If given the choice, we all would choose to be healthy. Unfortunately, that is not an automatic process. Being healthy means making good choices in several areas, the first being in our diet.
If given the choice, we all would choose to be healthy. Unfortunately, that is not an automatic process. Being healthy means making good choices in several areas, the first being in our diet. I recently saw a quote that said, “I can’t control everything in my life, but I can control what I put in my body.” One of the problems is that there is so much information and differing opinions on what to eat that it can get overwhelming. However, there are some basic pillars of nutrition that will set you on a path of health. I invite you to join me in this conversation over the next few weeks as we look at how to make good food choices for living well.
Why is food important? What happens when I eat? Food is information for our bodies. Nutrients give our bodies instructions about how to function. Food inputs messages of vitality and health or sends messages of sickness and disease. Dr. Mark Hyman says, “With every bite of food, you are either upgrading and improving or downgrading your body.” Food also regulates our hormones, immune system, brain health and activity, digestive system and gut biome. Poor nutrition doesn’t give our bodies the right information and our health can begin to decline.
Usually our first thoughts are what not to eat but good nutrition goes beyond the “do not eat” list. Our focus has to be putting into our diet the nutrients that will properly fuel our bodies, helping us to be the healthiest version of ourselves. To build a healthy plate you should be eating from these four food groups:
In my next article, I will be going into detail about how each of these food groups affect our bodies and the best choices for eating these foods. I’ll also be sharing some favorite family recipes.
Remember it’s never too late to start working on a healthier you!