5 Ways to Improve Your Diet and Get Healthy
Do this! Don’t do that! Seems everywhere you look, there’s advice on how to improve your diet. Many are thinly veiled attempts to get you to buy their program or product. My experience goes much more along the lines of Occam’s Razor: The simplest answer is usually the correct one. Here are my tips on stuff that I’ve used myself, and continue to do so. Because they work!
Alpha Lipoic Acid
This one may not apply to you, but 25-30 % of the population will at some time be affected by neuropathy. And, the taller you are the more likely it will affect you. It can show up in a variety of ways even in young children. And, it’s a common (70%) side effect in diabetics. What is it?
Neuropathy is a primarily a condition of the nerves, most commonly in the extremities. The effects can be only an annoyance, such as numbness, or much more severe. It’s also more likely to show up if your parents had it.
Since it runs in my own family and some family members have had it show up as children, I did my own research. I found multiple studies in Europe that showed the benefits of Alpha Lipoic Acid, an anti-oxidant, in treating neuropathy. I was having the numbness symptoms, and was getting concerned as the numbness seemed to be spreading. I went on a regimen of ALP and within six months the numbness was all but gone.
Omega 3
Omega 3 is a fatty acid. It has a cousin, Omega 6. As with so many things in life, it’s all about balance. And modern eating habits have altered the ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3. Although similar, they do different things in the body. Our “normal” ratio would be 1:1. But in Western culture, it’s typically 15:1. Because it’s much more difficult to reduce the Omega 6 than it is to increase Omega 3, it’s important to use a supplement that boosts the Omega 3. Why?
According to www.lifeextension.com,
“Enhanced Cardio Protection With Fish And Krill Oil. It has long been known that higher levels of omega–3 fatty acids like EPA and DHA are strongly linked to improved cardiovascular health; while lower levels of omega-3s in the blood are linked to increased rates of hypertension and risk of heart attack.”
The two best sources of Omega 3 are fish oil and Krill oil . If you’re not familiar with Krill oil, click the link for more info. While fish oil has been used much longer, Krill Oil has some great benefits. Either one is going to support good health.
Portion Control
Most of our nourishment comes from food, without worry about exactly what we’re consuming. But as with all things, too much of a good thing – – is not a good thing.
Currently, 66% of the U.S. population is considered overweight. With all the evidence about the ill effects of being overweight, one of the best things you can do is to maintain proper weight. And one of the best ways I’ve found is portion control.
Super size? Never. And at home, instead of using a big plate, use a smaller plate that won’t hold as much. That way, you trick your mind into thinking you have a “full” plate, but it’s actually a smaller amount. And, you’ll be less tempted to “fill ‘er up.”
Avoidance
There seems to be an endless flow of yummy treats that end up in our faces. My biggest temptations are potato chips, french fries, and home made cookies. And no you don’t get to justify them by saying the chips and fries are just potatoes, and the cookies have nuts and raisins in them. We’ve all become addicted to salt, grease, sugar, and fast food. All of which are not going to help us maintain good health.
Okay, I know some things are just really hard to resist. So if you can’t avoid them completely, remember to keep them in moderation.
Paying Attention
Like anything in life, if you don’t pay attention to where you’re headed, it’s pretty difficult to control the destination. Watching your weight? Get on the scale every day. Trying to lower your blood pressure? Monitor it regularly. Working on a better complexion? Well, you’re going to have to look in the mirror!
Improve Your Diet and Improve Your Life
Take control of the vessel you call your body and it’s trip through life, and you’ll enjoy the journey much more. It isn’t any more difficult to live a healthy lifestyle than it is to live a terrible one. The benefit to living healthy is huge, and you get all the rewards.
Images:
Main Tella Chen Healthy lunch Jennifer Chult
