Having healthy habits in our daily lives helps us stay in shape and improve the quality of life. Therefore, those who seek to lead a healthy lifestyle need to incorporate simple but healthy actions into their routine.
Cooking healthy
In this way we can have more control of where your food comes from, how it is cooked, the quality of the ingredients and the size of the portions. Cooking also allows you to moderate the amount of salt and sugar that is used. And ultimately, knowing how to cook is a survival skill that has somehow been lost thanks to the growth of frozen foods and food at home.
Hydrate to the fullest
According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (IOM, for its acronym in English), about 80% of total fluid intake comes from natural water and other beverages, while remaining 20% of food.
The amount a person needs to stay hydrated depends on their age, physical activity and the climate where they live. On average, the IOM recommends three liters (13 cups) for men and 2.2 liters (9 cups) for women. Therefore, if you drink eight glasses a day, and incorporate fruits and vegetables into your diet, you will stay hydrated.
Control blood sugar
This is done by including proteins and fibers in each meal. Rocío Río de la Loza points out that it is important to keep all the meals and increase the frequency. Leaving a lapse of between three and five hours between each meal.
Think differently about carbohydrates
Incorporate whole grains to your diet, you can do the test with wild rice, quinoa, oatmeal or amaranth. Whole grains have nutrients like vitamin B and fiber.
Replace trans fats with healthy fats
Stay away from hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats such as margarine. Make sure you integrate enough Omegas into your diet, especially Omega 3.
"It increases the consumption of fatty fish, dairy products from grass-fed cattle, chia seeds and nuts. Prepare your own salad dressings instead of using those that can be purchased at the store. It also includes avocado, extra virgin olive oil, Indian nuts and flax seeds, "explains the Health Coach.
Eat the right protein
It does not matter if you have a vegetable-based diet or if you love foods of animal origin, the important thing is that you know what is really necessary for your body. We all need protein!
Dr. Peter D'Adamo, in his book, EatRight 4 YourType, develops the theory that people react differently to food according to their blood type. Under this premise, a person with a blood type O is like a "hunter" who feeds on meat and is more vulnerable to allergies to wheat and corn. And someone with blood type A, would be a "grower", therefore, is better nourished by a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Get active
Small actions can help you keep your body active, such as leaving the car a little farther or getting off a station earlier to walk, use the stairs instead of the elevator, replace the car with the bicycle to go to work or make a 15-minute routine in home chores.
Get enough sleep
With more hours of sleep you will feel less appetite and cravings will be under control. A study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that sleep less than six hours increases appetite and cravings for carbohydrates and fats.
Take care of your portions
Try these tricks: use small plates, leave the pots in the kitchen, divide your plate in two and make sure that one of the halves is full of vegetables. If you do not like vegetables very much, try to extract their juice, as it is a quick and easy way to comply with the golden rule of "five servings a day".
Cravings for quality
This goes for lovers of chocolates too: there is a great offer in the market of organic and artisanal chocolates. Prefer sweets that contain no less than 80% cocoa and enjoy a small bite from time to time.
These 10 healthy changes will increase your quality of life. However, the basis for adopting them lies in becoming aware of the importance of each attitude and how it can affect our health.