May 21, 2013

Diet And Health: What You Need To Know About Nutrition

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By Steve Jones


There is no doubt that nutrition is critical to health and wellness. You may want to be more healthy, but do you know how to take the first step? Becoming healthy is not as difficult as you may think. Apply this advice and you can lead a happier and healthier life.

Eliminate sugars, salts and fats. Your body craves these, but they're bad for you. They never fill you up and only increase your health problems. Try eating sugar when you are craving sweets. In terms of fats and salts, the addition of spices to dishes can really enhance the flavor.

Have you tried a healthy puree of peaches, pears or berries? This tastes great with pretzels or spread on pita chips. Try different fruits as well as different preparation methods to ensure that you don't get tired of this snack.

Avoid the desire to simultaneously change every aspect in your life. Write down what you want to do, and diligently mark things off as you go. Start with the worst things like sodas and fried foods, and you will be able to do even harder things once you are more experienced.

A food journal is a great idea to help keep you motivated towards your goals. You can track what you're eating through an online food diary. If you can see a record of your food consumption, your diet can be adjusted if needed in order to receive better nutrition.

Salads have long been thought of as health foods; however, the dressings many people use are unhealthy. Creamy dressings have a lot of fat and not many beneficial nutrients. Either pick a vinaigrette or whip up a homemade dressing that includes olive oil and vinegar. Walnuts can also inject taste into your salad, along with other fruits and vegetables.

Take the time to find new ways of cooking with recipes that are healthy and fun to make. The prospect of discovering something that is as healthy as it is delicious is an alluring prospect. It also makes it easier to stick with your program. This will take away the obligatory feeling when you are creating a healthy dish.

Healthy fats like Omega-3's are important to include in your diet everyday. Fried and greasy foods that are high in fat are not healthy for you. Avoid these unhealthy fats. Sources of healthy fats are seeds, nuts, olive oil and fish, and these should be consumed daily for optimal health.

A quick and easy way to lower the amount of fat you consume is to trade whole milk for low fat versions, or even milk that has no fat at all. The nutritional content of milk is the same regardless of fat content, so whole milk is useless except for the rare case where you want to gain weight.

To lower your risk of depression naturally, eat foods that contain Vitamin B6. Depression is often caused by an imbalance in serotonin, and vitamin B6 regulates serotonin levels. Asparagus, chicken and wheat germ are all good sources of vitamin B6. In the winter months, serotonin levels are even more important.

If you've got a craving for chocolate, try eating the dark variety. Dark chocolate is pretty healthy and has lots of antioxidants to make the splurge a little more worthwhile.

No one enjoys depriving themselves of food. You don't deprive yourself when it comes to nutrition; it's about eating right, more often and moderating less healthy foods. You should apply the different tips you just read and start making small changes to your diet.




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