Be Nutrition Savvy: Seven Simple Ways to Eat Healthy

The key to better health is learning the difference between healthy and unhealthy nutrients. The choices we make greatly affect our health. Making a few simple healthy and nutritious changes in our dietary choices can have a profound and positive impact on our health, well-being, energy levels and life span. For instance . . .
Healthy proteins provide the amino acids our bodies require to build and repair lean body mass (like muscles, skin, hair and nails), and are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and chemicals. Good sources include wild salmon, beans, legumes, soy products (tofu, tempeh, TVP), seeds (sunflower, pumpkin), nuts (walnuts, almonds, peanuts) and nut-butters (peanut, almond, cashew, etc.).
Unhealthy proteins are loaded with saturated fat, cholesterol, hormones, or antibiotics (like beef, lamb, beacon and sausage). While they give your body the needed amino acids, they also clog arteries and compromise your immune system.
Healthy fats are unsaturated fats (mono and poly), omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Good sources of these fats include extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, ground flax seeds and walnuts. They help your body absorb fat-soluble antioxidant micronutrients like vitamins A, E, D, and K, and lycopene.
Unhealthy fats are saturated fats and trans fatty acids (trans fats), like butter and margarine. These fats contribute to heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, hypertension and obesity.
Healthy carbohydrates are high in fiber and are considered complex carbohydrates. Good sources include rolled oats, brown rice, whole wheat, broccoli, squash, green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, beans and whole fruit. These help lower cholesterol, aide digestion, regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, and reduce caloric intake.
Unhealthy carbohydrates are high in sugar and are called simple carbohydrates, like candy, white bread, sodas, ice cream, cake and cookies. These spike blood sugar and insulin levels, and increase caloric intake (they are considered empty calories).
Eating nutrient-dense foods that are high in antioxidants, phytochemicals and fiber help the body function optimally, promote overall well-being and improve digestion. These nutrients also help fight and prevent heart disease, cancer and diabetes, strengthens the immune system, slows the aging process, increases energy and improves cognitive performance.
Additionally, as we age our appetite lessens, making it even more critical to choose foods wisely. When every bit counts, picking foods with the highest nutritional profile is more important than ever.
An easy way to make your nutritional choices is to look for foods that are bright in color, for they usually contain more beneficial vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. For example, red and pink grapefruit have the heart-healthy cancer-fighting antioxidant phytochemical called lycopene while white grapefruit does not. Here are seven more simple ways to start eating healthier.
Switch from iceberg lettuce to romaine lettuce. Romaine lettuce has more vitamins and minerals like vitamins A and C, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium and potassium. It also has more fiber than iceberg lettuce.
Eat brown rice instead of white rice. Brown rice naturally has more fiber and riboflavin, and less sugars than white rice. It is digested slower and is more filling.
Switch from white bread to whole-wheat or whole-grain bread. Whole-wheat and whole-grain breads have more fiber, iron and potassium. Slice per slice, they are more filling and satisfying than white bread.
Drink iced teas (black, green and herbal) instead of sodas. Black, green and herbal teas provide antioxidants and phytochemicals that enhance your health. Unlike sodas, you can control the sugar content when brewing your own iced teas.
Choose whole-grain or whole-wheat cereals with bran instead of sugar-coated cereals. Whole-grain cereals and whole-wheat cereals with bran naturally have more protein, fiber, calcium, iron, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin than sugar frosted cereals. Besides having less sugar, they are metabolized slower and are more filling. So you have more energy during the day and you will not get hungry right away.
Switch from cows milk to fortified soymilk. Soymilk contains no cholesterol or hormones, and is extremely low in saturated fat. It also provides isoflavones and other beneficial phytochemicals that promote good health. Fortified soymilks also contain easy to absorb calcium, vitamins D and B6, and some even add extra antioxidants (like vitamins A, C, and E), folate and omega-3.
For dessert, have frozen fruit sorbet instead of ice cream. Frozen fruit sorbet is fat and cholesterol free and has more fiber. It is also loaded with antioxidant vitamins A and C, and contains beneficial phytochemicals.
To get you started, try Monique N. Gilbert's deliciously nutritious homemade sorbet recipe. It is cholesterol-free, and high in antioxidants and fiber.
Strawberry Orange Sorbet
1-1/2 cups frozen strawberries
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup fortified soymilk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
Blend in a food processor or blender for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.

Chickens And Pigs Help Define Two Things We Need For Success

This article is about involvement and commitment, two of the
things we need to be successful. This applies to our jobs or
businesses, relationships, and even our recreational pursuits.
Any type of success, whether it is personal, professional,
academic, or athletic, will usually require a combination of
involvement and commitment.
I hope the headline stirred your interest. Here is how chickens,
pigs, and even cows, can help define involvement and commitment.
Think about a meal consisting of eggs and ham and consider the
contributions made by a chicken and a pig. A chicken provided the
eggs and a pig provided the ham. It can be said the chicken was
involved, because the chicken continues to live as it lays more
eggs. It can be said the pig was committed, because the pig gave
its all to provide the ham and other pork products.
The same principle can be applied to two cows and a cheeseburger.
The cow that provided the milk to be processed into cheese was
involved, while the cow that provided the beef for the hamburger
patty was committed.
It is not my intention to make light of animals that lose their
life to provide food for humans, nor to offend anyone that does
not eat beef or pork for religious or dietary reasons. These
examples simply illustrate that being involved may mean being a
participant with little or no effort, while being committed takes
time and energy, and means much more than just being involved.
Consider a recreational activity, such as a game of chess, or a
softball game. You can be involved by just playing the game, no
matter how good you are. However, to really be successful, to win
more than you lose, you must have made a commitment at some point
in your life. For chess, it means taking the time to understand
the game and study winning strategies. For softball, it means at
some point you practiced hitting and throwing a ball. There are a
few fortunate people with a large degree of natural ability to do
certain things, but most of us need to work at it.
Most of us have made some commitments for which we put forth a
small effort on a regular basis. For example, things like taking
a bath/shower and brushing our teeth are often taken for granted.
However, those things can be thought of as a commitment to good
grooming and proper hygiene.
Marriage definitely takes involvement and commitment. You can be
involved just by signing a marriage license and saying some vows.
For the marriage to be a lasting success, it takes a commitment
from both people. It means working together toward shared goals,
communicating with each other, and resolving the occasional
conflicts that may happen. It may take a little effort, but the
personal rewards are well worth it.
A commitment isn't something to fear, nor does it mean that your
entire life must revolve around the commitment. You simply direct
some time and effort toward accomplishing your goal. You may have
several goals in your personal and professional life. Things such
as striving for a promotion, improving your golf game, losing
that extra twenty pounds, and being a better spouse or parent are
examples of worthy goals. It takes a commitment of both time and
effort to reach each milestone.
Involvement and commitment are also important when it comes to
business opportunities; especially network marketing (MLM). You
need to put forth some effort to really make things happen, no
matter how much hype you hear about your downline being built for
you. When you look at an opportunity, try to find out the level
of commitment that is needed to reach a desired level of success.
People who are successful in their chosen endeavors agree that we
can all get more out of life when a little bit of involvement and
commitment is applied to the things we consider to be important.
Start making improvements today by deciding which things are most
important to you and make a commitment to do those things better.
Often, just a little more effort will produce tremendous results.