Tips for Planning, Enjoying, and Sticking to a Healthy Diet. What are the benefits of healthy eating? We all know that eating right can help you maintain a healthy weight and avoid certain health problems, but your diet can also have a profound effect on your mood and sense of wellbeing. Studies have linked eating a typical Western diet.
Eating an unhealthy diet may even play a role in the development of mental health disorders such as ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, and schizophrenia, or in the increased risk of suicide in young people. Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, cooking meals at home, and reducing your intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates, on the other hand, may help to improve mood and lower your risk for mental health problems. If you have already been diagnosed with a mental health problem, eating well can even help to manage your symptoms and regain control of your life. While some specific foods or nutrients have been shown to have a beneficial effect on mood, it’s your overall dietary pattern that is most important. That means switching to a healthy diet doesn’t have to be an all or nothing proposition. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet and make a difference to the way you think and feel. Switching to a healthy diet.
Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices. Cooking more meals at home can help you take charge of what you’re eating and better monitor exactly what goes into your food.
Make the right changes. When cutting back on unhealthy foods in your diet, it’s important to replace them with healthy alternatives. Replacing dangerous trans fats with healthy fats (such as switching fried chicken for grilled fish) will make a positive difference to your health.
Switching animal fats for refined carbohydrates, though (such as switching your breakfast bacon for a donut), won’t lower your risk for heart disease or improve your mood. Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness.
Focus on avoiding packaged and processed foods and opting for more fresh ingredients. Read the labels. It’s important to be aware of what’s in your food as manufacturers often hide large amounts of sugar or unhealthy fats in packaged food, even food claiming to be healthy.
When embarking on a detox diet it. These recipes represent. Diet Type ALA Food Sources EPA and DHA Food Sources; Vegan: many plants: sea plants; possibly land plant foods when fermented with the help of certain fungi. Engine 2® Plant-Strong® crusts are made with whole wheat, naturally sweetened with a touch of maple syrup, and stone baked for an authentic pizzeria taste As a registered nutritionist, the question . Frustratingly, the answer is.
Focus on how you feel after eating. This will help foster healthy new habits and tastes. The more healthy food you eat, the better you’ll feel after a meal. The more junk food you eat, the more likely you are to feel uncomfortable, nauseous, or drained of energy. Drink plenty of water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins, yet many people go through life dehydrated.
It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices. Moderation: the key to a healthy diet. What is moderation? In essence, it means eating only as much food as your body needs. You should feel satisfied at the end of a meal, but not stuffed.
Eating healthy foods regularly can help ward off nearly all types of illness. This also keeps your immune system in optimal working order. Health Benefits of Matcha Green Tea An Interview with Tea Expert Sebastian Beckwith. Of all the types of tea (red, black, green, white), which offers the most health. Next up is the roasted cauliflower.
Moderation is also about balance. We all need a balance of protein, fat, fiber, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body. But it doesn't mean eliminating the foods you love. Eating bacon for breakfast once a week, for example, could be considered moderation if you follow it with a healthy lunch and dinner. Start by reducing portion sizes of unhealthy foods and not eating them as often. As you reduce your intake of unhealthy foods, you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently.
When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entree, split a dish with a friend, and don't order supersized anything. At home, visual cues can help with portion sizes. Your serving of meat, fish, or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards and half a cup of mashed potato, rice, or pasta is about the size of a traditional light bulb. By serving your meals on smaller plates or in bowls, you can trick your brain into thinking it.
If you don't feel satisfied at the end of a meal, add more leafy green vegetables or round off the meal with fruit. Take your time. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly and stop eating before you feel full. Eat with others whenever possible.
Eating alone, especially in front of the TV or computer, often leads to mindless overeating. It's not just what you eat, but when you eat. Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, while eating small, healthy meals (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up.
Avoid eating at night. Try to eat dinner earlier and fast for 1. Studies suggest that eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestive system a long break each day may help to regulate weight.
Cut back on sugar. Aside from portion size, perhaps the single biggest problem with the modern Western diet is the amount of added sugar in our food. As well as creating weight problems, too much sugar causes energy spikes and has been linked to diabetes, depression, and even an increase in suicidal behaviors in young people. Reducing the amount of candy and desserts you eat is only part of the solution as sugar is also hidden in foods such as bread, cereals, canned soups and vegetables, pasta sauce, margarine, instant mashed potatoes, frozen dinners, low- fat meals, fast food, and ketchup. Your body gets all it needs from sugar naturally occurring in food so all this added sugar just means a lot of empty calories. Tips for reducing sugar in your diet.
