Many popular diets limit carb intake, but they are your body’s first source of energy. You need to keep in mind that you must burn more calories than you consume. That doesn’t mean eat one meal a day but eat enough food to provide you with the energy you need for the day. When talking about weight loss and carbs, you should think more in the terms of complex carbs. Complex and fiber-rich carbs can help you feel full for a long time. Some of the best complex carbs to keep you feeling full include oatmeal, apples, oranges, grapes, baked beans, and whole grain bread / pasta. Now with the fruits, they do contain simple carbs, but a ton of fiber, so it balances out. Oh, and get to moving……Walking, running, cleaning the house etc.

The most common simple carbs added to the foods we eat are:

raw sugar
brown sugar
corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup
glucose, fructose, and sucrose
fruit juice concentrate

The primary role of carbohydrates is to provide your body with energy. Carbohydrates even provide energy for your brain and nervous system. They are the ideal fuel for the body with protein and fat being the only other alternatives. Protein rich foods tend to be more expensive and fat rich foods can cause some health issues. Regardless, Carbohydrates provide about half of the fuel used by muscles and other tissues.

Vitamin A is good for vision, a healthy immune system, and cell growth. 

Some sources of vitamin A: Sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, and apricots.

Calorie control helps ensure a balance between the energy we take in from food and the energy we use in activity. If you are on the move working out, cleaning the house, or just running errands all day…..get adequate and quality food in to fuel your day. If the plan is to just lay around all day, then eat lightly.

Iron is an essential nutrient that your body loses on a daily basis. To replace what you lose, you should eat iron-rich foods. If your diet does not provide enough iron, you can develop a condition known as iron-deficiency anemia. 

Iron deficiency anemia signs and symptoms may include:

• Extreme fatigue
• Weakness
• Pale skin
• Chest pain, fast heartbeat or shortness of breath
• Headache, dizziness or feeling light-headed
• Cold hands and feet
• Inflammation or soreness of your tongue
• Brittle nails
• Unusual cravings for non-nutritive substances, such as ice, dirt or starch
• Poor appetite, especially in infants and children with iron deficiency anemia

Do you know the difference?

Hunger is the physical need for food.

Hunger occurs with low levels of glucose in your blood, several hours after eating.

Appetite is the desire for food.

Appetite is a sensory reaction to the look or smell of food.

They eat a low-calorie diet and practice calorie control known as hara hachi bu (eating until they are only 80 percent full) and keeping physically active every day.

They consume a diet that is 80 percent plant-based and high in unrefined whole grains, soy, vegetables, and fruits.

They consume higher intakes of good fats from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

Reduce total fat intake to 20%–35% of total calories, but derived mostly from oils. Keep trans fat intake as low as possible. Reduce saturated fat intake to less than 10% of calories and consume as little cholesterol as possible (<300 mg daily) while consuming a healthy eating pattern.

I personally try to keep something in the car to snack on or bring extra with my prepared lunch. I try not to pick up fast food, but sometimes you just have too. Depending where you are, the choices can be limited. Wherever you stop, try to pick the best option depending on your healthy living lifestyle. For example, if you are trying not to eat meat and the only thing around is a Burger King. Go ahead and get the Impossible burger instead of a whopper. As far as nutritional value goes, there isn’t much difference between the two besides one NOT being meat. Other than that, as my Vegan friend would say, “the Impossible Burger is junk food for a vegan”.

If it is fast food, just remember the following:

Don’t supersize.

Choose grilled over fried.

Split your order with a friend.

It is NOT expensive to eat healthy. There are quite a few ways to save when shopping (that I learned from my wife “The queen of saving money”).

Buy local and fresh foods that are in season.

Shop from a list to help avoid buying unnecessary items.

Check the nutritional facts on packaged foods. Compare amounts of fat, sodium, calories, and nutrients in similar products.

Only buy the amount you or your family will eat before the food spoils.

Check the perimeter………….Meijers, Krogers, and Aldi’s for example, seem to have all the fresh whole food around the perimeter of the store. Fresh produce, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, poultry, fish, and whole-grain breads. 

Gout is a painful form of arthritis that occurs when high levels of uric acid in the blood cause crystals to form and accumulate in / around a joint. The above foods help with decreasing uric acid levels in the blood. They may also lower the risk of recurring gout attacks and slow the progression of joint damage.

It doesn’t take much to make me happy. I’ve been putting off getting this little tool for awhile. I thought to my self is it really worth the $7? Do I really eat that many apples? Finally got it and it’s worth the $7.

Peanut butter provides a good amount of protein, along with essential vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, and zinc.

All three can cause a person to experience weight gain or weight loss due to their condition. Depression, anxiety, and stress can all be associated with overeating, poor food choices, and a more sedentary lifestyle. Over time, weight gain may eventually lead to obesity.

Target Blood Sugar Levels

If you have diabetes, these are target “control” blood glucose levels, using a rating of milligrams to deciliter, or mg/dl:

Blood sugar levels before meals (preprandial): 70 to 130 mg/dL

Blood sugar levels one to two hours after the start of a meal (postprandial): less than 180 mg/dL

Blood sugar levels indicating hypoglycemia or low blood glucose: 70 or below mg/dL

I post quite a few topics on plant based diets, but I also love my air fried chicken. When I started running in 2016, I ended up developing achilles tendonitis in my right foot and decided to run through the pain because I enjoyed running so much. For the record, don’t do that. So I had got to the point of having to completely stop running for almost a year. I started doing light lifting, low impact cardio, and cut back on certain foods. I pretty much got into the habit of eating depending on my level of activity for the day. As far as the achilles tendonitis, I wore a ankle support or compression sock daily and a ice pack in the evening. If you ever want to learn about natural ways of healing, talk to someone that is twice your age and getting around like they are your age. That’s how I found out about the blackstrap molasses used as an anti-inflammatory. After a few days of taking a tablespoon of it in hot water, the pain eased up quite a bit. After watching the Game Changer documentary, I added more vegetables and cut back on meat (which was easy since I really don’t eat a lot of it anyway) to see if it would help with the healing process and it did. The point I’m trying to make is try things out to see if it works. Just because it’s in a documentary doesn’t mean it’s a guaranteed cure all. As long as it’s not life threatening, give it a spin and document your results. Will i ever go vegan? Maybe, maybe not, but I most definitely can see the benefits of having more veggies in your life….and some air fried chicken😁

I try to do at least 2 of the suggestions on a daily basis. Life can be rough at times, but you have to find ways to keep a healthy mind.