Eating for LIFE

Have ever wondered if it is really possible to eat right every day? Our schedules, responsibilities and general lack of time all add up to be powerful roadblocks to establishing good eating habits.

So how do we fight back? How do we take control of our nutritional health? While there are no easy answers, there are things you can do to give your nutritional health a big boost.

Healthy Eating Tips
Only your doctor can suggest a nutritional plan that’s right for you. Before starting any nutritional plan consult with your physician. You doctor may suggest a variety of steps you can take to enhance your nutritional health. These steps may include: Balancing your diet – It is important for each one of us to eat a balanced diet. A balanced diet contains quality, nutritional foods that help our bodies run efficiently. Each one of us have different nutritional needs. Your doctor is the best person to help you determine what a "balance diet" means for you. Eating a variety of quality foods – When eating, try to eat a variety of foods that have high nutritional quality. Fruits, vegetables, beans and foods rich in protein are quality fuel for your body. In their natural form these wholesome, unprocessed foods are generally lower in sugar, salt, fat and cholesterol. Avoiding foods with high fat and cholesterol – We live in a society, where high fat and high cholesterol quick and easy food choices are all around us. Let’s face it, it’s just easier to stop at the local burger joint, than it is to go home and cook after working all day. But, you can fight back. Here are just a few "low fat" tips to keep in mind when eating: Eat boiled or baked foods rather than fried foods. Limit your intake of organ meats, eggs, butter, margarine, creams and oils. Whenever possible remove skin from poultry and trim fat from meats. Eat low calorie sauces and dressings. Slice your butter or margarine in thinner pads. Use unsaturated fat oils, instead of products made with coconut, palm oils or cocoa butter. Limiting sugar intake – Almost all of us need to eat less sugar. Too much sugar not only may cause weight gain and dental disease, but it also is too often used to replace the more nutritional foods we should be eating. To help reduce your sugar intake by: Cutting sugar recipes by a 1/3 to 1/4 of the amount. Limiting high sugar junk foods like candy bars, pastries and ice creams. Eating more fruits and other natural foods that are healthier and do not added sugar. Read the labels on the foods you buy carefully. If sugar is at the top of the ingredients list, thin about making another food selection. Eating less salt – Studies have shown that when we reduce our salt intake, our blood pressure levels tend to be much lower. Lower blood pressure levels help to enhance our chances of not getting heart attacks or strokes. We can reduce salt in our diet by: Using more herbs for seasoning. Reducing your intake of salty foods like chips, pretzels and salted nuts. Using frozen instead of canned fish. Cooking without salt or reducing the amount of salt used. Eliminating the salt shaker from the table Consuming the proper amount of carbohydrates – High carb foods such as potatoes, rice, bread and vegetables are low in calories, packed with nutrients and are high in fiber. Carbohydrates are an important fuel source for your body. Remember, carbohydrates themselves are not half as fattening as the toppings we put on them such as butter and sour cream. Getting more dietary fiber – While fiber itself is not a source of nutrients, it is important part of what we eat. Fiber in our diet helps us to, digest and excrete our food, prevent constipation and enhance our chances of not developing bowel conditions such as cancer and diverticulitis. Good sources of fiber are: Whole grain bread Unprocessed cereals such as oatmeal, bran or shredded wheat Brown rice Cooked dry peas or beans Fresh fruits and vegetables Nuts and seeds

As with any health program, it takes more than just a few steps in an article to ensure good health. Any good nutrition program will also include weight management, exercise and proper water/fluid consumption. Your doctor is the best person to help you create a complete nutritional plan. Make an appointment with your doctor today and start taking charge of your nutritional health.