Slowly reduce the sugar in your diet a little at a time to give your taste buds time to adjust and wean yourself off the craving. Avoid sugary drinks. Try drinking sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice instead. Don’t replace saturated fat with sugar.
Low- fat or no- fat doesn. For many of us, the added sugar could be doing more harm than the saturated fat it. Be careful when eating out. Instead, eat naturally sweet food such as fruit, peppers, or natural peanut butter to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Check labels and choose low- sugar products. Eat more fruit and vegetables.
Fruit and vegetables are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Focus on eating the recommended daily amount of at least five servings of fruit and vegetables and it will naturally fill you up and help you cut back on unhealthy foods.
A serving is half a cup of raw fruit or veg or a small apple or banana, for example. To increase your intake, add berries to breakfast cereals, eat fruit for dessert, swap your usual side dish for a salad, and snack on vegetables such as carrots, snow peas, or cherry tomatoes instead of processed snack foods. Branch out beyond lettuce. Kale, mustard greens, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage are all packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E, and K.
Sweet vegetables. Naturally sweet vegetables. Fruit is a tasty, satisfying way to fill up on fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Berries are cancer- fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on. Fill up on fiber.
Eating foods high in dietary fiber can help you stay regular, lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, and even help you to lose weight. Depending on your age and gender, nutrition experts recommend you eat at least 2.
Many of us aren't eating half that amount. In general, the more natural and unprocessed the food, the higher it is in fiber. Good sources of fiber include whole grains, wheat cereals, barley, oatmeal, beans, nuts, vegetables such as carrots, celery, and tomatoes, and fruits such as apples, berries, citrus fruits, and pears. There is no fiber in meat, dairy, or sugar. Refined or “white” foods, such as white bread, white rice, and pastries, have had all or most of their fiber removed.
An easy way to add more fiber to your diet is to start your day with a whole grain cereal or add unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal. How fiber can help you lose weight.
Since fiber stays in the stomach longer than other foods, the feeling of fullness will stay with you much longer, helping you to eat less. Fiber also moves fat through your digestive system quicker so less of it is absorbed. And when you fill up on fiber, you'll also have more energy for exercising. Choose healthy carbs and whole grains. Healthy carbohydrates, especially whole grains, provide long- lasting energy.
Whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable.
Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined sugar, and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber, and nutrients. They digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy. Tips for eating more whole grains. Include a variety of whole grains in your healthy diet, including whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and barley. Make sure you're really getting whole grains. In the U. S., check for the Whole Grain Stamps that distinguish between partial whole grain and 1.
Start by mixing grains. You can gradually increase the whole grain. Avoid refined carbs such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain. Add calcium for bone health. Your body uses calcium to build healthy bones and teeth, keep them strong as you age, send messages through the nervous system, and regulate the heart’s rhythm.
Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition. Lisa A. Pierson, DVMIf you do not want to read this entire webpage, please review this shortened version: Feeding Your Cat – Short version – 4 pages.
That may sound like a very obvious and basic statement but if you think about it. What does it mean to be an . It means that cats lack specific metabolic (enzymatic) pathways and cannot utilize plant proteins as efficiently as animal proteins. It is very important to remember that not all proteins are created equal. Proteins derived from animal tissues have a complete amino acid profile.
You would never see a wild cat chasing down a herd of biscuits running across the plains of Africa or dehydrating her mouse and topping it off with corn meal. In the wild, your cat would be eating a high protein, high- moisture, meat/organ- based diet, with a moderate level of fat and with only. The average dry food contains 3. Why are we feeding such a species- inappropriate diet? The cat’s lack of a strong thirst drive can lead to low- level, chronic dehydration when dry food makes up the bulk of their diet especially if they have any level of kidney insufficiency.
He is 1. 8 years old and still runs around like a kitten. Learn How To Read a Pet Food Ingredient Label. For more details regarding pet food ingredient labels, see Commercial Foods.
Note: . This is why it is important to not just consider the list of ingredients but to also look at the Cat Food Composition chart, or call the company for the information. A good example of the above issue is a food like canned Wellness.
At first glance, this food may be dismissed as inappropriate for a carnivore because it contains several high carbohydrate ingredients in the form of fruits and vegetables, including potatoes which are very high in starch (carbohydrate). However, the low carbohydrate level (3- 5%) tells us that the amount of fruits and vegetables is very low. Again, we would like to stay under 1. Grains and potatoes should be absent from a cat’s diet but, unfortunately, they are cheap so they are included in many commercial cat foods. Grains/potatoes are cheaper than meat. Stay away from food with gravy and sauces because they usually use high carbohydrate thickeners. Soy contains phytoestrogens and soy also negatively influences the thyroid gland.
