Protandim

Healthy eating can be as easy as crossing items off a list. When most people hear the term ‘eating healthy,’ they immediately get a bad taste in their mouth—no pun intended. They imagine abstaining from their favorite foods, eating tasteless, bland meals and being hungry all the time. The fact is you don’t have to suffer through any of those things to eat healthy. The following guidelines can help you develop healthy eating habits without wanting to pull your hair out.

1. Eat high-fiber foods. These include fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains. These contain the good carbohydrates that are nutritious and are low in calories. Fiber helps slow the absorption of carbohydrates so there’s less effect on insulin and blood sugar. These foods also provide essential vitamins and minerals.

2. Control your sugars! Sugar is the most popular additive. In some way we add it to every meal we consume. Bread products that contain refined grain such as white bread and salty snack foods block the absorption of vitamins and minerals if consumed in excess.

3. Portion control is key. We all have our guilty pleasures that are usually high in calories and low in nutrition. It’s acceptable to eat these, but in moderation. With the advent of super-sized meal, Americans believe, more and more, that bigger is better.

4. Focus on getting your vitamins and minerals from foods and not from supplements. It is easier for the body to absorb vitamins and minerals from healthy foods and from powders and pills.

5. Control your fats. Cutting down on animal fat that his high in saturated fat can help lower cholesterol levels. Instead choose lean meats like skinless poultry and low or non-fat dairy products. Trans-fats are also a trouble area. By cutting back on trans-fats, which are supplied by hydrogenated vegetable oils used in processed foods, you can lower you cholesterol and blood pressure. Eating foods that contain healthy unsaturated fats can aid in healthy living. Foods such as fish and nuts contain the good kind of fat and can help you on your healthy eating journey.

6. Give yourself some variety. Don’t eat the same foods everyday or you won’t get very far on your path to healthy eating. Try new foods or new food combinations. This will help keep meals exciting and not let your pallet get bored.

7. Alcohol, alcohol, alcohol. Moderation is the key when consuming alcohol. There is a lot of hype about the health benefits of red wine, but the benefits come from the grapes, not the alcohol. One glass of wine per day is the recommended amount.