with a healthy lifestyle.
It comes down to the simple fact that healthy eating and exercise will make you feel good and have more energy.
