Ten Nutrition Tips to Live By

Ten Nutrition Tips to Live By

Stay Healthy & Energetic with These Great Hints

By: 20/20 Lifestyles

Drink Plenty of Water. Water dilutes toxins and waste materials and helps remove them from the body. Your goal should be to drink 64 ounces or eight glasses per day.

Eat Breakfast Every Day. Eating a balanced breakfast gets your metabolism off to a good start. You also benefit from stimulated brain power and increased energy. Some good examples include:
High fiber bread with natural peanut butter and a piece of fruit.
High fiber cereal with low-fat milk topped with sunflower seeds.
Egg white and vegetable omelet

Get Some Fiber.Consuming a high fiber diet lowers your risk of heart disease and colon cancer. Strive for 25 to 35 grams per day. High fiber foods include beans, lentils, most fruits and vegetables, and whole grains.

Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables. Challenge yourself to eat a minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Go for color and variety. Deeper, richer colored fruits and vegetables contain higher amounts of anti-aging oxidants.

Go For "Whole" Grain. Whole grains such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta and bread contain more vitamins, minerals, and fiber than their refined counterparts. Be sure to check the ingredient list for the word "whole" before grain.

Replace Unhealthy Fats with Healthy Fats. Cut down on your consumption of trans fats and saturated fats. Trans fats are found in fried and processed foods like chips, crackers, instant rice and stick margarines. Foods high in saturated fats include high fat dairy products, high fat beef and pork. Instead choose fish, turkey, soy and low-fat dairy products as your protein sources.

Limit Sugar Intake. Stay away from sodas, candy, baked goods and even juices. Sugar adds empty calories that lead to weight gain and increase your cravings.

Reduce Salt. Too much salt or sodium causes fluid retention and increases your risk for high blood pressure. Try seasoning your foods with herbs and spices like black pepper, garlic, and ginger. Always choose foods with less than 400 milligrams of sodium per serving.

Limit Alcohol. Alcohol increases your appetite, slows down fat burning, adds empty calories and decreases your will power. Enough said.

Pace Yourself. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to get the message that your stomach is full. Put your fork down between bits and sip water. Eating small frequent meals throughout the day will keep your metabolism working efficiently.