Given how common hyperthyroidism is in the cat, soy has no business being in cat food. Unfortunately, soy is a common ingredient used by many pet food manufacturers – especially Purina – because it enhances their profit margin.
When considering allergies, the ingredient list is useful since we don’t care how much of the offending ingredient is in the food. In fact, they can be extremely nutritious. However, there is more variability when quality is being considered when compared to muscle meat. By- products are discussed in more detail on the Commercial Foods page in this.
A muscle meat will be listed as . A “meal” product is more commonly found in dry foods. By- products can include feet, intestines, feathers, egg shells, etc., which are less nutritious (less biologically valuable/digestible) than meat.
Avoid foods listing “liver” as a first ingredient. Liver is cheaper than muscle meat so it will increase a company’s profit margin when used in high amounts. Preservatives are important ingredients that we need to pay attention to. This label originally started out in the dry food market but it has now made its way to canned food labels.
A Siamese is no different from Persian or a Maine Coon – or an . No matter the breed, the cat is still an obligate carnivore. Royal Canin was one of the first companies to come out with these breed specific diets as a marketing gimmick.
The labels on Hill’s over- the- counter products contain a statement that says? I have never received an answer and the VIN threads have had Hill’s representatives participating. This field of study is not emphasized in veterinary schools and the minimal course work that is required, is often taught by people who have strong ties to the pet food industry. These are also usually the same people who are advising general practitioners on all matters of nutrition. Canned s/d is occasionally used but only temporarily (~2- 4 weeks) pending re- evaluation of the patient. Instead of defaulting to the . Since 2. 00. 3, I have spent a few hours in the kitchen 4- 6 times a year making food for my cats which is a very small price to pay for the control that I have over what goes into their food bowls.
I do not feed any commercial food to my own cats and I would definitely never feed them any “prescription” diets. I would love to see veterinarians stop being so . This often leads to obesity.
Fat cells produce a substance that makes the other cells in the body resistant to insulin. The rise in creatinine and BUN, and muscle wasting, can lead to an often- erroneous conclusion that the patient. The first paragraph on that webpage states: If I could have the reader take away just one word from this discussion, it would be “water”.
Stones are also very common and can lead to a life- threatening urinary tract blockage. I sincerely hope that these pictures of Opie make a huge impact on anyone who is still not convinced that dry food causes significant suffering in many cats. However, they can become a problem if Man continues to insist on feeding the cat a water- depleted diet. Mindy and Mikie. Urine p. H is also often considered when discussing urinary tract problems but we really need to stop focusing so heavily on p.
H. Again, a proper amount of water in the diet is the important issue here – not urine p. H. Many of the often- prescribed feline lower urinary tract diets are formulated to make the urine acidic but it is thought that these low magnesium, acidifying diets may actually exacerbate painful cystitis. Also, these acidifying diets often end up promoting calcium oxylate stone formation and can also lead to hypokalemia (low potassium in the blood) which can cause or exacerbate kidney disease. It is also important to note – for those people still stuck on worrying about the urine p. H – that there are many factors which determine the p. H of urine and only one of them is diet. Urine p. H varies throughout the day and using one p.
H measurement from a single urine sample is very misleading and is not terribly helpful information. With regard to dry food and urinary tract health, aside from the lack of water in this type of diet, there is also a correlation between the consumption of a high carbohydrate diet and the formation of struvite crystals as shown by this study. When this happens, the abuse of antibiotics continues.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): IBD can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and/or constipation in the cat. However, a healthy intestinal tract should be able to deal with hair normally ingested by the cat.
That said, if we want to help our cats out in this area, we need to brush them daily. Trying to . Carbohydrates are minimally used for energy and those that are not used are converted to and stored as fat. The goal is to lose fat while maintaining muscle mass. In several studies, cats fed a high protein/low carbohydrate diet lost weight but maintained their lean body mass in comparison to cats fed a high carbohydrate/low fat diet. Many caretakers feed very small amounts of these “light” diets hoping that their cat will lose weight.! The caretaker often ends up with either a crabby, overweight cat or a thinner cat that may have lost too much muscle mass.
See Molly. Kittens, however, loved using her for a pillow. Molly. This diet is even more unhealthy than it used to be. There are much more species appropriate – and less expensive – ways to address feline obesity. There remain many unanswered questions concerning the fact that cats often suffer from poor dental health but one very obvious answer lies in the fact that humans. This is a far cry from the consistency of dry or canned food.
