A Simple Suggestion for a Healthier Diet
Keto, low-carb, vegan, fasting, gluten-free, national food guides - with so many different diet and weight loss opinions out there, what should we eat?
Despite the confusion and contradictions between today’s popular diet trends, there is one common link between them all which may be helpful:
They all encourage people to eat...vegetables.
Why vegetables? Consider these benefits:
Veggies are a packed full of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, which our bodies require to maintain normal, healthy function.
Vegetables are typically lower in calories and high in dietary fibre. This means that you will feel full, despite eating less and consuming fewer calories. This is a major benefit for weight loss!
The dietary fibre in vegetables is also important for normal bowel function and digestive health. It helps you absorb nutrients, reduces constipation and keeps you regular.
People who eat a diet rich in vegetables experience a lower risk of many chronic illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol, and many types of cancers.
The nutrients in vegetables can improve healing, help you fight infection, and helps maintain overall health.
So, what is my recommendation?
When it comes to diet, no matter how you decide to eat, I suggest eating A LOT of vegetables.
Start by adding a generous serving of vegetables to your meals, either as a part of the meal itself or as a salad on the side. And, try snacking on raw vegetables (or fruit) in between meals to avoid feeling overly hungry and over-eating at meal times.
Each type of vegetable provides different nutrients and benefits, so eat a variety of different vegetables. One way is to make your salads and veggies as colourful as possible, and experiment with new varieties to change it up regularly. Remember, it all starts at the grocery store!
Health is a long-term game.
While making drastic changes to your eating habits can seem helpful in the short-term, they are rarely sustainable long-term. Whereas, making one small change by adding healthier foods to your current diet may be more manageable over time. One positive change often leads to others, and this, combined with eating more fresh fruit, less processed food, and 30 minutes of walking or other activity each day, will not only help you lose unwanted weight, but will help you feel healthier too!
~Dr. Shawn Toner, BSc, DC