Posted on 12/30/2020 12:36:55 PM PST by Red Badger
We are what we eat.
While it may sound like a corny phrase, it’s very true. Our diets have an impact on everything in our lives, including our social interactions, appearance, health and even psychological condition.
Food does more than provide fuel for our bodies. It can comfort us, add happiness and help create memories, traditions and unique experiences.
Punta Gorda-based Registered Dietician Nutritionist Gisela Bouvier said, “Food is one of the greatest pleasures in life … it feeds us in many ways …”
But food can be our friend or foe. While healthy eating habits can contribute to longevity, improved brain function, resistance to some illnesses and chronic conditions, better weight management, increased flexibility and range of motion and more energy, unhealthy eating habits may contribute to obesity, onset of Type 2 diabetes, renal failure, high blood pressure or cholesterol that can cause cardiac issues like a heart attack or stroke, blood vessel damage, vision loss, headaches, convulsions and even dementia.
If food is causing a negative impact on your life, maybe it’s time to change some of your eating habits so you can experience the best of life.
Create Your Personal Recipe for Success
Food is essential, but we should be mindful of what we ingest and how it affects us, incorporating elements that best fit our personal needs and lifestyle.
When contemplating dietary changes, remember that every individual is different. You may like or crave particular foods. You may have a different body size and shape or require certain nutrients that others don’t. You may have a medical condition, allergy or intolerance that will prohibit you from eating certain foods.
Eating healthy isn’t about forcing yourself to eat foods that you don’t enjoy. Bouvier explained that if food doesn’t bring you pleasure, you need to discover what flavors “make your tongue savor every last lick.”
Make improving your health in any way you can your priority. You don’t have to completely overhaul your diet. Mayo Clinic specialists suggest starting at your own pace and practicing some key healthy eating habits, like eating a daily breakfast that includes at least two food groups (whole grains, lean protein, dairy or fruits and vegetables).
And be sure to drink lots of water. Fluid is important for your body to function properly. According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), men need approximately 104 ounces per day while women need 72, but the actual amount varies depending on your health, your environment (drink more to stay hydrated on hot days!), how active you are and, for women, if you’re pregnant or breast feeding. Dehydration and thirst can actually mask themselves as hunger, so drinking water may keep you from ingesting unnecessary calories.
Tips & Tricks for Healthy Eating
Do you know what’s in your food? Try to eat “real” foods—whole foods or those containing just a few ingredients that you can easily identify—and cut down on processed foods such as chips, cookies and frozen dinners.
Be “politely picky” at restaurants. Choose items that are baked, broiled, roasted, seared, poached or steamed. Ask for sauces and dressings on the side, and consider veggies or fruit instead of French fries. Tell the waiter not to bring bread or taco chips to the table.
Most restaurants serve large portions, often loaded with fat and salt. You may be tempted to eat more than you want or need, so ask for smaller portions or request a to-go box when your meal is first served and save half of it for the next day. And, when serving yourself at home, serve food on smaller plates with a smaller spoon to limit your intake. Serve at the stove, not the table, so second portions are not right in front of you.
Practice mindful eating. Think of your food as fuel for your body. Slow down and savor it, allowing your brain to realize you’re feeling full. Remind yourself you want to feel satisfied, not stuffed. Learn to say “no.”
Other professionals’ suggestions for healthy eating habits include planning a weekly menu so you can have the ingredients on hand and avoid the drive through (though once in awhile it’s okay to indulge yourself!) Takeout options like salad, soup or grilled chicken from delis, supermarkets or restaurants are good choices in a pinch.
Eat smart at parties. Have a healthy snack before you go and then fill a small plate half full with fruit and veggies. Opt for just a small bite of high-calorie dishes or desserts.
When you cook, make a double batch. You can add that sliced leftover chicken to a salad or stir fry; cooked ground beef is great for tacos or chili. Use a slow cooker so a hot, healthy meal is waiting for you when you get home.
Bouvier wants us to know that we should not be as concerned about how we look—we should concentrate on nourishing our bodies. Fad diets may work for awhile, but may not be good for your overall health. Or, when you decide to stop following the rigid guidelines, you may reverse your progress and make your condition worse.
Don’t try to make too many changes at once. Aim for one specific eating goal at a time, and reward yourself when you meet it.
Skip the TV food shows, magazines and blogs. You’ll be less tempted. Don’t eat in front of the computer or TV. And get support and accountability from family or friends.