Neither dry kibble nor canned food comes close to mimicking a cat. Given what a cat does eat in nature, it makes much more sense to be feeding part of the diet in the form of large chunks of meat (as large as you can get your cat to chew on) or gizzards (tough and fibrous) which a cat.
See Making Cat Food – Dental Health. Notice the phrase . Many cats have very painful mouths but show no outward signs of this pain.
Please see this section on my Making Cat Food page which details just a few of the many pet food recalls due to contamination of commercial pet food with deadly chemicals. Molds are very common contaminants of grains but molds can be found in many different food sources. Cats, like children, often resist what is best for them. The most important issue is actually making the change, not how fast you accomplish it.
For this reason, it is very important to stop free- feeding dry food. They are not going to try anything new if their bowl of junk food is in front of them 2. Cats do not need food available at all times.
It really is okay for them to experience a hunger pain! Those pitiful little cries of “I have not had food for two WHOLE hours!” were hard to take. This is important for cats that are trained to walk onto it otherwise, scales like the Salter one linked above may tip. Small cats in the wild eat 8- 1. I do not worry about leaving canned food out for up to 1. Keep in mind that a lion is not going to eat his entire prey immediately. Once you have established scheduled mealtimes, you will most likely need to start feeding a bit less at each mealtime in order to get.
There have been many deaths of dogs and cats secondary to eating mold mycotoxins, vomitoxins and aflatoxins which often contaminate the grains found in dry food. Put them on a separate plate from his small portion of dry food. Once in a quiet setting, away from the other cats, two of my cats would eat canned food/tuna . You can worry about feeding a a different canned food later if you want to and you can always mix different types of food together.
Top 1. 2 Healthy Foods for Better Immune System The flu season is upon us. However, you can do even more by selecting foods that are loaded with specific immune- boosting nutrients.
Eating a diet rich in the following foods will be far better for your health than loading up on handfuls of supplements, or worse yet, falling victim to vaccines that expose you to health risks far worse than influenza. Below, I have outlined what I consider to be the absolute best foods you can eat to help protect yourself this season, although the list is certainly not exhaustive. Unpasteurized Grass- Fed Organic Milk.
Raw organic milk from grass- fed cows contains beneficial bacteria that prime your immune system and can reduce allergies. It is an outstanding source of vitamins, especially vitamin A, zinc, and enzymes. Raw organic milk is not associated with any of the health problems of pasteurized milk such as rheumatoid arthritis, skin rashes, diarrhea and cramps.
Raw milk also contains beneficial fats that will help your immune system. Although raw milk availability is limited in the US depending on where you live, you can locate the source closest to you at Real. Milk. com. Whey Protein. Even if you don't have access to raw milk, you can use a high- quality whey protein that comes from grass- fed cows to receive much of the same health benefits.
The protein in milk is whey protein. Whey is the liquid that separates from the curd during the production of cheese. When the liquid dries into powdered whey, the nutrients become concentrated, and it can be packaged and used in that form. Whey protein can help you fight off colds and flu because it contains beta- glucans and immunoglobulins, which protect your immune system and support your body's natural detoxification processes. Fermented Foods. If you are serious about boosting your immunity, then adding traditionally fermented foods is essential. One of the most healthful fermented foods is kefir.
Kefir is an ancient cultured, enzyme- rich food full of friendly microorganisms that balance your . I am a proponent of raw eggs because they have been so helpful to my own health.
As long as you have a good source for fresh, organic raw eggs, you need not worry about salmonella. To find free- range pasture farms, try your local health food store, or go to http: //www. Grass- Fed Beef or Organ Meats. This recommendation is only valid if you are a protein or mixed nutritional type as carb types really should not be eating beef.
However, most grass- fed cows are raised organically. And if you can find organic AND grass- fed, that's ideal. Coconuts and Coconut Oil. Besides being excellent for your thyroid and your metabolism, coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which converts in your body to monolaurin. Monolaurin is the actual compound found in breast milk that strengthens a baby's immunity. A great deal of research has been done establishing the ability of lauric acid to enhance immunity.
This medium- chain fatty acid (MCFA) actually disrupts the lipid membranes of offending organisms. When selecting coconuts and coconut oil, make sure you choose organic ones that are unrefined, unbleached, made without heat processing or chemicals, and are non- GMO. Locally Grown Organic Vegetables Appropriate for Your Nutritional Type. When it comes to fighting off pathogens, you simply can't do any better than eating a variety of fresh, organic and preferably raw vegetables for the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes they contain. However , the amount and type of vegetables you should eat daily will depend on your nutritional type.
