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Suggestions and Tips for Eating Right, Your Way, Every Single Day

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Suggestions and Tips for Eating Right, Your Way, Every Single Day

It can be difficult to navigate the ins and outs of nutrition. Your body was created uniquely, so it is important to understand the individuality pertaining to your diet.

As you consider how to incorporate a balanced diet into your lifestyle, move away from the idea of “good” versus “bad” foods. Instead think of food choices as “always foods” and “sometimes foods.”  Moderation is the key, but flexibility is always an option.

Regardless of your lifestyle demands, there are always healthful foods you can eat anytime, anywhere. Whether you are a working parent, student or a vegan, consider some of the following nutrition recommendation:

Career-focused individuals may struggle to find convenient, healthy foods. If you are prone to frequenting convenient stores or fast-food restaurants, try packing portable and nonperishable foods to reduce the number of diet hurdles.

Snacks such as fresh fruit , peanut butter and crackers, trail mix, and granola bars (low-sugar and high-protein) can be easily tucked into a purse or briefcase. This will make for an easy, accessible, healthy snack whenever hunger strikes.

Students generally have two limits to living a healthy lifestyle –time and money. Both of these aspects can be manipulated to the student’s favor.

To save money, students and parents can turn to a cheaper alternative to fresh fruits and vegetables such as canned produce without added salt or sugar or frozen produce. Frozen produce can be less expensive with equal, and in some cases more nutrition than fresh produce due to processing techniques.

If your student is on-the-go, pack a healthful breakfast, lunch and snack the night before to prevent last-minute vending machine stops. Some healthy options might include fruit and peanut butter, hummus and wholewheat crackers, fruit and yogurt, or nuts  and cheese.

When you are diagnosed with a specific health condition, maintaining a healthful diet can be difficult at times. Whether you have high blood pressure or diabetes, there are easy tips for you to overcome your nutrition obstacles.

  • It is a good idea to limit salt intake, especially those who have been diagnosed with hypertension or heart disease. When ordering foods in a restaurant, ask that your items be cooked without butter or oils, for items such as dressings and cheese be served on the side. If you need to add a little flavor to your food, you can use travel spice canisters with your favorite salt-free seasonings, so you can enjoy a tasty addition to any of your meals.
  • Individuals with diabetes typically believe that they must be on a special diet, which can make “eating your way, every day” very difficult. Really and truly, a “diabetes diet” is eating foods high in nutrients and low in saturated fats–a “diet” everyone should be following as part of a healthful lifestyle. Due to the impact on blood sugar levels, carbohydrates are of particular concern with diabetics. The solution to this is quite simple. Choose wholegrains rather than simple, refined grains like white bread, white pasta, soda, candy and other processed foods.

If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, dietitians can be a particularly helpful resource. Without the addition of meat to the diet, you need to be very careful to eat the right sources of protein in order to maintain nutrient, vitamin and mineral levels in your body. Nuts, lentils, beans and soy can be good options, but upon analysis, a dietitian can better tailor these options to the individual.

For more information about Cooper Clinic Nutrition Services, click here or call 972.560.2655.
 

Article provided by Cooper Clinic Nutrition Services.