How to Eat Healthy (with Pictures) - wikiHow

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How to Eat Healthy

Three Parts:

Choosing a Healthy Diet

Making Easy but Healthy Decisions

Changing Your Mindset

Eating healthy is crucial to maintaining good health. Fortunately, it's easier

than it sounds. Arm yourself with knowledge and you're halfway there. If you
think of eating healthy not as a sacrifice, but more as an opportunity for
self-improvement, you're almost at the finish line. You don't need someone to
tell you the numerous health benefits that putting away the donuts and
hamburgers will get you. You want someone to show you how it's done. Here's
a glimpse.
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Part 1 of 3: Choosing a Healthy Diet

Choose the right carbohydrates. Simple carbs, like sugar and flour, are quickly
absorbed by the body's digestive system. This causes a kind of carb overload, and

your body releases huge amounts of insulin, to combat the overload. Eat these in
moderation. Complex carbs, on the other hand, are slowly digested by the body. They
include whole-grain flour, hearty vegetables, oats, and unprocessed grains, like brown
rice. These foods are usually higher in vitamins and other nutrients that are beneficial for
the body, and they are higher in fiber (which keeps your digestive system running
smoothly).
Consider eating leafy greens like kale, collard greens, mustard greens, and
Swiss chard. They are packed with nutrients and will fill you up very quickly.
Have a simple saut with olive oil, garlic, a little salt and pepper, which will be
surprisingly tasty meal as well as nutritious. .
Choose wheat (brown) bread instead of white bread and whole wheat pasta
instead of "normal" pasta. Processed carbohydrates, such as those found in
white bread are harder to draw nutrients from, and therefore constitute empty
calories. Plain oat meal is also very healthy for you.
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Eat lean, mean protein. Aim to get between 10% and 35% of your daily calories
from protein.[1] Protein helps you to build muscle and gives you the lasting energy

throughout the day. Some examples of healthy proteins include:

Lean fish such as flounder, sole, cod, bass, perch, and halibut.
Lean poultry such as chicken or duck breast.
Legumes like beans and soy products (e.g. edamame and tofu).
Nuts like cashews.

Know the difference between good fat and bad fat. You need to consume fat for your

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body, to function correctly. However, it's important to choose the right kind of fats.
Here's a quick primer.
Monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids are good fats, which you should
try to consume regularly. They help lower the "bad cholesterol" in your body by
raising "good cholesterol". Foods that are high in fatty acids are olive oil, nuts,
fish oil, and various seed oils. Adding these "good" fats to your weekly diet can
lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease.
Avoid trans fats and saturated fats. Trans fats are form of unsaturated fat
commonly found in processed foods, and consuming them raises your risk of
heart disease. Read the labels of what you eat, and look for "hydrogenated"
anything on the ingredient list.

Stock up on superfoods. So-called superfoods may have a misleading title, but

some truly are cut above. Superfoods may have the ability to fight heart disease,

stave off cancer, lower cholesterol, and even boost your mood.[2] Here are just few of
them:
Blueberries. Blueberries may facilitate brain health.[3] If you don't have access
to blueberries, then try fresh berries, raspberries, or cranberries.
Algae. It may not sound appetizing, but then again when you read the list of
health benefits you may think again. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, and amino
acids, as well as beneficial in managing natural flora in the gut.[4]
Salmon. Another creature of the sea makes the list, and for good reason.
Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a good type of fat. Omega-3 fats are good
for blood pressure, brain function, and heart health.

Watch your salt intake.[5] Although humans need salt in moderation, too much
salt can lead to high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and excessive stomach acid.[6]

Use salt sparingly, and always check labels on food for the "reduced sodium" option, if
it's available.

Practice moderation. Don't over-consume any one food or type of food. Instead,
try to vary your diet so that you eat a little bit of everything in a moderate amount.
Some people might be great at giving up meat, sugar, alcohol, or other foods.
However, most of us are likely to give it up for awhile, then break down and
binge. Avoid this deprivation-binge cycle by allowing yourself to have small
"cheats". For instance, if you want to eat less sugar, allow yourself to eat one
dessert each Friday night and abstain for the rest of the week. Having a break
to look forward, which can help you power through the other days.

Part 2 of 3: Making Easy but Healthy Decisions

Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated with basic H2O is an easy and dramatic
way, to improve your health and shed pounds, all the while helping you feel full.

Drink water in the mid of meals and avoid drinking after and before meal, to aid digestion
and try to consume between 2 and 3 liters per day.[7][8]
If you feel like snacking, try drinking a full glass of water first. Some people
confuse thirst for hunger, and eat a 400- or 500-calorie snack when a glass of
water would have helped them feel satiated. If you're still hungry 15 minutes
after your drink, then it's time for a snack.

