Healthy Eating Tips Continued

Success is steady progress toward one's personal goals.
Jim Rohn
Remember with each eating tip try to incorporate one suggestion to your life style; make small changes and stick with them!

Remember, make it S.M.A.R.T.:

S=Specific

M=Measurable

A=Action oriented

R=Realistic

T=Time bound

Make it specific enough that you know exactly what you are striving for, measurable so you can tell exactly when the goal has been reached.  What's the action that will produce the results and realistic in that it is practical and can be achieved.  Time and resource constrained means that it has a definite deadline for completion.

Healthy eating tip 6: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats

Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails.  Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood and help prevent dementia.

Add to your healthy diet:

§  Monounsaturated fats, from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans), and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame).

§  Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and walnuts.

Reduce or eliminate from your diet:

§  Saturated fats, found primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy products.

§  Trans fats, found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Healthy eating tip 7: Put protein in perspective

Protein gives us the energy to get up and go—and keep going. Protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the body’s basic building blocks for growth and energy, and essential for maintaining cells, tissues, and organs. A lack of protein in our diet can slow growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system. Protein is particularly important for children, whose bodies are growing and changing daily.

Here are some guidelines for including protein in your healthy diet:

Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different protein sources—such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu and soy products—will open up new options for healthy mealtimes.

§  Beans:  Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils are good options.

§  Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and pecans are great choices.

§  Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh, and veggie burgers for a change.

§  Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans.

Focus on quality sources of protein, like fresh fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, eggs, beans or nuts. When you are having meat, chicken, or turkey, buy meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics.

Nothing will change in your life if you don't do something different from what you have been doing.

E. Perry Good