‘Tis the season for New Year’s resolutions. If you didn’t eat as healthfully as you had hoped to in the past year, now’s a great time to re-commit. We truly are what we eat, so evaluating our diet choices can make a big difference in our overall health.
Benefits of a Healthy Diet
Most people decide to switch to a healthy diet for the purpose of weight control. It is scientifically proven that following a balanced diet can help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight level. People who follow a healthy and well-balanced diet may considerably reduce their risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
In order to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, you should eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins instead of high-calorie, high fat foods. Healthy weight can be maintained by staying within the required range of calories. The fiber in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains makes you feel full faster so it’s easier to stop eating.
Spikes in blood sugar can be avoided by laying off sugary foods such as fruit juice, soda, and ice cream. Your body can handle an occasional glucose overload, but over time, your body will develop insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes. Instead of sugary foods, eat complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain bread and brown rice. These foods trigger a slow release of sugar into the bloodstream, rather than a rapid sugar dump.
Fruits and vegetables can help decrease the risk of chronic diseases because they are loaded with antioxidants that neutralize potentially-damagingfree radicals.
Lean Protein and Healthy Food
Unhealthy carbs can be easy to grab when you’re in a hurry, so make sure to stock up on healthy snacks you can reach for instead. The intake of lean protein is an essential part of a healthy and well-balanced diet. Beef jerky is a great option for quick, protein-packed snacking. Golden Valley has an array of beef jerky and turkey jerky products available from WishingUwell.com. Other flavored beef jerky products are also available at Wishing U Well, including soy protein jerky from Louisville Vegan. Give it a try. As they say, “Fake never tasted so real.”
Other grab-and-go healthy food products are also available from WishingUwell.com, including chocolate bars from Clif Builder’s protein bars and Luna Bars, healthy drinks from Steaz, chips from Quest Nutrition, and more.