There is so much information out there regarding what to do when it comes to health and nutrition, so here are some simple yet important tips that everyone should be following.
1. Drink lots of water
Drinking water is one of the most important things a person can do to stay healthy. Drinking at least 2 litres of water a day will boost your metabolism, keep your body systems running at an optimal level, maintain high energy levels and promote good digestive health.
2. Avoid processed foods
Processed foods are typically lower in fibre, protein and the essential micronutrients that our bodies need, which essentially make them empty calories with little to no nutritional benefits. They are also usually high in unnecessary ingredients like sugar and refined grains. Cutting processed foods out of your diet and replacing them with healthy, nutritious food is the first step you should take when attempting to improve your diet.
3. Include healthy fats
Fats are essential to maintaining a healthy diet as they aid in protecting the body’s organs, improving brain development and correct cell functioning. It is recommended that you eat 25-30% of your daily calories in fats. Healthy fats can be found in foods such as avocado and nuts.
4. Get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep is just as important as diet and exercise when trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It’s been proven that a lack of sleep can reduce your physical and mental performance, negatively affect your hormones and build up insulin resistance in the body.
5. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables
Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is essential for achieving a healthy diet, as they are packed full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and prebiotic fibre. Fruits and vegetables have been proven to reduce the effects of numerous diseases including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Be sure to include a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in your weekly meal prep.
6. Stay Active
Doing even a minimal amount of cardio is great for your physical and mental health. Simply adding a thirty minute walk into your day can help reduce harmful fat around your organs and lead to increased improvements in your metabolic health. There are some great walking spots around Perth so there’s no excuse to not get out there and get active.
7. Eat less sugar
Small amounts of sugar in your diet is perfectly fine, however eating an excess of sugar can have damaging effects on your metabolic health. In addition to being very high in calories with barely any nutritional value, excessive sugar intake has been linked to an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
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