10 Easy Ways To Improve Your Nutrition

A strong, healthy body leads to a clear, active mind, and an open, giving spirit.  Good nutrition is the very foundation of good health.  If you want your body, mind, and spirit to thrive, then you need to fill your body with the right balance of delicious, nutritious food.  It goes without saying that you should eliminate processed foods from your diet — they are packed with salt, sugar, preservatives, and chemicals.  But what should you eat, and how often?  Learning more about nutrition is a great way to support your goals of better health, but you don’t need to take a deep dive into the deep well of nutrition research to become an informed consumer.  Why not start by focusing on these 10 smart nutrition takeaways to jumpstart your healthy eating.

1. Eat more whole, organic, plant-based foods to create a fiber-filled diet, rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, and legumes. Make vegetables the star.  Eating vegetables is linked with a reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes and a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease.  Eating vegetables also promotes healthier blood pressure and weight loss.  Vegetables also have fiber, which women need at least 25 grams of every day.  For vegetables and fruits, go for color and variety — dark green, yellow, orange, and red.  These foods are rich in essential nutrients and critical to good health.

2. Include a source of lean protein in every meal. Nuts and beans are great choices.

3. Choose foods with healthy fats, limit foods high in saturated fat, and avoid foods with trans fat. Avocados, plant oils, and nuts are the healthiest sources.

4. A healthy gut is a happy gut. A large portion of your immune system is in your gut, so keeping it healthy extremely important.  Eat foods that contain probiotics, which can aid digestion and create and maintain a good balance of healthy bacteria in your gut.  Probiotics are found in natural foods like plant-based yogurts, coconut kefir, miso, kimchi, and sauerkraut.

5. Stay hydrated. At 1-3% dehydration there’s a noticeable effect on health and performance, including mental clarity, moodiness, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and more.  OHI recommends you drink half your body weight in ounces of pure water daily.  For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you need to drink 75 ounces of pure water every day.  And ditch the flavored water.  Instead, try adding a slice of cucumber, lemon, or a sprig of herbs to your water for a healthy splash of flavor.

6. Practice mindful eating. Focus on the food in front of you instead of looking at your phone or watching television.  When you focus on the food you make healthier choices, you eat only until sated, and you enjoy the experience of eating more fully.

7. A daily multivitamin is a great nutrition insurance policy. Add in a Vitamin D supplement and an Omega-3 supplement to take advantage of their extensive health benefits.

8. Walk away from the pantry in times of stress. Eating is one coping mechanism, but emotional eating can lead to struggles with weight, sleep, and mood.  Find other coping mechanisms that are better for your body — go for a walk, do some stretches, listen to music, phone a friend, etc.

9. Don’t eat if you’re not hungry. Listen to your hunger cues.  Some people prefer to eat breakfast as soon as they get up.  Others prefer to skip breakfast altogether.  Some people eat three meals a day.  Others eat five to seven small meals per day.  Listen to your body, and only eat when you’re genuinely hungry.

10. Have a plan for eating IN — It’s easier to eat nutritious, healthy foods when you have a plan. Eat breakfast before you leave for work.  Pack a lunch.  Reach for healthy snacks.  Have a plan for eating OUT — Look at the menu online before you go to a restaurant.  Ask for food to be served with no added salt, oil, or butter.  Load up at the salad bar.  Choose a lean protein, and ask for it to be prepared without salt or sauces.

At OHI, we believe your body is self-healing.  When given the proper food, it can restore itself to its natural balance.  When you stay with us, we’ll feed you food in its purest form — fresh, organic, and raw — to best support your journey to optimum health!  YUM!

Our entire OHI for Life Body-Mind-Spirit Program – including our classes, diet, and community fellowship – supports all dimensions of wellness. Remember, wellness is a life-long pursuit.  Strive for balance, control what you can (diet, exercise, stress), and surround yourself with supportive care for the rest of it.  May the changes you make to your wellness habits change your life for the better! Visit our website at www.optimumhealth.org, and call us at (800) 588-0809 to make your reservation.