A food journal can be a helpful tool to make you more aware of your choices and help you stick to a healthier diet—and perhaps even lose weight! You can access online tools or mobile apps, or just use plain old pencil and paper.
Incorporate the Best Ingredients
“Veggies, in particular, are an essential component to a healthy, fiber and nutrient rich diet,” Bouvier said. “But let’s face it, not everyone enjoys eating salads or steamed broccoli. Thankfully, there are a ton of ways to include more veggies” in your diet.
Her favorite ways are adding veggies to smoothies and pasta sauces and incorporating them as snacks on toast or crackers. Try flavored hummus with crunchy snacks like nut-based crackers, or spread some fresh avocado on your whole wheat toast. Surprise! Avocado is a healthy fat and may even be a weight loss stimulant.
Salads are a great way to get your veggies, but be sure not to add high fat or high sugar dressings. Add some herbs for flavor, and use olive oil and vinegar or simply lemon juice to top it off.
Yes, some vegetables are more starchy and high-carb, like potatoes and winter squashes, but they do still have fiber and nutrients. Just limit your intake.
And you don’t have to avoid carbs altogether. After all, carbs provide our bodies with much needed fuel. Just try to limit simple carbs. Replace white bread with whole wheat or rye, white rice with brown rice, and French fries or hash browns with veggies or fruit. Consider including some oats and barley. It’s also beneficial to eat the bulk of your carbs earlier in the day so your body has plenty of time to burn them off for energy.
Experiment! Try some different healthy grains like quinoa, millet, flaxseed, bulgur or triticale.
Of course, protein is essential in any meal, but try to avoid high-fat and processed meats as much as possible. Poultry is a good option, but make sure the skin is removed. Look for leaner pork chops or tenderloins. Skip the prime rib and go for lean pot roast, London broil or flank steak. Include some lamb. Use lower-fat ground beef. Enjoy plenty of fish, especially fatty fish filled with omega-3s like salmon, trout, herring, sardines or tuna, as well as other seafood, like shrimp, scallops and oysters.
Meats and seafood choices are best broiled, grilled or baked. Avoid fried foods and added butter or high-fat sauces as much as possible.
Vegetable-based alternatives, or ground turkey, for burgers and breakfast sausages may be another option, but make sure they don’t include a lot of bad ingredients.
Other great sources of protein and nutrients include eggs, dairy (replace your high fat cheese with feta or goat cheese!) and non-dairy alternatives like soy as well as seeds, avocados, legumes (chickpeas, lentils or peanuts), beans and, of course, nuts!
And be sure to limit your sugar intake. Cut back in steps—going cold turkey is not advisable for success. For starters, consider skipping the sugary sodas or adding less or no sugar to your beverages, cereals or main dishes. You can replace sugary foods and desserts with fresh or baked fruits, but again, watch the amounts. Try some fruit you’ve never eaten. And pay attention to added sugars in condiments.
Since we detect 80 percent of flavor by smell, you may be able to trick your brain with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.
“You are the owner of your nourishment and the owner of the foods you include and the food you don’t,” Bouvier said. Strive for healthy!
Not sure what's right for you? Seek help from a professional.
Enjoy a Snack!
Keep yourself satisfied and energized all day with some healthy snacks. Have some dark chocolate (72+ percent cocoa), nuts, popcorn, cheese, peanut butter, yogurt or fruit in moderation.
Pizza can be in your diet!
Start with a salad to help fill you up. Order a thin crust (or cauliflower crust), pile on vegetables, and skip the meat. Ask for extra sauce—and half the cheese. Enjoy one or two slices and take the rest home.
Sneak in some healthy ingredients!
Swap out pasta for spiralized zucchini or spaghetti squash, replace rice with riced cauliflower or add some spinach, peppers, onions or mushrooms to your breakfast omelet.
You can use unsweetened applesauce to replace sugar when baking muffins, bread and cake. Start with one-to-one swaps and experiment until you’re satisfied (you’ll need to reduce recipe liquids by about one-quarter cup).
” including our social interactions”
This coming right after a picture of lots of beans.... ;-)
It’s innocent-seeming advice (articles) like this that is leading people to the slaughter. Most if not all the people vulnerable to new infections are made so because they have the diabetic comorbidities of eating as many carbohydrates (plant-based), while subtlely being encouraged to eliminate essential proteins and fat (animal-based) — which are the building blocks of animal (human) cells, tissues, organs.
