“PERSONALIZE YOUR PLATE”
Would you like to start eating a healthy diet but just don’t know where to start? Join the rest of us! There is a parade of “healthy” diets in every magazine, on the internet – we get bombarded with what’s good for us and what isn’t good for us. How are we supposed to figure this out? What should we believe? What’s good for us? It seems like a daunting task.
But good for us – it’s actually quite simple!
First of all, focus on what you SHOULD have to eat and not what you SHOULDN’T eat. Feeling like you are depriving yourself doesn’t get you anywhere except into the cookie jar when no one is looking.
What is a healthy diet? Briefly, it includes the following: vegetables of all kinds, fruits (especially the whole fruit), whole grains, dairy, protein (lean meats, beans, eggs, poultry, seafood), oils (vegetable oils and oils in food such as seafood and nuts). There! That’s pretty easy, right?
What should I avoid? Added sugars (like soda pop, candy, alcohol), saturated fat and sodium should be very limited. We already know that!
12 Simple Helpful Tidbits to a Healthier You:
1) Nuts are incredibly nutritious and healthy.
2) Avoid junk foods.
3) Stay away from refined carbs (white bread, pasta, cookies)
4) Eat fatty fish (salmon, cod, catfish) – good omega-3 fatty acids.
5) Drink water – especially before meals.
6) Stay away from too much alcohol.
7) Eat fruits and vegetables.
8) Get enough protein.
9) Use extra-virgin olive oil.
10) Minimize your sugar intake.
11) Use lots of herbs and spices.
12) Include fiber like brown rice, beans, lentils, berries, avocado, peas and broccoli.
See? That’s not hard to do. You’ll feel better, sleep better and look better! SO, WHY NOT GO FOR IT! And check out our website at www.addabbo.org during March for more healthy food tips each week from Viviana Bonilla, JPA Clinical Nutritionist.
