The hardest thing about eating a balanced diet is figuring out what works best.
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Food for thought
For most people, a handful of grapes can be a great addition to any diet.
The hardest thing about eating a “balanced” diet is figuring out what works best. People tend either to eat the wrong things or not eat enough. Fad diets don’t always provide the best results; if they do, it’s usually temporary.
Listen to your body. If you’re hungry, eat. If you feel unwell after eating a specific meal, it may not be as good for you as you thought.
Keeping a food journal is a great first step to figuring out what works. Track the time of day you enjoy food and what you eat, followed by grams of protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and fats, plus the number of calories per day.
It sounds much harder than it actually is. Once you get into the habit of tracking what you eat, it becomes second nature.
When you eat the right foods, you never overdo your calorie intake. It’s about ingredients more than calories: as long as you eat the right foods, calories are never an issue.
The stage in life you’re in will also affect what and how much you eat. For example, menopausal women should eat differently than they did in their 20s or 30s, and anyone trying to build muscle will also need to change their diet, increasing their average calorie intake.
We can drastically improve our health through nutrition. According to a study conducted through the National Library of Medicine, improved diet quality accumulates over time, improving health.
The diet quality improvement study indicated that with improved diets, diabetes could be reduced by over 11%. Heart disease would improve by 7%, and strokes by 10 %.
The study also compared the cost of money spent trying to heal an illness through medication to the cost of buying better ingredients, showing a savings of roughly $144 billion per year, which would also mean a total of 88,000 fewer deaths in the same period. The numbers don’t lie.
Sometimes, all you need is to tweak the diet you’re already on. By adding one or a few simple ingredients, you’ll be surprised how quickly you gain energy and control of your health. Your body handles stress better and heals more quickly by eating your ideal balanced diet.
With nearly endless sources of nutrition available, there isn’t always a need to hire a nutritionist. However, your insurance policy may help cover the cost of one. Many nutritionists offer telehealth options, making it that much more affordable.
The best thing about speaking with a certified nutritionist is that they will help you figure out a good meal plan that works specifically for you. A nutritionist is like a personal trainer for your organs.
Luckily, there are several options across the Peak to Peak region, from staff at healthy grocery stores to professionals.
Allenspark
Healthy Be Me (teas and tinctures)
Gilpin County
Amy Hager, RDN
Nutritionist
919-272-7350
