There are many trends that pop up in the nutrition world, and recently the term of “Clean Eating” has surfaced. The basics of eating clean are good sound nutrition principles and keep our body nourished and healthy.
Follow these principles for a clean, healthy, happy diet:
1. Decrease sugar intake. Processed foods contain way too much sugar; eat less treats and sugary beverages.
2. Decrease salt intake. Also a by-product of the large amount of processed foods consumed, season foods with herbs and spices.
3. Transition to good fats. Utilize monounsaturated fats like Canola oil and Olive oil whenever possible.
4. Eat more plants. This includes fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Actual whole plant foods are the most beneficial for all of us because they pack the most punch nutritionally and are not processed.
5. Drink more water. We should all be drinking lots of purified water to help our bodies maintain the best nutrient delivery in our blood and the best digestive process.
So where to begin? By picking the one thing on the list above that is the biggest offender and making that a priority, we will be on the road to better health. Once that is an actual good habit, pick another item on the list to incorporate. Remember, it takes at least 21 days to establish a new habit, so allow 3-4 weeks to cement it into the routine. Our health is the greatest gift we can give our family and ourselves. While there are no guarantees in life, we can give ourselves the best chance at preventing health problems and illness/disease through good nutrition.
Happy 2013!
