Fuel Your Body Right: Healthier Choices Start Here
What you put on your plate is the foundation of your health. It impacts everything from your energy levels and mood to your risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and even certain types of cancer.
Here in New Mexico, we know that delicious food is a big part of our culture. But let's be honest, our love for fried foods, cheese and heavy meats can sometimes leave us feeling sluggish and less than our best.
Here are some simple steps to improve our eating habits and support our health:
Focus on whole foods: Fill your plate with fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. These foods are packed with nutrients that your body needs to thrive. And fruits and veggies don’t have to be boring! Smoothies, dressings and spices can go a long way to make these healthy foods appealing.
Limit processed foods: Processed foods are often high in sugar, unhealthy fats, and sodium. This means anything that’s not entering your house (or a restaurant) as raw ingredients. Cut back on fast food, packaged snacks, and sugary drinks.
Cook more often: Cooking at home gives you control over the ingredients and allows you to make healthier choices. Do meal prep on the weekend to make it easy and convenient to choose home-cooked meals during the busy week. There are lots of great ideas and tips online!
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate: Water is essential for all bodily functions, and most of us are chronically dehydrated. Carry a water bottle with you throughout the day and sip on it regularly. Add Celtic sea salt and slices of lemon, cucumber, fresh mint, or even oranges or strawberries to make it interesting! Pure water is a much healthier choice than coffee, soda or sports/energy drinks.
Incorporate healthy fats: Include sources of healthy fats (omegas) in your diet, such as avocados, nuts, seeds, coconut oil and olive oil. Cut back on sopapillas, fries and chips. Omega oils are critical to brain health and support many bodily functions.
Did you know?
Intermittent Fasting can help you reduce calories, curb your cravings, reset your gut, and improve blood sugar control. Humans were designed to be able to survive days at a time without food – it’s only in recent decades that we have become so snack-oriented and encouraged to eat so many hours of the day. Periods of fasting are a healthy way to give your digestive tract a break and your body a chance to ‘clean up’ inside and reset. A common schedule for intermittent fasting is an 8 hour window for eating (eg. 11am-7pm) and a 16 hour window of fasting.
Your gut health plays a crucial role in your overall well-being, including your mood and mental health. Scientists are now calling our gut ‘our second brain’ and realizing just how influential gut health is to everything else. And what we eat and drink are the building blocks.
Making small changes can have a big impact on your health, and making lasting changes to your eating habits takes time and patience. Be kind to yourself, and celebrate your successes.
Las Vegas New Mexico Community Foundation is committed to supporting community health and wellness. Stay tuned for exciting news about upcoming grant opportunities to support local health and wellness programs.