Make sure the veggies you choose are fresh. The nutrient value drops to practically zero once a fruit or vegetable is canned. For example, take a look at the ORAC value of peaches.
ORAC Values. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, and an ORAC unit or ORAC . The higher the ORAC score, the more effective a food is at neutralizing free radicals. The less free radicals you have, the healthier you will be. Back to peaches. A raw, fresh peach has an ORAC score of 1,8.
A can of peaches in heavy syrup has an ORAC score of 4. You can check the ORAC score for many different things at www. The higher the score, the better.
Please be aware, though, that the total antioxidant capacity of a food alone does not determine its health benefit, which depends on how it is absorbed and utilized by your body. ORAC score is a useful guide, but it is only part of the picture.
Blueberries and Raspberries. Blueberries and raspberries rate very high in antioxidant capacity (ORAC of 6,5. Wild blueberries in particular are potent immune boosters. They contain powerful phytochemicals, such as anthocyanin, which is the pigment that gives blueberries their color. And they are lower in sugar than many other fruits.
Mushrooms. Mushrooms strengthen your immune system because they are rich in protein, fiber, vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium, and other minerals. According to Paul Stamets, one of the world's leading authorities on the health benefits of mushrooms, one cubic inch of soil can contain eight miles of mycelium. Mushrooms also contain powerful compounds called beta- glucans, which have been long known for their immune enhancing properties.
The beta- glucans in medicinal mushrooms (especially Reishi, Shiitake, and Maitake) are notable for their ability to activate/modulate your immune system. Beta- glucan 3 enhances immunity through a variety of mechanisms, many of which are similar to those of echinacea or astragalus root. For example, it binds to macrophages and other scavenger white blood cells, activating their anti- infection activities.
Numerous studies support this. Chlorella. As foods go, chlorella is nearly perfect.
Chlorella is a single- cell freshwater algae that acts as an efficient detoxification agent by binding to toxins, such as mercury, and carries them out of your system. It is the chlorophyll in chlorella that makes it so powerful. Chlorophyll helps you process more oxygen, cleanses your blood and promotes the growth and repair of your tissues. For a full review of all the benefits of this superfood, go to my chlorella page. Propolis. Propolis is a bee resin and one of the most broad- spectrum antimicrobial compounds in the world, if not the broadest spectrum, according to master herbalist Donnie Yance. Propolis is also the richest source of caffeic acid and apigenin, two very important phenolic compounds that aid in immune response. Teas. The two best types of tea for fending off microinvaders are Matcha green tea and tulsi tea.
Green Tea and Matcha. Matcha is the most nutrient- rich green tea and comes in the form of a stone- ground powder, completely unfermented. The best Matcha comes from Japan and has up to seventeen times the antioxidants of wild blueberries, and seven times more than dark chocolate. Green teas are rich in polyphenols, in the form of natural chemicals called catechins. The most powerful catechin in tea is epigallocatechin (EGCG), which was found in one study to be 2. C and E. And Matcha is more than 1. EGCG as regular brewed green tea.
Tulsi. Tulsi tea, coming from the holy basil herb, has been used for thousands of years in the Ayurvedic medicine of India. Not only is this tea loaded with antioxidants, but it has multiple positive health benefits, including supporting your immune health, memory, heart health and vision. Herbs and Spices.
Herbs and spices are at the top of the list of high ORAC value foods on planet Earth. There are simply too many good ones to summarize here! So I will simply highlight a few that deserve special mention.
Garlic. Garlic, although not at the top of the ORAC chart (5,3. You should be eating garlic every day. One of the best things about garlic is that bacteria, viruses, and yeast build up no resistance to it, unlike with synthetic antibiotics.
For optimal benefits, garlic should be fresh since the active ingredient is destroyed within one hour of smashing the garlic cloves. In other words, garlic capsules are basically useless. Garlic contains allicin, a chemical that is anticarcinogenic. It also has been shown to lower LDL, lower total cholesterol, lower blood pressure, reduce your risk of blood clots and stroke, lower homocysteine, and even prevent insect bites - -including mosquitoes and ticks. Herbs and Spice and Everything Nice.
Immunity from common infections involves not only preventing pathogens from taking hold, but also moderating your immune response to invading pathogens. Complications arise when you experience an over- response to the infection, which is why H1. N1 is taking its toll on healthy young adults. Contains eugenol; its mild anesthetic benefits are useful for toothaches and sore throats; good anti- inflammatory.