With tons of information that is available online, it can be really confusing at times when it comes to health and nutrition. With BetterHelp there to help you with your mental health, we are going to talk about some evidence-based tips in this article that you can follow in keep yourself in great shape.
1. Avoiding Sugar Calories
In order to get in shape, avoiding sugar is basically your first and most important step. Having sugary drinks surely makes you fat no matter how healthy they seem, as our brain does not measure this liquid sugar you ingest the same way it assesses sugar from solid food. Considering all this, it is strongly recommended that you avoid sugary drinks as much as you can. Although, you may drink fruit juices as they are not that bad when compared with soda or other aerated drinks.
Such drinks are also associated with health problems such as obesity, several heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, and many other health issues.
2. Superfood: Nuts
One of the healthiest foods on our planet is nuts, that are full of magnesium, fibers, vitamins, and many other nutrients that can really help you lose weight and fight problems like obesity and diabetes by improving your metabolism. Another bonus tha you get as you eat nuts is that your body does not even absorb 10-15% of the calories present in nuts while there are research results indicating that it boosts your metabolism significantly.
3. No Processed Food
Most of us are already familiar with the fact that processed foods are really unhealthy because of their sugar levels, the food chemicals in them, and different preservatives that are added to increase their shelf lives. Additionally, most of these processed food items are low in fiber, proteins, and other micronutrients, while having a high amount of refined grains and sugar providing you empty calories.
Most of the processed food items that you buy these days are designed so that these items can trigger the pleasure centers in your brain. This way such food items often trigger overeating and addiction habits.
4. Caffeine Is Good For You
A cup of coffee in the morning can give you a great start for the day. Despite all the negative talks that you read or hear about caffeine, coffee is a really healthy drink.
Coffee is full of anti-oxidants and there are studies indicating that regular consumption of coffee is really beneficial as it improves our longevity and reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s diseases, Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, and several other illnesses.
5. Omega-3 Fatty Acids In Fishes
If you are looking for high-quality protein and healthy fast, then fatty fishes such as salmon is a great choice. Salmon is heavily loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and other healthy fats that are really good for your heart and can help you with dementia and depression as well.
6. Sleep Well
You just can not overstate how important sleep is for your body. If you have a poor sleep cycle, your body can easily develop insulin resistance, which will not only decrease your immunity but is also going to affect your immunity. All this will surely affect your mental and physical performance.
There’s more to it as people with poor sleep have a high risk of obesity and weight gain despite their age.
7. Gut Microbiota
For your overall health, gut microbiota (the name given to collective bacteria in your gut) is really important. Some of the severe chronic diseases are also linked to the disruption in these gut bacterias.
There are plenty of food items such as sauerkraut and yogurt that can be included in your diet to boost these gut bacterias.
8. Drink Enough Water
There are numerous benefits to drinking water, and one of those benefits is that it helps you boost your metabolism and allows your body to burn calories at a much faster rate. Besides that, according to several studies and surveys, the best time to drink water is before meals which can significantly help you in weight loss.
9. Eat Your Fruits And Veggies
As you know fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants, prebiotic fiber, minerals, and vitamins having potent biological effects on your body. Considering that, a good diet plan consisting of a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables is a great way of keeping yourself healthy and in great shape.
The Bottom Line
With the initiation of a global lockdown, most of us are prone to an unhealthy diet plan making us more fat and obese. With these super helpful and proven tips, you can make sure that your mind and body are healthy.
