With recent international health concerns, it’s more important now than ever to take steps to keep your immune system healthy and your body functioning in tip-top performance.
While there is no specific food guaranteed to bolster your immune system, there are real ways you can give your immune system the best chance to do its job against unwanted illnesses by incorporating healthy eating into daily life.
With all the information on the web with respect to healthy eating tips, how can you be sure that you are doing the right things for your body at the right time? If you focus on the numbers, grams of protein, saturated fats, sugars, etc, it is very easy to quickly become overwhelmed, drawing your focus away from healthy living and replacing it with statistics. It’s better to focus on the quality of food and how their properties can benefit your body, where you are in your life.
Here are some great tips to help you eat healthier, feel better and live happier without driving yourself crazy.
Healthy Eating Tips – For Each Generation
Make Vegetables the Star of the Meal
No matter your age, vegetables should be in a key element of your diet. Vegetables are chock full of essential minerals and nutrients. They aid in digestion moving waste along the intestinal tract, scooping up all the particles that your body doesn’t recognize (unless you live exclusively off the land, you are bound to run into preservatives and pesticides that the body isn’t familiar with).
Additionally, vegetables are low-to-zero calorie foods, so you can eat to your satisfaction without adding all the extra calories to your food log.
- In Your 20s – Go for sweet potatoes, which are chock full of potassium. Most men and women in their 20s get less than half the recommended intake a day, according to the USDA.
- In Your 30s – Dark, leafy greens such as with kale and spinach. Life is busy with career and kids, and these super-veggies are jam-packed with antioxidants, fiber, and iron, giving you more bang for your meal “buck.”
- In Your 40s – Broccoli and bok choy will help keep bones strong as they are packed with calcium.
- In Your 50s and Beyond – Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous veggies contain cancer-fighting antioxidants.
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The Slow Burn
Complex carbohydrates help regulate your blood sugar while affording you a clean, no-crash extended battery life. Starting the day with a complex carbohydrate, keeps your metabolism going strong until it’s time to digest lunch, which should be the largest meal of the day. If you do not eat breakfast, you run the risk of packing on the fat because your metabolism is at a cold start when it comes time to process lunch, effectively setting your processing time slightly behind your resting metabolic rate.
- In Your 20s – Whole Grain Breads are good sources of fiber, as well as potassium, magnesium, and selenium.
- In Your 30s – Beans are a good source of folate, iron, and potassium. Folate is especially important for women hoping to get pregnant.
- In Your 40s – Leafy greens, berries, and apples are fiber-rich fruits and vegetables which help to lower cholesterol levels.
- In Your 50s and Beyond – Rice and oats can help guard against type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems.
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Lock in Healthy Meals When You Can
Most people get bloated just thinking about going out to eat. The portions! One of the best healthy eating tips that you can put to work, regardless of your age, gender or body type, is to lock in healthy meals when you can. When you do go out to eat, order a salad. You will likely be on the receiving end of enough food to carry you through two meals, maybe three. Eat to your satisfaction, but save enough for lunch the next day so you know for a fact that you’ll be eating a healthy, nutritious low-calorie meal without having to throw it all together at the last minute.
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More Great Healthy Living Tips
In addition to the generation-specific dietary tips, here are a few essentials to consider for peak wellness always.
- Do not smoke.
- Limit your alcohol intake.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- Move your body – at least 30 minutes a day.
- Get enough sleep.
- Wash your hands.
- Keep up with your vaccinations.
- Reduce stress.
- Laugh. That’s right, laughing is a known health booster!
No matter where you are in your health journey, be mindful, drink plenty of water, and choose fresh as often as possible.