Nutrition for Healthy Living
Aging > Nutrition for healthy living
Our nutritional needs change with aging. Choose your diet with care to achieve optimal health benefits. Nutrition for healthy living need not leave you feeling deprived. If done well and with the right attitude you should feel energized.
Food is to bodies as fuel is to cars. What you put in affects what you get out in terms of performance and longevity. Aging is a complex and ongoing process which we all hope to experience (consider the alternative). Nutrition for healthy living can support an aging process that is slow and provides for maximum health and enjoyment.
For many years nutritionists and health professionals have been touting the benefits of 5 a day for better health. Even with very far reaching campaigns most of us still have not gotten the hang of it. The good news is if you are reading this you still have time. Beginning today you can choose to include five servings of fruits and vegetables in your diet each day. You can often count as little as a half cup or cup as one serving. For example, a six ounce glass of 100% orange juice counts as one serving, as does a half cup of tomato sauce or blueberries. When you consider the many and varied offerings available, you begin to realize that you can choose nutrition for healthy living without being burdened or bored.
Sometimes change takes time. It can be difficult to make drastic dietary changes. For this reason you might benefit from gradual changes such as substituting your vending machine snack for a piece of fruit to start. Recognize your accomplishments as you achieve them and stay focused on your long-term goal of nutrition for healthy living.
An advantage of choosing nutrition for healthy living is the anti-aging benefits your choice offers. Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants and thus beneficial for aging well. In addition to fruits and vegetables, your diet should also include selections that are high in fiber and low in fat. The benefits are at least two-fold. First, limiting fat reduces the number of calories you take in and ultimately the weight you put on. Weight gain becomes more of a concern with aging as metabolism slows and the pounds pile on more easily. The second benefit is the impact on your cholesterol levels. Again, cholesterol levels become more of a concern with aging. You can reduce your cholesterol levels by monitoring your fat and dietary cholesterol intake (found in animal products).
Nutrition for healthy living requires planning. Each week, take some time to plan your menu and shopping list, including snacks. There is little chance that you will fall short if you plan ahead and include a variety of foods that are interesting and tasty. Examples of items you might include on your menu include orange juice, grapefruit halves or a fruit smoothie with breakfast. For lunch, try including tomatoes, avocados or peppers on your sandwich or in your pasta salad. Keep apples, dried fruits or carrot sticks handy for lunch. Finish your dinner of poached salmon and salad with a fresh fruit cup.
When you have time, look for interesting recipes and presentation ideas that highlight menus offering nutrition for better living. Sources include the Internet, magazines, books and newspapers. You don’t have to sacrifice taste or enjoyment to benefit from nutrition for better living you just have to be creative and committed.