We all have come across this age-old adage of “you are what you eat”, haven’t we? But how many of us have actually stopped to look at this saying and think what exactly does it mean and does it even imply to us in today’s world? The answer is a yes! Even to this day, this simple saying will define the eating discipline that we need to follow in our everyday lives. If you put this in one simple line, it would mean that eating healthy is the only key one can find towards a healthy lifestyle. You see, we have almost 100 trillion cells in our human body. Each of these cells has individual requirements that they demand. All of their requirements have to be met so that they function optimally. The food that we eat affects the functioning of these cells, and if you observe closely, it affects every element of our daily life like mood, food cravings, energy levels, sex drive, general health, and sleeping habits. If we continue to feed our bodies the junk food and all other kinds of convenience foods at our convenience times, they will only pump our body with fats, and lower our energy levels and brain powers.
It will shock you to know that one of the top reasons for death all over the world is obesity. The number of obesity cases is also seeing a rising like never before. A majority part of the world fall prey to critical health conditions like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, blood pressure problems, and many more of such health issues. And we all know that once such health problems knock our door, they never leave, and we need to make way with it and live our lives in uncertainty.
So, if you have been struggling with your weight, or you run out of energy very quickly, or if you are suffering from stress, and you just want to kick these out of your life and just want to feel a little more alive at the moment—then the route to that is through what you eat and feed your body with. This is why we need always to stop and observe how much vitamins, proteins, and other essential nutrients we are consuming. Also, we need to count the number of calories we eat as well. How do you do that? By understanding diet and what you could do to upgrade it to make you healthier.
Understanding Calories
One might think that studying calorie intake is important only for those who are looking to lose weight or for those who are into bodybuilding. Many believe in eating fewer calories and burning more of them, isn’t it? But understand that knowing your calorie consumption is very important.
Firstly, we need to understand that calorie isn’t a thing but a unit of measurement. It measures the levels of energy in the food, beverages, etc. that we consume. And all of us require this energy to live our lives and do what we do every single day. Calories present in food are what fuel our body. But if we consume too much of it, you gain weight as your body begins to store the extra calories in the form of fat. And this hits every healthy function in the body right from your metabolism to your immune system. Everybody has different calorie requirements and that depends on the height and weight of an individual. Therefore, it is best advised to visit your nutritionist and find out what is the calorie bracket that you need to stick to.
Tips On How To Upgrade Your Diet
We are living in a world that loves convenience. We just grab all the fast food and fill our tummies up failing to realize that our diets have gone on a toss by doing so. This practice if continued can lead to a myriad of concerns in our body. Here are a few ways through which you can give a healthier turn to your diet and your body. Read on.
- Increase The Protein Intake
Protein has another name, that of the king of nutrients, well it also has some superpowers too peeps. This is because it has the power to affect your satiety and hunger hormones and it is also considered as the most filling macronutrients out there. Eating more protein will also help in muscle retention and this lays a positive impact on your body’s metabolism. Therefore, always ensure to add some protein element to the meals that you are consuming every single day. It will leave your body healthy, it will also keep your food cravings under check which will prevent you from overeating.
- Go For Whole Grain Bread And Not Refined
This is the easiest healthy change that you can adopt for your diet. Refined grains have been linked to several issues when compared to whole grains that have been linked to a cluster of health benefits like reduced risks of heart problems, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
Whole grains are also known to be rich sources of fiber, vitamin B, and several other minerals like iron, zinc, etc. These days, there are a variety of whole-grain loaves of bread available. You can also lookup the internet for an easy-to-do recipe and bake your bread of goodness with whole grains.
- Do Your Grocery Shopping With A List
It’s always a bad idea to enter a grocery store without a list of what you need. If you do this, you end up buying unwanted food items from the store that will cost a whole in your pocket and also affect your diet practices. Therefore, it is always a good idea to make your list of food items that you need (the healthy ones) and then head to the store. Not knowing the food ingredients required will result in impulsive shopping.
- Embrace Probiotics
In the medical industry, gut health has always been a topic of discussion. Failing to manage the same will cause a whole chain of problems right from indigestion to acne. If you feel a little off-balance, probiotics are the answer. You can find plenty of probiotics in cultured yogurt and also in kefir that is made from live bacteria. Probiotics can also be found in fermented foods as well. Apart from the dairy products, you can include fermented tea, kombucha to up the gut health game of your body.
- Give Raw Plant Protein A Try
It is known that animal protein can result in improper digestion and could even stress the kidneys. Raw plant proteins are known to have twice the amount of bioavailability. The best sources of plant protein that you could find are:
- Maca
- Spirulina
- Gogi berries
- Chlorella
- Maca
Remember that natural, healthy foods don’t have to be boring all the time. The transition could be a little scary in the beginning, especially if you are a junk addict. Luckily, in the present time, there are many out there who are encouraging healthy, natural eating. This leaves you with plenty of recipe options online to choose from as well. Being consistent with your healthy choices is what will have a healthy impact on your overall wellbeing.