5 Quick Tips to Healthy Eating and Nutrition

In today's fast paced society, eating healthy is usually the last thing on our minds. Between running to the office and picking up our kids from school, who has time to fix a healthy meal? Than I started noticing that as a family we eat out about 5 times a week, this isn't healthy. I decided that it was time for us to start a healthy eating, nutrition plan. While planning out my new healthy live plan I consulted the healthy eating pyramid and decide to follow it. There are 5 basic steps.

The first step is to get the family to start exercising regularly. As a family we spend too much time in front of the TV. The kids need to be out running around, enjoying life and just being kids. As adults we need to set an example, so its back to the gym.

The second step is to focus on food not just grams. You want to make sure everybody eats enough of the right foods. Watching the amount of calories you intake on a daily bases should come from the kind of food you eat not the amount of food you eat. Healthy eating, nutrition began with what you put in your mouth.

The third step is to eat more plants. You want to make sure your daily diet includes plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole gains and healthy fats. Your healthy fats should consist of items like olive and canola oil. A good rule of thumb to follow is if it to eat what comes from the ground not what's been processed in a laboratory.

The fourth step is to cut out or way back on the typical "American" staple foods. You know the foods that are quick and easy to get a hold of, like refined grains, sugary drinks and salty snacks. You will also want to limit the amount of red meat and potatoes you consume. We all know these are some of our favorites, but you will feel a lot better once these are eliminated from your diet.

The fifth and final step is to add a multi-vitamin, and if you're an adult you may want to have a drink. Taking a multi-vitamin is like adding a good nutrition insurance policy. Even if you're eating the correct foods some of the vitamins may be lost in the cooking process, therefore a multi-vitamin is a good way to make sure you're getting the recommended amount. Adding a drink may have added health benefits for some people, however, it's not good for everyone. Besides having the drink at the end of a busy day, may be a good way to relax.

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Healthy Eating, Healthy World: Unleashing the Power of Plant-Based Nutrition

Food Rules: A Doctor's Guide to Healthy Eating

Fats

Fats

The nutrients that fuel the body, Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats, are vital to proper body functioning. Fats are needed for human survival. According to the trusted source, American Heart Association, about 25-35% of our daily food and beverage intake should be from fats.

Healthful fats include:
Vegetable oils such as olive, canola, peanut, and sesame oils; also soybean, corn, and safflower oils.

These plant foods contain healthy fats:
Olives, avocados, many nuts and seeds including almonds, peanuts and peanut butter, walnuts, and sunflower seeds.

Other healthful fats come from fatty fish such as:
Salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, and trout.

We need to consume fats for these needs:
Cell growth and development; Cushion for the organs; For absorption of certain nutrients including vitamins A, D, E, and K; Fats aid in keeping the body warm and help in the production of certain hormones; Fats provide taste, consistency, and stability to foods. The body needs fats, but not as much fat as most people eat.

Heart Health Tip:
Reduce saturated fats by choosing lean cuts of beef and pork; baked or grilled fish and skinless poultry. Saturated fats come mostly from animals. Reduce trans fats by seldom eating fried foods, minimizing baked sweets, such as pastries, and avoiding stick margarines and vegetable shortening. Both saturated and trans fats
contribute to raising the risk of heart disease.