It’s been noted that most of those Antifa rioters (protesters) are these skinny (emaciated) white kids — who should be obvious by anybody capable of discriminating significant differences — are these self-righteous vegans (animal-rights) — whose brains and muscles have deteriorated because of that deficiency — that no amount of plant-based sugars and fiber is going to replace — no matter how fake it is.
So we are suffering the consequences of the dietary dictums mandated by that great liberal Senator George McGovern 43 years ago — that has produced the real epidemic of these times as the diabetic comorbidities (metabolic syndromes) — that make people deteriorate with time (age-related diseases) due to the accumulation of toxic amounts of sugar in their body replacing healthy tissues — beginning with the brain — and then proceeding to sarcopenia (muscle-atrophy and neuropathy) — as the expected outcome of age — and not rightfully, diet, proper exercise and lifestyle.
Even my health plan recommends highly during this pandemic to eliminate all animal products as unneccesary -— while doubling up on fruits (the worst kind of sugar) and grains — which cause allergies in many people — which allergists like Dr. Fauci will insist, has no relation to everything else going wrong in the body.
That is the perfect world for specialists of all stripes to maximize their profit — as diseases and prescriptions multiply without hope for any cures and reversals — as Dr. Fauci famously promotes through the gullible science deficient media as the “liberal arts.”
Honestly, prepare all your own meals and use very little processed foods.... butter instead of margarine...spices instead of heavy salt...
Olive oil instead of corn oils.....
Most importantly, limit portions and eat slowly.....
Enjoy your desserts and treats but limit them to just a few times a week.....
Drink red wine a few times a week.....
Quality, not Quantity.....
Stay healthy and happy this New Year......
Great response. I have gone more carnivore over the last few years. I eat lots of fatty ribeye,eggs and grassfed ground beef. Dr Paul Saladino has great youtubes about carnivore
Steak is good, too!
My chips are made from potatoes, fried in lard and sprinkled with salt.
Can some please tell me what is unreal about that?
We are so blessed in this country with an abundance of inexpensive food.....
With a little cooking experience (easily obtained from a variety of internet sources) you can eat like a king on a very limited budget....Fabulous meals.....
Cooking is fun and easy.....The more you practice the better you get.....
All that sounds good except the onions. I seem to have lost my taste for them unless they are grilled, and for a long time. They overwhelm the taste of everything around them, which is why McDonald’s has chopped/diced them for years.
Recently, however, I did try a Rattatoulie type dish with onions, apples, pears, potatoes, and turnips. All of them were kind of hard so it made sense to cook them all in one pot, with plenty of hot sauces and spices. That was how the onions didn’t overwhelm the taste.
Try getting one of those cheap vegetable roaster things you hold over an open fire. Plenty of oil, salt, and pepper. You’ll notice the difference, and it’s probably a tad healthier.
I’d say the most important thing you can do to eat healthy is to dress for dinner and sit at the dining room table instead of eating off a plate in front of the tv. You’re more aware of your food, more aware of the taste, more aware of what you are putting on your place, and if you have social company that tends to reinforce good habits as you know other people are watching what you’re eating.
It may come down to that: the really healthy — and those susceptible to every new disease that comes down the pike — including the ones that Fauci patents and invents.
The bottom line is baseline immunity — and how that can be maintained and sustained all one’s life, and not just lying around long term care centers waiting for an excuse to die. That’s not a viable life — no matter how long they can exist that way — and with Bill Gates money, he can exist forever in a vat full of vaccines to ensure he never dies — and when he goes, like the pharaohs of old, he’s taking everybody with him.
So when there is despair about the future of existence, I already know viable alternatives exist — that say there are cures for virtually most diseases, and even reversible — instead of the dictums of Fauci who proclaims there are no cures and everyone who offers one should be suppressed, censored and banished by the complicit dupes at Facebook, Google, and of course, old dying media — who also are going to take everybody with them when they do.
Kinda like lawyers urging people to go out and commit crimes so they’ll have to defend them in court.......................
We do most of that.
Use Olive oil instead of butter or margarine and no corn, soybean or canola oils.............
And no bread or cakes..............
Butter is great for you used properly....... think flavor enhancer not Paula Dean cooking.....
Breads and cakes in moderation...... not abstinence......
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