How to Start Eating Healthy

Eating healthy is the first and arguably most important step towards a commitment to healthier lifestyle. However, it’s arguably the most difficult part of being healthy for someone who is making this change to stick to. In fact, even generally healthy people who work out regularly and are in shape have a difficult time eating healthy all the time.

Why? Because there are so many things out there that are so good to eat, which are not healthy for your body. We are surrounded by advertisements and displays of unhealthy food throughout every day of our lives, which makes the task of eating healthy as psychological as it is physical. With this in mind, check out the following beginner’s guide to eating healthy, served up below.

Make a Commitment

First, you have to commit to the idea of eating healthy. It doesn’t mean to eat a few healthy meals every week, or to replace a couple fast food lunches with vegetable-based smoothies — you need to make this a constant part of your new outlook on life and eating.
This is where the psychology comes into play that derails so many attempts at having a healthy diet. Eating healthy must be a important to you as being at work on time and taking care of your kids or pets.

So get a journal and write down exactly what you eat throughout the day keeping track of exactly what you are consuming so you know what you should be eating and shouldn’t be eating. Also in this journal, you might want to sign a contract with yourself that you will eat healthy from this point forward.

Go to the Grocery Store (and Buy Healthy Foods)

The next step of eating healthy is simply going to the grocery store and buying most of your food. Eating out at restaurants, while slightly more expensive, is convenient and delicious — but it’s also quite unhealthy in most cases. Restaurants add salt and ingredients that are fattier to make their customers’ food taste better so they keep coming back.

By going to the grocery store and shopping only for healthy foods, you will know exactly what you are putting in your body with every meal you make yourself. In addition, the process of actually preparing your own food makes you slow down and not just sit and eat. This also touches upon the psychology of healthy eating.

The Healthy Foods to Buy

While you can go to the grocery store for all of your food, this doesn’t mean you are necessarily buying healthy food. There are plenty of processed, fatty foods at grocery stores — much of what is on the shelves, in fact — which can hinder your attempt at eating healthy in your new life.

Foods you should purchase and consume at home should be primarily things that are fresh, not processed or hardly processed and items that do not contain large amounts of saturated fat. Fresh lettuce, spinach and other bases for salads should be a major part of your new shopping list.

If you are going to continue eating meat and cheese on a regular basis, go to the deli to have it cut fresh—don’t get the prepackaged versions of meat and cheese, as they are loaded with preservatives.

Make sure the breads were baked recently and stay away from chips, sodas, candies and cereals—anything with a large amount of sugar or high fructose corn syrup.

Your New Eating Strategy

We were always told, at least in previous generations, that three square meals per day was the best diet. And while this may be true for some people, different people have different lifestyles and metabolisms, making this way of eating somewhat unhealthy over a lifetime. It also encourages people to eat full meals on a regular basis, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. So with your new healthy eating lifestyle, you may have to rejigger your whole eating strategy.

For one, cut out eating fast food. You will never have a healthy diet if you eat fast food even on a semi-regular basis. Next, ensure you have at least one salad per day, at least as a compliment to a meal. This means a real salad with fresh vegetables and a light dressing. Not only are vegetables filled with necessary vitamins and minerals that your body desperately needs, but it replaces heavier, starchy and fatty foods you would be eating for that meal.

Also, consider eating a number of small meals per day, rather than two to three big meals. Eating until you are full is not healthy, as many people can put down a lot of food that is turned into energy they don’t use and that becomes fat. Instead, try just eating until you are no longer hungry.

Try Water for a While

The most important thing your body can have on a regular basis is water. No drink out there on the market is better for you than water at the end of the day, as there is always some ingredient in a drink that is bad for your body in too high of a quantity.

This especially applies to energy drinks and thirst quenching drinks, which are loaded with salt and soda. Cut these out of your diet as soon as possible and replace them with water. Not only will you be cutting a ton of calories from your diet, but you will also be flushing your system of sugars and other things contained in these drinks, which will allow your metabolism to level out.

Healthy summer foods to add to your diet.

It’s summer—that amazing time of year when fresh produce abounds. As a dietitian and nutrition editor I love that there’s an abundance of fresh, delicious and healthy choices. Better yet many of summer’s fruits and vegetables are brimming with secret health benefits. Here are some of foods and why they’re a particularly good choice in the summer.

