#on-the-go snack filled with protein giving you energy for hiking or a busy day. lifestyle

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Why we should eat a healthier diet and how can we make it a long-term lifestyle change?

According to the CDC’s National VItal Statistic Report of 2019, the leading causes of death today can be attributed to heart disease and cancer. Although these 2 conditions are unique, they share a common risk factor which is a poor diet. A poor diet can lead to obesity which increases the risks for heart disease and a poor diet consisting of overconsumption or underconsumption of certain foods increases the risks for certain cancers.

Image by Natdiner, http://madisonnautilusdiner.com/top-healthy-eating-tips-2019/

What are the benefits of eating a healthier diet?

According to Miss. Butler, a licensed and registered Dietician, a healthier diet can lead to:

- Weight loss

It is no secret that the obesity epidemic in the U.S. continues to worsen and obesity is a major risk factor in many chronic conditions. By eating a healthy diet, we can lose weight and curb obesity to live a longer and healthier life. Limiting our diets from processed foods and increasing our intake of fiber rich foods can contribute to weight loss.

- Reducing risks of certain cancers

Limiting alcohol consumption can lower our risks of liver cancer and diseases. Increasing our intake of fruits and vegetables can lead to decreased risk of colorectal cancers and fruits and vegetables are full of fiber which can help curb your appetite.

- Prevent or maintain Diabetes

These days, pretty much everything has sugar in it so, diabetes type II is at it’s all time high. By limiting our intake of sugar, we can manage our blood glucose levels to prevent onset of type II diabetes or maintain it’s levels for diabetics.

- Prevent Heart disease and stroke

One of the key risk factors of heart disease is due to our high intake of red meats and foods high in cholesterol and saturated and trans fats. By limiting our intake of high cholesterol foods and replacing it with foods rich in HDL “good” cholesterol, we can help prevent onset of heart disease.

- Prevent cognitive disorders and cognitive decline

Although cognitive disorders are not as life-threatening as heart diseases or cancer, it can heavily affect our every day lives. Cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s or Dementia are such conditions that can lead to decline in our cognitive abilities. Eating foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins C,D and E can lower our risks of developing cognitive disorders.

Crichton-Stuart, C. (2018, June 26). The top 10 benefits of eating healthy. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322268.php.

~MW

Eat smart

A healthy diet and lifestyle should be our priority. There some steps to healthy lifestyle, some of them are: drinking enough water per day, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and of course good nutrition. Eating healthy can be fun too. To eat healthy means eating food that is enjoyable to you in the quantity that is good for you. Watch what you eat and how much you eat. Because of our busy lifestyle we have no time to make healthy food, even though it is very easy. In this blog I want to give some healthy, easy and quick recipes. 

Start your day off right with a healthy breakfast “Avocado toast with egg”.

Sometimes simple is just better. Top two lightly toasted slices of whole-grain bread with smashed avocado and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Layer on two sunny-side up eggs for a healthy dose of protein and you’ve got a well-rounded breakfast.

31 healthy and fast breakfast recipes for busy mornings. (May 30, 2017). Retrieved from https://greatist.com/health/healthy-fast-breakfast-recipes#toasts/

Delicious lunch “Asian Quinoa Salad”.

I love this salad because it’s tasty and healthy, but I also love it because it’s pretty! The salad has: red cabbage, edamame, carrots, red pepper, cucumbers, cilantro.

Two peas & their pod. (2018, March 3). Retrieved from https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/asian-quinoa-salad/

Sensible and filling Dinner “Easy spicy vegan potato curry”

Ingredients:1 Tbsp coconut oil; 2 small red potatoes, cubed (2-3" diameter); 1 cup pepper slices; 1/2 tsp garlic; 1/2 cup rice; 2 Tbsp curry paste; 1 1/2 cups coconut milk; 1/2 cup water; 1 cup shredded spinach; 1 cup chickpeas.

Instructions : cut the red potatoes into small cubes; cook the potatoes, pepper slices, and garlic in the coconut oil over medium-high heat; while the vegetables are cooking, microwave or cook the rice; add the curry paste to the vegetables and continue cook; add the coconut milk, water, spinach, and chickpeas; lastly, add the rice and continue to cook until everything is hot; serve and enjoy!

Jarof Lemons. (2017, October 9). Retrieved from https://www.jaroflemons.com/easy-spicy-vegan-potato-curry/

~Y.V.

Some factors that affect our diets and in long term impacts our health.

Image: Tagney, A. (2018, March 16). Can Diet Replace Exercise? Retrieved September 2019, from https://www.foodmatters.com/article/can-diet-replace-exercise.

Some factors that impact our diets are:

Social and cultural norms

Society is very judgmental in what is a “perfect body” from social media. There are social media bloggers who will always post their exercise routines or their meal prep routines to show how they achieve their weight goal and body goal.

With social media and television advertisements, children are the main group that is influenced because of the lack of knowledge they have on what is healthy and what isn’t. There is a rise in obesity in children. (Orciari, 2013)

In certain cultures, there are certain foods that can and cannot be consumed and specific diets are maintained. For example, those who cannot eat certain meats due to their culture.

Orciari, M. (2018, March 15). Fast food companies still target kids with marketing for unhealthy products. Retrieved September 2019, from https://news.yale.edu/2013/11/04/fast-food-companies-still-target-kids-marketing-unhealthy-products.

