Weight loss can be achieved by eating certain foods. What we eat can also contribute to our wellbeing. Here are some things to think about.
The foods we put into our mouths will contribute to many things including weight loss or gain,
mood improvement, longevity, disease control and more. Some doctors are actually prescribing diets instead of medicine because nutrition plays such a huge role in health. A diet that is high in saturated fat, is heavily processed and contains chemicals can make a person obese, depressed, develop cancer, diabetes and more. On the flip side of the coin, something as seemingly simple as nutrition can transform our mind, body and spirit. Here are some edibles that have the ability to help us in more ways than merely tasting good:
- Not only is oatmeal a tasty breakfast cereal, it aids those with heart disease. It contains fiber that actually moves the cholesterol out of you. Eating a couple of servings a day of oatmeal or another high fiber cereal can reduce your chance of developing heart problems by 20%.
- Skim milk is better for a person than whole. Not only does it contain less fat which contributes to weight loss when consumed but it has more protein and calcium, ounce per ounce. Drinking one glass of milk a day will take care of one-third of an adult's calcium needs for a day. This means osteoporosis can be curtailed because bones will get what they need from this beverage. For those who don't want to drink their daily requirement, cooking with it, making pudding or soup with it should do the trick.
- Sweet potatoes not only have a gorgeous orange color inside their skins, they are superfoods. These humble spuds are good for the heart and contain loads of fiber and potassium. They aren't just for Thanksgiving anymore. Chefs are using them for a baked version of French Fries, mashed as a side dish and more. Do an online search for "sweet potato" and see the array of recipes that pop up.
- Popeye was right: spinach is wonderful for a person. It has iron and B vitamins galore. Recent medical research points to its ability to get rid of migraine headaches.
- Red bell peppers are beautiful, colorful additions to any meal, cooked or raw. They contain more than double the daily requirement of Vitamin C, so are wondrous for the immune systems' functioning. They've also been shown to prevent arthritis if eaten several times a week.
- Broccoli is a versatile vegetable that can be eat raw, in salads, steamed or cooked into soups and stewed. It's high in potassium, Vitamins C, K, and has calcium for the bones.
- Cheese, turkey & raisins: what could these 3 possibly have in common? They're all good for promoting healthy sleep. Many people know that turkey contains tryptophan because of all the naps taken following turkey dinners, but it may surprise many to learn that cheese and raisins also contain tryptophan. All of these can help with getting some shuteye.
The saying "we are what we eat" is true. What we eat can affect our mood, sleep patterns, weight loss and overall wellbeing. Not only that, healthy, home cooked meals are family bonding experiences that will last a lifetime.