1. Iced Tea

Sure, a tall glass of iced tea on a hot day is refreshing, but did you know it might also do your body good? Studies show if you drink tea regularly, you may lower your risk of Alzheimer’s and diabetes, plus have healthier teeth and gums and stronger bones. A tall glass of iced tea on a hot day is refreshing and does good things for your body. Tea is rich in the important class of antioxidants called flavonoids, so enjoy it cold in summer and warm in winter.

2. Corn

Nothing says summer like fresh sweet corn. And did you know that two antioxidants-lutein and zeaxanthin-in corn may act like natural sunglasses, helping to form macular pigment that filters out some of the sun’s damaging rays. It’s true. The same antioxidants may also help lower your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration-the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 60 (though much of the damage occurs decades earlier).

3. Tart Cherries

These red berries deliver a host of health benefits. Drinking tart cherry juice can help you get a better night’s sleep and quell post-workout pain. The compounds in tart cherries may also help you slim down and get leaner. The anthocyanin activate a molecule that helps rev up fat burning and decrease fat storage, so make a juice today.

4. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are packed with vitamins and add color to every meal. But eating tomatoes could give you a little extra sun protection. The carotenoids that makes tomatoes red is called lycopene, which is used in sunscreens. So there is an argument claiming eating more tomatoes may protect your skin from sunburn.

5. Raspberries

Raspberries are a great source of fiber—some of it soluble in the form of pectin, which helps lower cholesterol. One cup of raspberries has 8 grams of fiber—and a study in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that eating more fiber may help prevent weight gain or even promote weight loss. Over the course of a two-year study, researchers found that when study participants boosted their fiber by 8 grams for every 1,000 calories, they lost about 4 1/2 pounds. Try it for yourself. If you’re consuming 2,000 calories per day, aim to increase your fiber by 16 grams

6. Watermelon

Staying hydrated keeps your memory sharp and your mood stable. It also helps keep your body cool (by sweating) during hot summer months. The good news is that you don’t just have to drink water. You can eat it, too: in addition to delivering skin-protecting lycopene, watermelon is 92 percent water (hence the name).Research shows that eating foods that are full of water helps keep you satisfied on fewer calories. (Interestingly enough, drinking water alongside foods doesn’t have the same effect.)

7. Iced Coffee

An iced pick-me-up is a great way to start your summer mornings. Better yet: drinking a single cup of coffee daily may lower your risk of developing skin cancer. In one study of more than 93,000 women, published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, those who drank one cup of caffeinated coffee a day reduced their risk of developing nonmelanoma skin cancer by about 10 percent. And the more they drank—up to about 6 cups or so per day—the lower their risk. Decaf didn’t seem to offer the same protection.

8. Blueberries

Fresh blueberries straight from the berry patch are a special treat! Turns out the antioxidants in them may help ward off muscle fatigue by mopping up the additional free radicals that muscles produce during exercise, according to recent research out of New Zealand.

Top 10 healthy vitamin D rich foods

Although we can find many foods in the supermarket that have been fortified with a synthetic form of vitamin D, there are only a select number of foods that naturally contain vitamin D. Normally, the human body makes its own vitamin D; exposure to sunlight is the catalyst for the synthesis of this hormone in the skin. But today, many people spend countless hours indoors, and exposure to the sun is limited. This fact may be a root cause of many ailments, including a depressed mood and weak bones. With age, bones can become weak and thin. Although you can’t turn back the hands of time, good nutrition is one of the best ways to encourage your body to be its best. Vitamin D is one nutrient in particular that supports normal bone density and strength.

Let's take a look at top 10 healthy vitamin D rich foods:

1. Sunlight

Sunlight spurs the body to make vitamin D. But because of the skin-cancer risk, there isn't an official recommendation to catch some rays. However, a small amount of sun exposure without sunscreen can do the trick. "If you're going to get it from the sun, about 20 to 25 minutes of exposure is helpful," says Stephen Honig, MD, director of the Osteoporosis Center at the Hospital for Joint Diseases, in New York City. The sun is less likely to provide your daily needs at higher latitudes, in the winter, or if you're older or dark skinned (skin pigment blocks light and the process is less efficient with age). And FYI: Light through a window won't work.

2. Mushrooms

Mushrooms are, in fact, the only plant source containing vitamin D. This genius grows in sunlight and is great at absorbing sunlight as well, making it a good vitamin D source. Mushrooms are also rich in B-complex vitamins like B1, B2, B5 and minerals like copper. The amount of vitamin D in mushrooms varies according to the type and variety. Shitake mushrooms are considered as the best source of vitamin D among all mushrooms. Always choose mushrooms that are dried in natural sunlight and not by artificial means.

