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Nine
Suggestions for Creating a Healthy Diet
by Charlie Skeen
For the last several years
there has been an increase in the sales of supplements of every kind.
And while many of them have proven to be quite helpful, it seems the
majority of the people do not understand the vital importance of creating
a healthy diet. Many people feel that if they are taking supplements
that this will make up for a bad diet. What people fail to recognize
is that the supplements they are taking only contain what scientists
have thus far discovered. There are still many unknown nutrients and
other beneficial substances in food that the body either requires or
is beneficial.
The best way to use supplements is to first take a close look at your
diet so as to eat as healthy as possible then supplement according to
your individual needs. By doing this you will provide the best situation
for feeding your body for maximum health.
Below is list of nine suggestions on how to create a healthy diet.
1. We shouldn’t force ourselves to eat something just because someone else says it’s good for us. We must develop our sense of taste and smell and allow the intelligence of our own body to guide us as to what we should eat and drink allowing us to derive greater pleasure from eating.
2. Do not eat with distractions such as reading, listening to the TV and radio. discussing business, or while emotionally disturbed. When we eat with distractions or under emotional distress, we fail to focus our attention fully on the job at hand, eating. By not fully focusing on our eating we deprive ourselves of the full pleasure of eating which can impede proper digestion. Over time this can lead to such digestive disturbances as flatulence, constipation, heartburn, and reduced nutrient absorption.
3. Eat a variety of foods. This will insure our getting all of the nutrients needed and will reduce our exposure to toxins, both natural and manmade.
4. Eat fresh foods as much as possible. Processed foods have less fiber, nutrition, and enzyme activity. These foods also have too much salt, sugar, fat, and contain unwanted and unneeded food additives. By eating fresh foods as much as possible it will help us develop our sense of taste and smell to prefer healthier food selections.
5. People need to eat less food. Over consumption of food leads to over nutrition which researchers feel stresses the body. Studies have revealed that animals fed less food lived longer and had fewer health problems.
6. We need to learn to enjoy simple foods. Many foods in our society are prepared to appeal to the senses more than good nutrition. By eating more food in their natural state or with just a little seasoning such as olive oil and fresh lemon juice, we can train our senses of taste and smell to adjust to a healthier eating program.
7. We need to eat a balanced diet that is more conducive to good health. This would be one designed to be high in complex carbohydrates, low to moderate in protein, and low in fat. The foods from animal sources should be fewer than the amount consumed today while the fat consist of minimum amounts of both saturated and polyunsaturated.
8. We need to eat our vegetables. Vegetables are storehouses of critical nutrients for maintaining the health and integrity of the human body. Besides being abundant in vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants, they are also excellent sources of fiber. In eating our vegetables we shouldn’t use them as an excuse to consume the various dips, and sauces, butters, and butter substitutes. We also shouldn’t take a perfectly healthy vegetable, dip it in batter, and then fry it. Both fresh, raw vegetables and properly cooked vegetables can be used. In fact, some vegetables are better cooked making it easier to assimilate the nutrients.
9. We need to experiment with our diet trying new kinds
of foods and food combinations. By paying attention to how our body
responds to the foods we eat we can find the best diet for us as an
individual. Also, we shouldn’t be afraid to stop eating certain foods
or following certain diets, if we discover that it brings no pleasure
or we receive no positive benefits. By forcing ourselves to eat foods
that we do not enjoy or cannot digest well, we not only would be impairing
the digestive process, but in the long run our health could be adversely
affected in other ways. To maximize the digestive process, It is essential
that we enjoy and take great pleasure in eating.
