Staying strong and healthy can be a challenging process. In addition to staying hydrated and making time and energy for exercise, you will need to build a diet around the healthiest items possible to support your body long-term. However, if you can include a focused healthy addition to each meal, you may find your vitamin and mineral intake rising with little work.
Go for Bright Colors
Some of the healthiest fruits and veggies that you can eat are also an intense color. For best absorption, consider pairing rich green spinach with orange or grapefruit sections. Sprinkle fresh blueberries over your yogurt snack for calcium and antioxidants. Pair avocado toast on wheat bread with tomato slices for healthy fats and lycopene.
If you’re not keen on salads, try changing up the temperature of different contents. For example, grilled and sliced chicken breast or salmon over greens is very different than a vegetables-only cold salad from a cooler. Make sure that you also pay attention to the prep work when putting together your salads. Spinach greens are quite enjoyable if left whole, but kale can be quite fibrous if not cut small.
Eat a Variety of Produce
Try to make half your plate vegetables at each meal. Make sure that each meal also contains raw produce to increase your roughage intake; fiber is critical for a healthy gut, which is critical for absorption. If your fiber intake has been low, increase slowly, and make sure you boost your water intake.
This is particularly important for those who like protein shakes or smoothies in place of meals. While these beverages can be quite healthy and make it possible to get your daily tasks done, they add little to no fiber to your diet and may be high in sugars. Try to avoid having more than one shake or smoothie as a meal replacement each day to make sure you’re eating enough fiber to support healthy digestion.
Take IV Therapies
Add a Fortified Cereal
Cereal can be eaten at any time of the day, and a fortified cereal can be a great way to top off your vitamin and mineral needs. This is particularly important for those who can’t tolerate a pill supplement. If you have a history of ulcers or other stomach problems, a whole-grain cereal such as Total, paired with plain yogurt and blueberries, can be a wonderful lunch or snack and a highly nutritious choice.
Many also take uncooked rolled oats and mix them with yogurt, fresh or dried fruit, and cinnamon. Not only are they delicious, but cinnamon is a terrific source of antioxidants. These overnight oats are loaded with flavor and fiber but take very little prep time. Mix the night before, then just grab them in the morning and get on the road.
Cooking Ahead
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive, but it will take a bit more prep time than the Standard American Diet, or SAD. Try to prep foods for easy access as soon as you get home from the grocery store. Wash grapes, let them dry, and split them into snack-sized bags.
Pay special attention to berries, as they can spoil quite quickly. Consider mixing sliced strawberries with a bit of citrus, such as fresh pineapple in juice, for a yummy fruit salad that will last a few days in the refrigerator. Toss in some blueberries for an antioxidant party.
If you like to pack foods to take to work, consider also cooking up a healthy pot of bean stew and freezing it in individual containers. This container can serve as the cold pack for your lunch bucket. To this add whole-grain crackers and grapes, single servings of egg salad, or your overnight oats.
Recovery Supplements
If you’ve been pushing to get more exercise and improve your cardiac health, look for a salt company that offers supplements designed for athletes. It’s easy to overdo it, and the cramps and misery that can occur if you run low on healthy salts can make it hard to get exciting about increasing your exercise habits.
With a little prep work and a focus on a variety of produce, you can avoid a vitamin and/or mineral lack. If your physician notices that you have a hard time maintaining healthy levels of a specific vitamin or mineral, try taking that product with a bit of fat for best absorption.
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