Image: Advertising in the Fast Food Industry. (2011, February 25). Retrieved September 2019, from https://amf1s.wordpress.com/2011/02/25/advertising-in-the-fast-food-industry/.

Environmental and Financial factors

Processed foods are typically cheaper than those that are organic, not everyone can afford to buy organic foods. In low income areas, healthy choices are not always the option financially. (Nutrition and Weight Status, 2019)

With busy schedules of working adults and students, it is a lot easier to eat fast foods as opposed to bring a lunch packed from home which leads to many health issues such as obesity. (Nutrition and Weight Status, 2019)

A fun activity such as hiking or walking around a mall is a good form of exercise towards our diets but at the end of the hike or the end of the walk in a mall, the first thing we think about is food. The availability presented are either food trucks or fast food unless the persons willpower is strong enough to say “let’s go home and cook”, which is almost never. (Other Factors in Weight Gain, 2019)

Nutrition and Weight Status. (n.d.). Retrieved September 2019, from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/nutrition-and-weight-status.

Other Factors in Weight Gain | Healthy Weight | CDC. (n.d.). Retrieved September 2019, from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/calories/other_factors.html.

- KW

Why does eating healthy seem so difficult?

This is a topic that I, as well as many of my family and friends struggle with on a daily basis. Sometimes, it seems so difficult to stick to a healthy, well-balanced diet. Two reasons that I’ve learned have the biggest impact on eating healthy for many people that I know are: the fact that they’re always on the go, and that eating healthy can sometimes seem too expensive.

Constantly traveling, commuting, and being on the go all day, everyday can be exhausting. Unfortunately, when living such busy lifestyles, we often turn to quick, easy, accessible food to keep us going. Usually, it’s not because we love it, it’s just because of how accessible it is. More often than not, the options we turn to are fast food chains such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Chick-fil-A, Dunkin’ Donuts, or Starbucks. Although it seems quick, easy, cheap, and gives us enough energy to get through that meeting or 3 hour lecture, it’s not. When going to one of the fast food places listed above, we usually spend A LOT of time waiting on line, and waiting for our orders to be made. We also think we’re saving money, but in reality, eating like this so frequently burns a hole in our pockets way too easily. Although the food might give us enough energy to get through that long class, or that shift at work, in reality, I think we can all agree that after a couple hours, fast food makes us feel pretty yucky. I know that for most of us, time is of the essence, but a great way to combat this problem would be to meal prep, and bring our own lunches to work or school. I know what you’re probably thinking, it’s too time consuming. However, packing a lunch and a few snacks doesn’t have to turn into a five course meal. Even doing something simple like packing a sandwich or a salad, with an apple or granola bar can make a difference. Bringing a packed meal from home eliminates time wasted waiting on lines, as well as cuts daily costs, and gives us the ability to control what’s going into our bodies.

Another issue that makes eating healthy difficult for some of us, is that we’re under the impression that eating healthy is too expensive. Eating healthy does NOT mean you have to buy every single 100% vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, 100% organic products that you see at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s (no offense to anyone who shops there, they do have good products and I do shop there myself occasionally). Eating healthy doesn’t mean that you have to break the bank. It means, maybe instead of picking up the bag of potato chips at the grocery store, go for a bag of baby carrots or cherry tomatoes as a snack instead. Instead of making frozen French fries on the side when you’re making burgers, cook up a side of veggies instead. If you’re in the mood for a sweet snack, instead of sugar-filled candy, have an apple or a banana. It’s small choices like these, that end up making a huge difference. Another big factor isn’t only WHAT you’re eating, but more so HOW you’re preparing and cooking it. Take chicken cutlets for example. I know a lot of people who love to fry them, but personally, when my mom or I make them, we bake them in the oven, because it’s healthier. Eating healthy doesn't mean we have to spend a ton of money, it just means we’re smarter about what choose to spend our money on, and we’re smarter about how we prepare and cook foods that we’re already used to eating.

Image: Vandita (2019, May 11) Junk Food Vs. Healthy Food: Which is More Expensive? Retrieved September 2019 https://anonhq.com/junk-food-vs-healthy-food-expensive/

~L.C. (*this part of the blog does not contain any outside sources other than the image)

Changing Eating Habits:

It isn’t enough just to get the right amount of sleep hours. The individual must learn to adjust their eating habits as well. This can include adding vegetables, fruits, and lean meats to their daily diets. Each person is quite different in the food they consume but also the amount of food they consume. As well as the frequency each person may eat their meals. According to an article by the American Heart Association, three meals a day isn’t the only way of daily eating. It is how you consume your meals that benefit you in the end.

Image: 07.09.2019 FacebookTwitterPinterestYummlyemail •. (2019, July 11). Should You Use a Food Journal? Retrieved September 30, 2019, from https://www.momskitchenhandbook.com/uncategorized/should-you-use-a-food-journal/.

One helpful tip:

When transitioning to a healthier diet is to use a food journal. Having a journal that shows the contents of each meal and the timing allows the individual to see in paper what they’re eating habits are. This viewpoint a food journal offers allows the individual to make slight changes where they see fit. As well as noticing bad eating habits they may have. By making small additions and changes to meals gives the individual a higher chance of going through with their diet goals.

Is 3 Meals a Day the Only Way? (n.d.). Retrieved September 30, 2019, from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/is-3-meals-a-day-the-only-way.

~C.Y.