Wellness Tips For March 2017

Learn to examine what you are doing and devise a plan for improving the way you live.  When you look back on this year so far, are you healthier?  Did your body weight stay the same, go up or go down?  Did your cholesterol level, blood sugar level or blood pressure take a turn for the better? Focus on achieving your health and fitness goals!

Think premium food fuel first! When it comes to your food choices, treat your body better

than your car by choosing the best possible food fuels first. Focus on the theme “Nutrition: It’s a matter of fact!” for National Nutrition Month® in March. Figurefacts.com is one way to get to the facts.

Plan Ahead. Keep the foods on your meal plan within reach to make it easier to comply.

Make a shopping list of enough food to accommodate your daily servings from each food group. Bring your next meal or snack with you if you know you will not be able to get away from the office.

Remember, there is always a thought before an action! Take a couple of minutes to think about what you will prepare or purchase for your next meal or snack. That little bit of forethought can help you stick to your healthy food plan.

Apply the rule of one to foods that challenge your ability to control the amount you eat.

Use the serving size on the label as the maximum amount of that item you will allow yourself to indulge in for that day.

Exercise and a balanced diet go together! On a food plan too low in carbohydrates, protein from your muscles will be used to make glucose to sustain your blood sugar during physical activity, instead of helping to maintain and repair the tissues of your body.

Physical activity is vital to your health! In order to improve or maintain your quality of life, work up to 30 to 60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 5 to 7 days per week to help prevent disease and premature death.

Adjust your diet to reduce inflammation in your body by eliminating trans-fatty acids and reducing your intake of polyunsaturated fats. Focus on monounsaturated fat, i.e., olive oil avocado, canola oil, nuts, and Omega-3 fats from flaxseed, walnuts and fish oils.

Craving something sweet, reach for one of your recommended servings of fresh fruit to satisfy your sweet-tooth. Remember 2-4 servings of fresh fruit are recommended daily.

Excessive simple sugar in the diet can aggravate inflammation in your body.

Stress can chisel away at your health! Stress, both physical and psychological, is a major problem in our society today. Life-style changes that help reduce stress can ward off potential stress-related diseases.

Alcohol adds stress. Contrary to popular opinion, excess alcohol does not induce sleep. It interferes with normal sleep or REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep and the dreaming process that helps us maintain our sanity.

When eating out or ordering in use the menu as an ingredient list. Pick and choose the items that will fulfill the components of a balanced meal and ask for foods to be prepared to your liking, for example, with less fat or broiled instead of fried.

Do not skip meals to compensate for high fat/calorie choices, since this can lead to overeating later or the next day. Eating high fat foods at one meal can be off set by choosing lower fat food items for your next meal and/or snack.

Make sure you are incorporating Omega-3 Fatty acids in your diet.  Research shows that these heart healthy fats not only clean up and soften existing plaques in your blood vessels, but also significantly reduce inflammation in the body overall.  The recommendation is minimally 1 gram per day or 1000mg up to 3 grams or 3000mg per day to help keep heart disease at bay!!

Dear Diary – The Proven Method for Health and Weight Management

Research shows that keeping a food diary is the key to successful weight management.  In addition, tracking at least 4 out of 7 days yields similar weight outcomes.  Therefore if you are really aware of your food choices during the week, but struggle on the weekends, you should track Friday through Monday.  You will be amazed at the progress you can make by identifying your trigger times and days.  Use Figurefacts.com to track your intake!