3. Salmon

Salmon has a high fat content, which makes it an excellent source of vitamin D. Around 3.5 ounces of salmon will provide you with 80% of the recommended dietary amount of vitamin D. The key is to get salmon that has been caught in the wild or is sustainably farmed. Alaskan salmon contains 5 times more vitamin D than Atlantic salmon, which makes it the better choice. Half a fillet of sockeye salmon contains 1400 IU of vitamin D, which is twice the recommended amount you need for a day.

4. Herring

Herring fishes contain a significant amount of vitamin D as they feed on plankton, which is full of vitamin D. These shiny gray fish are consumed pickled, smoked or creamed. Herring contain healthy fats and other important nutrients, which make them a wise addition to your diet. They are also an excellent source of protein, which promotes muscle development, and contain high amounts of vitamin B12, selenium, phosphorus, calcium, and iron.

5. Sardines

Sardines are becoming more and more popular due to their amazing health benefits. They are one of the best sources of vitamin D. Just a small amount of sardines will fulfill 70% of your recommended dietary allowance of vitamin D. This fish offers 270 IU of vitamin D per 100 grams. They are also a great source of vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and selenium. The high omega-3 fatty acid content contributes to better bone health, lowers cholesterol, and reduces inflammation.

6. Canned tuna

Three ounces of tuna provides 50% of the vitamin D your body needs. Fresh and wild-caught tuna is the most nutritious. Moreover, eating oily fish that lubricates the body also provides other health benefits like better memory and proper brain function. Light tuna has the maximum amount of vitamin D, and it has lesser mercury than white tuna.

7. Cod liver oil

While its name might suggest a less-than-savory flavor, cod liver oil is often flavored with mint or citrus, or comes in capsule form. One tablespoon contains about 1,300 IUs of vitamin D, which is more than twice the recommended dietary allowance of 600 IUs per day. That amount doesn't exceed the maximum upper-level intake of 4,000 IUs for people over 8 years old, but it exceeds the daily maximum for infants (1,000 IUs).

8. Fortified milk

Almost all types of cow's milk in the U.S. are fortified with vitamin D, but ice cream and cheese are not. In general, an 8-ounce glass of milk contains at least 100 IUs of vitamin D, and a 6-ounce serving of yogurt contains 80 IUs, but the amount can be higher (or lower) depending on how much is added. Some soy and rice milks are fortified with about the same amount, but check the label since not all contain vitamin D.

9. Orange juice

Not a dairy fan? No problem. You can get vitamin D from fortified orange juice. One 8-ounce glass of fortified juice usually has around 100 IUs of vitamin D, but the amount varies from brand to brand. Not all brands are fortified, so check the label. Two fortified brands, Florida Natural Orange Juice and Minute Maid Kids+ Orange Juice, contain 100 IUs per 8-ounce serving.

10. Eggs

Eggs are a convenient way to get vitamin D. They're popular in many breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert recipes. Since the vitamin D in an egg comes from its yolk, it's important to use the whole egg—not just the whites. One yolk will give you about 40 IUs, but don't try to get your daily vitamin D just from eggs. One egg contains about 200 milligrams of cholesterol, and the American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 300 milligrams a day for heart health.

11. Fortified cereal

If you're a vitamin D seeker looking for a crunch, look no further than fortified cereals. Choose a low-calorie fortified cereal like Multi Grain Cheerios to get part of your daily fill of vitamin D. You can pair it with fortified milk and a glass of fortified OJ too. A 1-cup (29 gram) serving of Multi Grain Cheerios with one-half cup of fortified milk is 90 IUs; add in an 8-ounce glass of fortified orange juice, and your total is close to 200 IUs.

12. Butter

Good news for all the butter enthusiasts! While it is typically frowned upon by dieters, this ‘fatty’ food is known to contain a small amount of vitamin D. Butter is saturated fat, and it is essential to aid the absorption of antioxidants and vitamins by the body. It also assists in the absorption of vitamin D obtained from other sources. Always remember that quantity is the key. Don’t go overboard with butter. When consumed in moderation, it can actually be a healthy addition to your diet.

The Best 7 Healthy Comfort Foods

You can appreciate the hottest, most soothing nourishments without giving up your wellbeing. Actually, there are numerous incredible solace sustenances that can enormously help your wellbeing. With these seven sound solace nourishments, you will never need to feel remorseful about eating again!

