Eat slowly and enjoy your food
How often do we eat in a hurry, gulping down food like a boa constrictor? In such cases, we give little thought to the taste of the food, just mindlessly devouring it. Consequently, we end up overeating. However, you could start eating consciously. Try not just to eat but to savor your food. Eat slowly, taking measured pauses before each new bite. When you chew, your organism sends a satiety signal to your brain. As a result, mindful eating will help you get full faster. To dive deeper into this topic, check out our summary of the book What to Eat When.
Replace saturated fats with vegetable fats
Did you ever think that eating the wrong foods could lead you to severe diseases? And we're not talking about conventionally unhealthy things like brownies or candy right now. We're talking about regular steaks or eggs. Saturated fats and high-sugar foods are a bigger threat to us than they may seem. Red meat, dairy products, and egg yolks can make your heart flutter in a bad way. However, you could replace saturated fats with vegetable fats — simply by introducing avocados and olive oil into your diet.
Your meals have to be regular
When we talk about eating, you should also not forget about the regularity of your meals. You should try to eat at the same time. When you constantly eat at different times, it can lead to health problems. If you do strive for variety, here's news for you: you can break social norms and start eating "non-traditional" foods for some meals. Can you start your morning with soup? Why not! Have oatmeal with fruit for dinner? Yes, and yes, again. You can eat whatever you want (as long as it's balanced nutrition), but do it on a schedule.
Increase your superfoods intake, and you won't get sick
When trying to lose weight, we often only pay attention to the calories of foods. However, in order to stay healthy, we must first be concerned with the amount of phytochemicals. Flax seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pomegranates, or green vegetables are helping your body in ways that no medicine can help. Of course, the list of such foods will be very long — you certainly have room for imagination and a healthy diet plate. Eat enough superfoods, and you can even reduce the risk of cancer. Find more about the connection between food and immunity in our summary of the book Super Immunity.
Save yourself from hostile salt
Once upon a time, mankind used salt to transport food to other countries without the risk of spoiling the food. Back then, salt was truly an indispensable product. Yet the abuse of salty foods in your nutrition leads to cancer, heart disease, and blood pressure problems. Try giving up salt. Even if you can't do it completely, you can simply cut back. Say no to those chips and eat a bag of walnuts! Remember that your first steps to a healthy lifestyle may be small, but remain firm.
Do not overeat fructose and sucrose
We think the main disadvantage of sugar is its caloric content. Well, it certainly doesn't belong on the "Proper diet food" list. However, the main disadvantage of sugar is that it contributes to visceral fat in your body. This type of fat wraps around your organs, preventing them from working properly. However, besides stomach or liver problems, visceral fat can also harm your brain. Studies have shown that an overabundance of visceral fat can lead to memory impairment.
Cut down on gluten even in “healthy foods”
Gluten-free products are becoming increasingly popular for a reason. Surprisingly, consuming regular flour can lead to many conditions, from simple headaches to Alzheimer's disease. In addition, gluten is addictive. You like to savor cakes because your brain perceives gluten as an enforcer. Try replacing gluten foods in your diet. Give up pasta in favor of porridge, and you'll already be a step closer to a healthy lifestyle.
Don't be afraid of cholesterol
Don't think you have to give up fats completely for your health. No, a proper human diet includes a certain dose of fats. Adequate fat intake can save you from much cognitive impairment. Internet trainers love to berate cholesterol, talking about how harmful it is. However, if you don't consume enough cholesterol, your body will start producing it on its own. You will lose more than you gain. Even the experts say so - see for yourself in our summary of the book Grain Brain.
The most important thing to remember while creating your balanced diet is not to get obsessed. When you start counting every calorie, dreading every gram of sugar or gluten, you can drive yourself crazy. Your goal is to eat more healthy food and less junk food, nothing more.
Eat more superfoods that are rich in phytochemicals. This will help you get sick less and avoid taking artificial vitamins. Also, don't be afraid to eat fats, as they are essential for your brain. However, you could substitute fats from animal products with vegetable fats. This will be more beneficial for you. Cut down on salt, sugar, and gluten as well. Yes, this will be difficult, so do it in small steps. Stick to a culture of eating as well: eat slowly and at the same time every day.
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