What you eat can impact your health and the likelihood of developing certain diseases. For one, eating a balanced diet can help provide our bodies with the necessary nutrients and energy. You can’t expect to be active and remain healthy if you have poor eating habits and food choices.
Changing unhealthy eating habits can be challenging, and it takes time, but the good thing is that you don’t have to change all of your habits at once. You can achieve this over time with minor, incremental adjustments in your lifestyle.
To help you get started, here are six changes in eating habits that can significantly improve your health:
1. Increase Your Fiber Consumption
Perhaps you want to lose weight and improve your health. Increasing your fiber intake can be one of the great ways to do this. For one, high-quality foods such as leafy greens and legumes can help decrease cholesterol levels while also improving digestion. And not to mention, fiber allows you to feel full longer, which can aid in losing weight.
You can increase your fiber intake by eating whole grain bread, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta instead of refined ones. Furthermore, adding fiber to your regular diet can be as simple as topping yogurt with high-fiber cereal or tossing flaxseeds into your salad.
2. Switch To Alkaline Water
As everyone knows, drinking at least eight glasses daily of regular water can vastly benefit your health. However, there could also be an alternative to water that can aid in hydrating you faster and longer and improve your overall health. And that is alkaline water.
Alkaline water differs from regular drinking water as it has a higher Ph level. For this reason, many people think it can neutralize the acid in the body. Furthermore, it is believed that there are several health benefits of alkaline water. As such, some health experts consider alkaline water to be safe and healthy. To date, there is no proof of any adverse side effects.
3. Opt For Healthier Fats
A high level of bad cholesterol and the risk of heart disease can be linked to saturated and trans fats. The good news, however, is that you can prevent these by limiting your consumption of foods high in saturated fats, such as butter, bacon, sausages, and other pantry foods.
That said, you don’t need to cut fat completely. Instead, you can replace it and opt for unsaturated and plant-based fats like olive oil, nuts, flaxseeds, and avocados. You can also consider adding foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon to your diet. Such food sources are necessary for the production of both energy and new cells and can significantly aid in lowering the chances of developing cardiovascular diseases, among the many benefits.
Selection of food that is good for the health and skin, rustic wood background
4. Consume Your Food Gradually With Intention
The brain takes approximately 20 minutes to signal that enough food has been consumed. As such, it is recommended to take your time eating. Eating slowly and carefully allows your body to process this signal, which can help prevent you from consuming too much food.
In addition, eating mindfully lets you enjoy your food more. This can help in giving you that full feeling after meals. And so, if possible, don’t let things or other distractions like your phone, TV, books, etc., get in the way. Take a breather between bites and pay attention to what you’re eating.
5. Don’t Consume Too Much Sodium
The body requires sodium to function properly. However, by consuming too much sodium, your blood pressure could rise and potentially increase your risk of heart disease. For the most part, foods that have been processed or packed have a lot of sodium.
You can lower your salt intake by cutting back on the number of processed and salty foods like chips, canned and processed meats, frozen meals, and condiments.
6. Keep Track Of Your Portions
It is possible to enjoy eating what you want without sacrificing your overall health. One can do so by limiting the portion sizes. Whether you’re dealing with health concerns or perhaps you just want to eat healthily, portion management can help.
That said, here are a few ways you can manage and track your portions:
- Make sure your serving utensils are the correct size. You can evaluate your usual portion of food with measuring cups to determine how much you consume for every meal.
- Consider eating on a small plate as you may tend to overfill your plate, no matter how big or tiny your dish is.
- When you are full, pay attention to your hunger cues and attempt to put down the fork.
Conclusion
The foods you eat can significantly influence your health. And as challenging as it may be, you don’t have to overhaul your entire diet overnight. You may consider the tips above as a guide as you start your healthy eating journey. And over time, these small lifestyle changes can have a long-term impact on your health and help boost your overall well-being.