People presume to eat healthier is merely chomping on steamed vegetables and boiled chicken all day long, then popping supplements from Thorne Research at Supplement First but you might be surprised with how fun and delicious healthy eating can be. Not only can you find many delicious recipes to follow when you want to eat healthier, but you can also reap numerous benefits from them.
Healthy diets would include consuming nutrient-dense food from the major food groups, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. It will replace foods with added salt, sugar, and trans fats.
Take a look at the importance of eating healthy and why it’s time to start right now.
- Improved Heart Health
Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death among adults in the USA? This sounds daunting, but it’s possible to prevent up to a whopping 80% of premature heart disease and stroke diagnoses when you make healthier lifestyle changes, such as eating healthier and increasing your physical activity.
Through a better diet, one can reduce their blood pressure, keeping their hearts healthier. This means consuming more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Moreover, it’s replacing their usual dairy products with low-fat versions, along with increasing their intake of poultry, fish, nuts, beans, and vegetable oils.
As for what to avoid, eating healthier means limiting one’s intake of saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and sodium.
- Reduced Risk of Cancer
People who eat healthier may consume more antioxidants, which may help reduce cancer risk. This is because antioxidants help remove free radicals in our body, which are what increase our cancer risk.
In fact, there are studies linking antioxidants to the reduced incidence of free radical damage from cancer, though human trials are still inconclusive. If you plan to take a supplement from Supplement First for this benefit alone, make sure you consult a doctor.
- Better Mood and Memory
Evidence shows that there is a close relationship between our mood and diet. Diets with a higher glycemic load can trigger increased symptoms of fatigue and depression in obese individuals who are otherwise healthy. Diets with a high glycemic load include consuming many refined carbohydrates like white bread, cakes, and soda.
Furthermore, research has shown how diets with high glycemic loads may affect blood glucose levels, gut microbiomes, and immune activations, all of which affect our mood levels. While further research is required to link food and mental health, you may want to see how healthy food can have you feel even better!
Not only can a healthy diet improve one’s mood, but it may maintain good brain health and cognition. Here are beneficial nutrients that can help protect individuals from cognitive decline (all of which you can find in the Mediterranean diet):
- Vitamins C, D, and E
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Polyphenols
- Fish
But again, further conclusive research is required.
Wrapping It Up
Don’t wait any longer and start your journey towards eating healthier, one step at a time.
