When it comes to feeding your body well, there are a ton of roadblocks that get in the way. Whether it is your schedule, budget, or overall taste, it is easy to skip the nutrient-rich snacks and head straight for the individually packed chips. The month of March is dedicated to bringing awareness to our nutrition and there are many ways we can combat the barriers and boost our nutrition.
Why is nutrition important?
The food we eat plays a major role in the overall health of our bodies. What we choose to eat affects our vision, weight, skin, blood pressure, and so much more. Ensuring we consume well-balanced meals is the first step in the direction of a healthy lifestyle. When paired with exercise, nutrition is a surefire way to reduce the risk of future health related issues.
A recent study by Harvard showed that individuals who ate 5 servings or more of fruits and vegetables every day had a 20% lower risk (when compared to those who ate less than 3 servings) of developing heart disease and stroke. In turn, the more servings of fruits and veggies we eat, the less likely we are to develop cardiovascular disease.
Roadblocks of feeding our bodies well
“I don’t have enough time.” In today’s world, it seems like time is a hot commodity. It can be difficult to find the time to make sure you’re eating a well balanced diet. One thing we can do is to make reaching for fruits and vegetables just as easy as reaching for a bag of chips. As soon as you get home from grocery shopping (or grocery pick up) make cleaning and storing your fruits and vegetables a priority. Pluck the grapes from their stems, wash the carrots, and slice up the cucumber right away, then store them in easy to grab containers. When it is all done and ready to go, it will be much easier to reach for a nutrient-rich snack instead of the prepackaged chips or muffins.
“Eating healthy doesn’t fit my budget.” Some of the most basic nutrient rich foods that our bodies need can be some of the least expensive foods at the grocery store. For example, our bodies need whole grains and proteins as part of a nutrient-rich and well-balanced diet and we can easily achieve these with a bag of brown rice ($2) and beans ($1.50). Adding beans to your ground beef can make the amount of portions you get out of a single meal increase while also increasing the nutritional value of the meal.
“I don’t like the taste of vegetables.” As kids, we always pushed the greens to the side of the plate (and sometimes off the table for the dogs to eat) because we just couldn’t stand the taste of healthy food. Even as adults, we still may have an aversion to the taste of greens, but there is a way to sneak them in! Try adding a handful of kale or spinach to a fruit smoothie to boost nutrition in your diet. The taste of the fruit overpowers the taste of the spinach and you don’t even know it’s there!
Changing the way we think about adding nutrition to our foods is the first step to overcoming these roadblocks. You will begin to feel the benefits that great nutrition has to offer. This month, make adding nutrition and eating a well-balanced diet your priority!
Speak to your doctor about how to consume a nutritious diet. Need to connect with a physician? Try our physician referral line to get connected with a physician that is right for you!
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