Did you know that about 80% of heart disease and stroke can be prevented through a healthy diet lifestyle and habits, including eating a healthy diet? However, it doesn’t have to mean radically changing your diet! It could be as simple as adding an extra ingredient to your meal or going for alternatives.
5 steps to improve your health habits while achieving your health goals:
1. Choosing whole grains
Whole-grain foods include whole-grain bread and crackers, oatmeal, and brown rice which are rich in fiber and can keep you full for longer periods of time. These are better options instead of processed grains like white bread or pasta.
2. Make your oatmeal with skim or 1% milk instead of water
Now that we’re eating whole grain foods, you might as well try eating your oatmeal with skim milk to boost the protein and calcium content in your breakfast. Surprisingly, using ⅔ cups of skim milk already adds 6 grams of protein and 205 mg of calcium!
3. Water as your drink of choice
Water keeps you hydrated without adding unnecessary calories to your diet. It is also preferred over energy drinks, fruit juice, soft drinks, and flavored coffee which are loaded with sugar but have no nutritional value.
4. Bake or roast your food
The way food is prepared can also have serious effects on your health. In the process of grilling or frying, potentially toxic compounds are formed, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, advanced glycation end products, and heterocyclic amines. Healthier alternatives to these cooking methods are baking, roasting, poaching, pressure cooking, and stewing.
5. Eat more protein
Protein is known to help build and maintain your bones, muscles, and skin. It is also important to prevent muscle loss as you grow older, keeping your metabolism intact – resulting in a heavier diet for you. So, before you decide to go for that calorie-dense slice of cake, consider going for healthier diet food such as dairy products, soy, fish, eggs, yogurts, or lean meats which will actually satiate your hunger and make you stronger.
It’s good to know that there are much simpler ways to become healthier without having to overhaul your current diet. Through small changes, we unknowingly adapt to something which we initially thought to be difficult and maintain our productivity with nutrition. In the end, we find ourselves leading a more sustainable and healthful way of living.
Want to know more? Feel free to send us an email at info@holifit.ph for more information.
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We’re with you,
Team HoliFit
References:
Bjarnadottir, A. (2022, January 4). 25 simple tips to make your diet healthier. Healthline. Retrieved January 21, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthy-eating-tips#TOC_TITLE_HDR_7
Magee, E. (n.d.). 11 simple steps to a healthy diet. WebMD. Retrieved January 21, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/11-simple-steps-to-a-healthier-diet#1
Healthy eating basics. Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21, 2022, from https://www.heartandstroke.ca/healthy-living/healthy-eating/healthy-eating-basics
