The pandemic has made many of us reassess our lifestyles, health and immunity. If you’re eager to embark on some positive changes but are a little unsure of where to start, remember that it’s important to make it work for you. Nourishing yourself with delicious food that makes you feel your best is a pleasure, not a chore! We’re sharing some simple tips for how to eat healthier.
- To enjoy vegetables at their very best, eat seasonally and aim to source ingredients as close to home as possible. This is not only better for you, but better for the planet, too.
- Eating vegetables at breakfast is an easy way to ensure you have a healthy start to the day. Try swapping out your sweet breakfast with a veggie omelette twice a week.
- Spruce your vegetables up with fresh herbs and spices. Chopped cilantro, parsley or mint on a salad, curry or soup take them to the next level.
- Bulk out dishes with lentils or cauliflower rice rather than refined grains like pasta and white rice. These are economical and great plant-based sources of fiber and protein.
- Introduce fermented foods such as miso, sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir into your diet. They are full of probiotics that are essential for good digestive health and having optimal digestion means your body will be getting the most out of all of the healthy food you’re eating!
- Swap out refined sugar for much smaller amounts of natural sweeteners like raw honey, maple syrup, or fruit that will have less of a roller-coaster effect on your blood sugar levels. The less sweetener you use, the more your taste buds will adapt and stop craving those sugary treats.
- Don’t buy into fad diets; instead, eat whole foods and avoid processed meals. Restricting certain foods can lead to unhealthy binges, so enjoy a bit of everything in moderation.
- Don’t avoid fat! Healthy fats from avocados, nuts, seeds and sustainable animal sources such as organic dairy are necessary to absorb the fat soluble vitamins in vegetables. Fat also makes meals filling, keeping you satisfied and lessening the chance of pesky cravings.
- If you struggle to drink enough water throughout the day, try sprucing it up with fresh seasonal fruit and herbs, like rosemary and orange slices. Keep a reusable bottle by your side at all times and sip throughout the day.
...These are all handy tips to bear in mind, but our main piece of advice is simply to enjoy yourself! Slow down, listen to what your body needs and how it responds to certain foods, and take the time to appreciate preparing meals and nourishing yourself. The results of healthy eating are more than just physical!