Five Things To Start (or Continue) For Optimal Health in 2023 and Beyond
Real World Nutrition Podcast Episode 65: Five Things to Start in 2023 and Beyond
Five Things To Start (or Continue) For Optimal Health in 2023 and Beyond
With the new year around the corner and yet another list of resolutions (think goals, not resolutions) for a healthier life, today is a list of the top five things you can do now and for life to help ensure a healthier life.
And you may think this is nothing “new” here. Of course, it isn’t, but oddly, this comes up perennially, so why not repeat it?
Eat Carbohydrates (aka plant foods)
Include a variety of carbohydrates - which come from plants.
Yes, do this. Since carbohydrates are in all plant-based foods, eating fruits and veggies means eating carbohydrates.
People often think of carbs as bread, rice, pasta, and potatoes. And those foods do have carbs. But carbohydrates are a nutrient, not a good group.
Carbohydrates are in every plant food, from wheat, walnuts, watercress, amaranth, almonds, and avocados. If it comes from a plant, it has carbohydrates, including sunflower seeds, soybeans, and sugar.
Stay Hydrated
You don’t have to go for the eight glasses a day, or maybe you do. The recommended amount isn’t exact and varies from person-to-person day to day.
It doesn’t have to be a gallon, and it doesn’t have to be water.
All fluids count (except alcohol) towards overall hydration, including coffee and tea.
Water is good. And you can have a lemon in it, but there is no magic to doing that.
And foods contribute too – especially those fruits and veggies.
How can you best know if you are hydrated? Urine color. Lighter and more clear is better than the amber color.
Go Nuts
People still “fear” nuts because of the fat. But most of the fat is healthy fats.
Nuts also have protein and fiber (a carbohydrate, by the way) and are a great snack when you are on the go.
Which nut is best? They are all good. So go with what you love, including peanuts.
Choose Fish
Most Americans could use more seafood in their diet. Whether it is finfish or shellfish, they both have benefits.
Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, herring, and sardines have healthier omega-3 fats.
Lean fish like cod, sea bass, and tilapia are low in fat and an excellent protein source.
Shellfish and crustaceans like scallops, oysters, shrimp, and crabs also have health benefits.
So, unless you have an allergy to seafood or shellfish (they are different), ensure you get at least one to two servings a week. And canned or vacuum-packaged fish is just fine.
Cardio, strength, and flexibility activities are all important.
You’ve Got to Move It Move It
One of the healthiest things you can do in your life is exercise.
Cardiorespiratory gets your heart rate up, and you breathe harder.
Strength gets your muscles stronger (and not always bigger) and helps with skeletal health. This exercise can include bodyweight exercises or resistance bands as well as weights.
Stretching helps with flexibility – and it doesn’t have to be “yoga,” but most stretching moves have origins in yoga.
Pick one or all five as part of your 2023 goals. And make sure these go far past January and far past 2023.