1. Meatloaf

Nothing brings back the warm recollections of youth meals very like meatloaf. As a warm, healthy, and husky solace sustenance, meatloaf can be made in a more beneficial manner without cutting any of its awesome flavors.

Cook with virgin oils and non-fat margarine to eliminate intemperate carbs and sugars, and utilize a natural ketchup to bring down the sugar content. Finish it off with some crisply cut basil, or cook it with minced garlic for a tasty, yet sound, help.

Including only a squeeze of garlic can do ponders for your wellbeing, as garlic is helpful to both your resistant and vascular frameworks.

2. Cereal with Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, and Fruit

Cereal can be the ideal solace sustenance on a frosty, terrible morning. You don't need to settle for plain or insipid cereal just to be sound. With the expansion of specific flavors and sustenances, your cereal can be heavenly and nutritious!

Have a go at including a large portion of a teaspoon of darker sugar, cinnamon or both to your morning cereal. While sugars are by and large undesirable, darker sugar has less calories than its refined partners, and cinnamon can help your heart with some restraint too. To improve your morning treat, include a few blueberries or strawberries for a vitamin-stuffed bowl of goodness!

3. Heated Potato

While it might sound undesirable, a heated potato can without much of a stretch turn into a solid and ameliorating nibble. A solitary potato has enough carbs to give you vitality for whatever remains of the day, yet insufficient to bring about weight-pick up or sleepiness. For whatever length of time that you abstain from broiling the potato in soaked fats and oils, it can be an extraordinary approach to get your day by day admission of starches.

Subsequent to heating the potato, you can include a collection of solid and delectable things to make your nibble consummate. Greek yogurt is an awesome substitute for acrid cream, and it is loaded with rich proteins and an amazing measure of vitamin C. You can likewise include avocado cuts, which are brimming with complex vitamins and minerals, or include a cut of Canadian bacon in case you're truly eager. Try to get a low-sodium cut of meat, generally your nibble may end up noticeably unfortunate.

4. Pizza Bagel

Pizzas are for the most part brimming with oil and low-quality cuts of meat. In any case, you can make a brisk and delightful pizza with bagels and craftsman fixings for an alive and well nibble. Pick a crisp bagel from a nearby bread shop, and include a low-sodium tomato sauce. You can utilize any pasta sauce you wish, from vodka sauces to sauces joined with mushrooms. The flavor is dependent upon you! At that point, include one cut of your most loved cheddar, for example, Swiss or cheddar, and afterward include the majority of the sound fixings you ache for.

A portion of the best solid garnishes include: peppers, avocado, mushrooms, tomatoes, basil, and even celery and chicken. Attempt to incorporate the greatest number of vegetables as you can, and afterward include a couple cuts of value meat to finish your pizza. Once your bagel is looking finished, basically toast it for around five minutes or until everything is pleasantly prepared together. Your most loved pizza just turned into a considerable measure more advantageous, and it can be cooked very quickly!

5. Warm Soup

At the point when your throat is dry and the climate is wet, there is nothing superior to a pleasant and hot bowl of soup. Pick a soup that compliments any meat that you may include, for example, a chicken juices, vegetable juices, or even a mushroom juices. At that point, to make your soup generous and encouraging, include thick cuts of celery, carrots, peppers, and some lean cuts of meat. As usual, attempt to get low-sodium juices to keep your heart cheerful. Appreciate with a cut of natural rye bread and some hot dark tea for a genuinely soothing dish!

6. Espresso, Tea and Bread

Espresso is frequently thought to be unfortunate, yet the length of you appreciate it with some restraint, espresso can be a brilliantly solid expansion to your day. Drink it dark to get the most advantages, which incorporate an excess of cell reinforcements, a more grounded cardiovascular framework, and expanded core interest.

In case you're touchy to caffeine, attempt dark or green tea. Dark tea contains half as much caffeine as espresso, and green tea contains even not as much as dark tea!

To make a total and ameliorating nibble, include some warm, natural toast to your plate. This little and solid nibble will keep you full until lunchtime. Simply make a point not to include over the top drain, or truly any sugars, to your espresso.

7. Dark Chocolate

In case you're feeling brave, have a nibble of dim chocolate with your espresso. You might be astonished, however dull and negligibly prepared chocolate is really astounding for your wellbeing. The darker a chocolate is, the more flavonoids it contains. These cancer prevention agent rich substances can help your cardiovascular framework, and even avert more genuine confusions.

