Contributed by: Healthians Team
Introduction
Do you have joint discomfort and wonder why it’s happening even if you’re not injured? Or does it hurt your back when you raise even a small amount of weight? Or do you get tired after a short walk or run, or after climbing a few stairs?
This might be a sign that you could be either lacking essential nutrients or your body might be telling that it’s time to revisit your lifestyle choices. One of the critical ones being that you should reconsider your eating habits and replace them with healthier ones.
The functioning of your body directly depends on what you eat. A healthy diet routine can improve your heart health, reduce the risk of cancer, can positively influence your mood, boost your memory, improve your gut health, aid in healthy weight loss, help manage diabetes, and make your teeth and bones strong.
Whereas, the habit of eating unhealthy foods can lead to the development of a host of disorders, such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and such an unhealthy diet can also harm your bones and eyes.
Through each of the previous two articles of this series (first and second), we recommended several scientifically proven healthy eating habits to adopt in your lifestyle that can benefit your overall health. This article is the third and final episode which will take you through seven more dietary practices you can implement to make healthy changes in your eating patterns.
Fiber for fitness
Fiber-rich foods are extremely beneficial for your health. They help in maintaining a healthy weight, may reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, improve your heart health & digestion, manage your cholesterol levels, and may even reduce the risk of developing cancer.
We advise you to initially keep the pace of fiber consumption slow and increase gradually to avoid the risk of gut complications like bloating and gas. Bananas, strawberries, apples, carrots, broccoli, oats, popcorn, almonds, and sweet potatoes are some of the great sources of fiber.
Healthy fat for a healthy weight
Those extra inches around your waist might be worrying you and you may think of cutting down on foods rich in fat. However, not all fats are unhealthy. These are known as unsaturated fats. It not only helps you manage body weight but may also improve your mental and heart health, aid in lowering cholesterol levels, and even fight fatigue. The easily available foods rich in unsaturated fats are eggs, nuts, olive oil, coconut oil, and yogurt.
Dry fruits to nourish the health
Dry fruits like almonds, apricots, cashews, raisins, and walnuts are a powerhouse of nutrients that are enriched with proteins, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers. They are beneficial for your health in numerous ways which involve boosting your immunity, promoting weight loss, improving skin health, promoting healthy digestion, managing heart health, and improving bone health.
Add more salad to the diet
Salads are easy to prepare and full of nutrients. The best part is that it goes in a combination which you can change based on your taste and preferences. Making salad involves using fresh fruits and vegetables, and it is highly beneficial for your health. Eating salad regularly will increase your fiber intake and offer you a host of benefits, some of which include:
- Nutritional goodness of various fruits and vegetables
- Improved digestion
- Lowered calorie intake
- Healthy weight gain
Lower your sugar intake
Consumption of a high amount of sugar can increase the risk of diabetes, heart attack, and even stroke. However, consuming a moderate amount of natural or minimal processed sugar can be beneficial for your health. Foods that are rich in natural sugar are often recommended to cancer patients and are also known to aid in the prevention of cancer. Natural sugar can be found in foods like bananas, cherries, watermelons, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, and oranges.
Opt for healthy oils
Consumption of refined and highly processed oil is very common, but it can cause serious health issues such as heart illnesses and liver ailments. You should replace your ordinary cooking oil with healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil for a healthier diet and to greatly reduce the chances of the onset of diseases.
Healthy food equals healthy weight
Maintaining a healthy weight can improve your cardiovascular health and minimize the risk of obesity. Foods like eggs, green vegetables, boiled potatoes, vegetable soups, apple cider vinegar, nuts, whole-grain foods, and fruits can help you lose weight and achieve your desired weight goals.
Final thoughts
Your food habits have a direct impact on your overall health. Consuming unhealthy food can increase the risk of health complications, which may be severe in some cases. We highly recommend that you should consider changing your unhealthy eating practices with foods that are beneficial for your health.
