The Relationship Between Nutrition and Mental Health for Women
Good nutrition isn’t just important for physical health – it also plays a key role in mental health. Eating a diet rich in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help improve mood, reduce stress and anxiety, and boost overall wellbeing. By making healthy eating a priority, you can support your mental health as well as your physical health.
Reduce, Replenish and Recharge Your Diet
If you want to lose weight and manage it for the rest of your life, then you’ve got to be willing to make changes to the way you are living. Reduce, replenish and recharge your diet by reducing some foods, replenishing your diet with good, healthy foods and recharging your metabolism with foods that energize your body.
Foods that are high in sugar not only add pounds, studies indicate that too much sugar interferes with the body’s ability to get rid of toxins. Sugar has inflammatory properties, too. Sugar robs the body of vitamin B, causing your body to take vitamin B from your liver, kidneys and heart.
Eating foods high in carbohydrates puts a tremendous amount of stress on the heart. Because the kidneys have to work extra hard to metabolize sugar, this in turn makes the heart work harder. Eating sugar late at night or before going to bed puts additional stress on your heart and kidneys when they should be at rest.
Foods with a high level of refined and processed carbohydrates raise sugar levels very quickly, and this includes most breads. White bread and white rice are both culprits. Reduce the amount of these foods in your diet for the best results with your weight loss program.
Reduce the amounts of oil that you use, even when using olive or canola oil. Minimize or avoid entirely fried foods, red meat, creams, fatty salad dressings, cheese, and high fat desserts like ice cream. Indulging in fat-rich foods will cause unwanted weight gain. Saturated fats initiate LDL, or “bad cholesterol” which in turn increases the risk of heart disease.
Replenish your diet with loads of fresh produce, whole grains, and beans. Eat fresh fish. Studies show that Americans who eat a plant based diet and include a small portion of fish once a day, live longer than those who do not. Plant based diets will balance your hormones and help you to lose weight and keep it off for the rest of your life.
Eating healthy foods high in vitamins and nutrients and low in sodium, sugar and saturated fat will give you more energy and improve your overall health. Choose whole grains for their high levels of nutrients and fiber and snack on a couple of handfuls of nuts each day to keep the doctor away. Nuts satisfy hunger, give you more energy and reduce cholesterol.
Reduce the bad foods, replenish your body with lots of good healthy foods and get energized with a whole new diet and a new attitude.
Get Nutty About Your Diet
Almonds, cashews, pecans, pine nuts and walnuts are just a few of the nuts that should be part of your daily diet. It is suggested that a couple of handfuls each day will help to lower cholesterol and attribute to your longevity. Nuts are tasty and a fantastic way to satisfy the need to munch without adding a load of empty calories. Remember to pack a sack of nuts to take with you as you go on errands, family outings or even for a pedicure. Add nuts to salads, cereal, desserts and main dishes. Crushed nuts are wonderful on fish and chicken or used as the crust for your favorite pie. There are numerous ways to include nuts in your diet and with the benefits they provide you will want to make them a staple in your diet.
Almonds are high in fiber and rich in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. Almonds help to lower blood sugar and reduce weight. Studies have shown almonds raise levels of good bacteria in the gut that boosts the body’s immune system.
Cashews can make you smarter. Cashews are rich in magnesium, which helps improve memory function. These nuts also contain high amounts of zinc and iron essential to the body’s immune system. Eating cashews can also improve eyesight.
Pecans are high in oleic acid, antioxidants, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. They are great crushed, halved or whole. Pecans promote digestive health, improve heart functions and build healthy bones and teeth. High in calcium, magnesium, copper and iron and helps to reduce inflammation and reduce blood pressure.
Pine Nuts give you energy. Pine nuts are a very good source of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. They are a heart healthy snack that helps to reduce cholesterol and help you lose weight when combined with a healthy diet and exercise. They are higher in calories than many nuts but are high in vitamin E and are gluten free. Pine nuts are an excellent source of vitamin B-complex, which helps to improve the body’s metabolism.
Walnuts contain a large amount of antioxidants and rich in Omega-3s, which fight inflammation. Eating walnuts may help to reduce the risk of breast cancer and prostate cancer. The skin in particular is high in phenolic acids, tannins and flavonoids. Add these to your fruit salad, chicken salad or munch on a handful as a snack. Nuts are high in calories but the benefits make them a must for a healthy, well-balanced diet.
Plan Ahead To Eat Healthy
Carefully planning your meals in advance will ensure you have the right ingredients on hand to prepare healthy, nutritious meals. Making a plan will help to balance your meals so you get the right amount of vitamins and minerals in your diet. It’s also a smart way to save money when you do a little planning before you head to the grocery store.
Make a chart for the week and decide what you want to eat for each meal. Be flexible if you think you might dine out for any of the meals. Think about foods you want to prepare and take an inventory of the ingredients that you already have. Make a list of the items you need to buy. Don’t forget about snacks. Add foods to your list that you want to keep on-hand for quick snacks. Fruits, nuts, and cheeses are all healthy foods that are easy to eat on the run.
Select a variety of menu items so your meals never get boring. Browse through cookbooks or surf the Internet for different recipes you can prepare. Don’t be afraid to try cuts of meat that you may not have cooked before. Substitute sautéing for frying and grilling for baking to cut calories while adding a touch of versatility to your presentations. Look for ways to prepare foods that will lower excess calories, salt, sugar or saturated fat from foods you have sworn off from. Experiment with herbs and seasonings to give your food that gourmet taste.
Colorful food, like peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, beets and squash decorate the plate and taste great. The array of colors adds excitement to every entrée. Enjoying your food is as important as the nutrition you get from it. Love your food and get the most out of every bite.
You don’t have to stick strictly to your plan, but it’s always helpful to have one in place. If you decide to dine out rather than eat in, you can always postpone each planned meal by one day or use the time-sensitive ingredients like produce and meat as soon as you can. Raw veggies are great on a salad, so if you don’t have time to cook them just toss them together and have them for lunch or a side dish at dinner.
To ensure healthy eating at every meal, plan ahead. Even when dining out, make a mental plan of what you want to eat. Eat a small apple and a full glass of water before the meal if you are afraid of overeating. Go easy on the bread and appetizers so you get the most out of your main meal. Planning ahead will always help you to eat healthy no matter where you dine.
Sesame Orange Roughy
My husband and I enjoyed this at a restaurant in South Florida and I mimicked the recipe until it tasted just right. I love to imitate our favorite dishes and add my own twist to each one. That way I can be mindful of the ingredients that are being used and I can assure that the meal doesn’t contain a frightening amount of hidden fat, salt or calories. Serve this with wild rice, cous cous, pasta, potatoes, carrots or greens.
2 Tbsp of low sodium
1 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp honey
1 tsp ginger
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp reduced calorie margarine
3 Tbsp green onions
Directions:
1. Combine first 6 ingredients in small bowl, stir well, set aside.
2. Brush both sides of each fillet w/lime juice and sprinkle with sesame seeds..
3. Coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray, add margarine.
4. Heat over medium heat.
5. Add fillets and cook 3 to 4 minutes each side.
6. Drizzle with soy sauce mixture and add green onions on top.
Health Benefits:
Orange roughy is high in Omega 3’s that are essential to a healthy heart. Low fat, low in sodium, low in cholesterol, low in sugar and calories, orange roughy is a delicious source of protein that adds versatility to your diet.