As we continue our Healthy Lifestyle series, this week in part 2, we decided to look at healthy eating and good nutrition.

 

With so many diets, protein shakes, smoothies and advice all around us, it can be a challenge to know which to choose, let alone to actually do the diet. Well, first of all, diets are not what healthy eating and good nutrition are about.

To eat well, we need to know what and how to eat. With information overload everywhere – it can be really difficult to know what’s best. Well, we believe in keeping it simple, natural and weaving good eating habits into a healthy holistic lifestyle.

Greens, grains, bright colours, leaves, unprocessed and plain – then it’s probably pretty high up the health tree! But allow yourself to indulge on occasion – otherwise, life would be boring. A little of what you love is good.

Foods are made up of nutrients mainly protein, fat and carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. You need a certain amount of each food group to eat and live well, no food group should be totally eliminated.

Healthy eating is all about balance. Combined with regular exercise and a healthy mindset, eating a good diet can boost health and add to your lifespan.

Tips – what should I be eating?

1. Fruit and vegetables – both are high in nutrients (antioxidants, vitamin supplements, minerals, and fibre). We should aim to have fruit or vegetables at every meal in large quantities.
2. Whole grains are the way to go – provide fibre, protein, and vitamin B and C, which keep you feeling full and maintain your health by lowering the risk of many diseases. Vitamin C is great to boost immunity.
3. Protein is good for you – Great for your overall health, skin, brain, bones and muscles. If you are trying to trim down, then protein is good to keep you feeling fuller for longer and should be included in every meal.
4. Keep it clean and natural – the less processed foods we eat, the better for our health. Organic and natural whole foods contain fewer chemicals and go through less processing.
5. Lots of water – aim for 8 glasses of water per day as a minimum. It’s great to move your digestion process along, prevents constipation, flushes out toxins, is good for your skin and keeps you hydrated.
6. Eat your three meals a day – do not skip breakfasts- a protein-rich, low-fat start to the day is super beneficial.
7. Less sugar and less salt – try not to eat treats only once in a while. Don’t add salt or sugar to foods. We all know sugar leads to obesity, poor diet and decays the teeth. Salt raises blood pressure, aids fluid retention and is associated with heart problems.
8. Eating well doesn’t need to be expensive, you don’t need to be a nutritionist – just keep it simple. Less processing, more greens and grains, keep a lid on the cookie jar and the more natural the food is, the better.

 

If you can eat healthily you’ll reduce the risk of getting type-2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Next time you sit down to a meal, ask yourself how healthy it is? Eating well involves making small changes to a healthy lifestyle.