Similarly as with anything this scrumptious, make a point to eat it with some restraint, and go for as dim as you can appreciate. After some time, you will build up a preference for sharp and complex chocolates.

At this point, your mouth is watering and your stomach is calling your name. Go and appreciate some of these sound and healthy snacks. With these sustenances, you can be helped and sound without a moment's delay.

Seven Secrets For A Long And Healthy Life

1. Diet and Aging – Gain a Nutritional Edge
What we eat is directly apparent in our body; our skin and hair reflect our nutritional state. To learn about the lifestyle of the old and healthy, many researchers look to Okinawa, Japan, which boasts the world’s highest concentration of healthy 100-year-olds. The diet of Japanese people was studied to find out the keys to longevity. Studies have found that Japanese people most rely on grains, vegetables and fruits. Their diet is low in red meat, dairy products and eggs. The lesson here is to choose your fats and carbohydrates wisely. Switch to healthier options such as wheat breads, whole-grain pasta or nuts, instead of refined flour products like white bread, cakes and muffins. Whenever possible, use monosaturated and polysaturated oils, and avoid trans fats completely. Several research studies have also agreed on the fact that a vegetarian diet is generally healthier than one based on animal protein. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are full of fiber and nutrients.

2. Don’t Blame Everything on Your Genes
There is no doubt that your genes contribute a lot in terms of certain age-related diseases. However, studies have found that when it comes to living a healthy life, our genes only contribute roughly 10% to our overall health, while a staggering 90% is all about lifestyle choices. The way each of us chooses to live every day greatly impacts the quality and length of our lives. So when you’re feeling worn down or dealing with aches and pains, don’t simply blame it on heredity; examine your lifestyle.

3. Eat Foods in Their Natural State
Foods in their natural state are full of nutrients. Cooking actually changes the chemical composition of the food, thus affecting the nutrient levels. Steaming and roasting are known to be the best methods of cooking food, because they are better at preserving the nutrients in their natural state. A great way to maintain health is to consume three to five servings of raw veggies and fruits every day. It is also important to eat in moderation. Filling your stomach too much causes gastrointestinal problems, which in turn affects your overall health.

4. Develop Healthy Habits
If you want to live a long, healthy life, make sure you cultivate healthy habits and avoid unhealthy ones. Most important of all is to avoid smoking, which has long been known to contribute to various heart and lung diseases, and shorten your life span. Alcohol is another major culprit in an unhealthy lifestyle. Drink only in moderation to stay away from adverse health conditions.

5. Exercise
There is no doubt that, along with diet, exercise is the key to a healthy life. Most of the lifestyle-related disorders, including heart diseases, diabetes and others, originate from a sedentary lifestyle. Studies have found that 15 minutes of exercise per day adds three years to your life. Exercise lowers your vulnerability to heart attacks, heart failure and arrhythmia. Exercise also helps by improving the body’s ability to fight oxidative stress, a chemical by-product of cellular energy production. Oxidative damage of cells increases your vulnerability to various diseases. Many of us cannot spend regular time at a gym, but we can include leisure-time physical activity in our daily routine to stay fit and healthy. Include activities like tennis or swimming in your weekly routines, or just make some time to go play with your kids or pet in the park.

6. Make Good Friends You Can Trust
In today’s high-technology era, we all are connected to each other via social networks, smartphones, etc. Many of us are surrounded by people that we ‘know,’ but few of those we can truly call friends. It’s important to have people with whom we can share our happiness and sorrows. Negative personal relationships add stress, which in turn affects your overall health. The secret to a healthy, happy life is believing and trusting in people, and studies have proved the health benefits of having good friends. Friends provide emotional support, which helps us deal with stress, and feeling loved actually boosts production of the mood-elevating chemicals dopamine and oxytocin, which promote brain growth, combating aging.

7. Live Life to the Fullest
In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, we are often multitasking. Slowing down and enjoying the simpler aspects of life sometimes becomes an afterthought. Once in a while, it is important to relax a bit, and seek pleasure in whatever you are doing. Develop a positive attitude toward seeking the little joys in your life. This helps in strengthening the immune system, and equips the body to fight against diseases. Find something that helps you unwind and relaxes your mind and body. A healthy life is a combination of emotional, spiritual, social and lifestyle factors. No matter what your age, these factors, when they are largely positive, can help you live to a grand old age. Incorporate these guidelines for longevity in your day-to-day routine and live a healthy, happy and long life.