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Avoid soft drinks, juices, sports and energy drinks, as well as other products
containing artificial sweeteners. Giving up sugary drinks is one of the easiest

ways, you can instantly improve your diet and become healthier. A can of coke adds 139
extra calories to your diet.[9] A glass of grape juice will set you back even more. Try
drinking water only to improve and aid digestion. [10] A white chocolate creme
frappuccino has whopping 500 calories.[11] While it's okay to treat yourself with these
and other drinks every once in a while, it's not a good idea to make them a regular part
of your diet.

Participate in Meatless Mondays. Meatless Monday is an international campaign

that encourages people to give up eating meat one day per week. Eating less meat

can have several health benefits, as most people already have enough protein in their
diets. [12] In fact, vegetarians and vegans weight less than meat-eaters, and live longer
on average.[13][14]

Stay away from fast food. As we all know fast food is bad for our health, yet it
continues to remain a weekly staple for too many people. For one, fast food is

often fried, processed, and excessively salty. Add soft drinks and fries and your meal
could easily burn through half of your suggested caloric intake for the day. To add insult
to injury, much of the fat contained in fast food is trans fat, the worst kind of fat.[15]

Drink one glass of wine or beer occasionally, but be wary of more. Adults who
drink a glass of wine or beer with their meal report numerous health benefits,

including improved memory function, reduced bacterial infection, and even boosted
estrogen levels.[16] Unfortunately, what may be good in small doses can be destructive
in larger doses. Any more than two drinks of alcohol per day is probably detrimental for
your health.[17]
Red wine, in particular, contains polyphenol, called resveratrol that scientists
believe is particularly heart-healthy. Resveratrol improves the function of blood
vessels in the heart and curbs the amount of "bad" cholesterol in your body.[18]
Are you pregnant and worried about drinking? While it's normal for expectant
mothers to abstain from alcohol, scientists say that it's perfectly harmless to
drink one glass of wine a day.[19]

Part 3 of 3: Changing Your Mindset

Adopt a healthy attitude towards food. Take a hard look at your eating habits.
Do you eat more when you feel stressed?[20] Do you withhold food from yourself in

order to feel like you're in control? Try to evaluate whether you have an unhealthy
emotional attachment to food. If you do, here are few steps to consider:
Find a healthier replacement. If you find that you tend to gorge on unhealthy
foods when you're stressed, find a substitute activity for instance, you could
instead go for a walk, take a long bath, or call a trusted friend for a chat.
Whatever you choose, it should be something that helps you to decompress, so
that you no longer feel the need to binge.
See food as sustenance. A lot of Western culture is rife with messages that food
is for entertainment or for relieving boredom. Break yourself of this cognitive
habit by consciously evaluating food in terms of what it can do to keep your
body healthy. Ask yourself if what you're about to put in your mouth is good for
you, and if it will help your body function as it was designed to.
Consult a medical professional. Eating disorders are classified as mental
illnesses, and you can't always just talk yourself into stopping destructive

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behaviors. [21] If you suspect that you have an eating disorder (whether it's overor under-eating), ask your general practitioner to refer you the appropriate care.

Determine how many calories your body needs to function each day. This
number can vary widely, depending upon your metabolism and how physically

active you are. As a rule, the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you need
to consume and to function properly. Otherwise, your body will start breaking down
muscle tissue for energy.
If you're the kind of person who puts on 10 pounds just smelling a slice of pizza,
then your daily caloric intake should stay around 2000 calories for men, and
1500 calories for women. Your body mass also plays a part in this more
calories are suitable for naturally bigger people, and fewer calories for smaller
people.
If you're the kind of person who can eat without putting on a pound, or you're
physically active, you may want to increase your daily caloric intake by
1000-2000 calories, a little less for women.

Don't skip breakfast. Many people do this because they think they can drop
pound, or they just don't feel hungry in the morning. Although the scientific

evidence is still inconclusive[22][23], there are several reasons why you might not want to
skip what many people believe is the "most important meal of the day".
Eating breakfast gets your metabolism going and keeps it active throughout the
morning. Skipping breakfast may kick off the "starvation response" in some
people. Your brain says "There is no food! It has been hours! It must be a
famine!" The next time you eat, the body stores as much fat as it possibly
can.[24]
Furthermore, skipping breakfast might leave you famished by lunch, causing
you to binge as a way to compensate.
A small breakfast is better than no breakfast. If you don't feel up to a full meal,
at least drink some water and eat a piece of fruit, a granola bar, or a piece of
toast. Get more nutritious bang for your buck by eating a breakfast smoothie.
On the other hand, a technique called "intermittent fasting" has been shown to
contribute more rapid weight loss with possibly other health benefits. The effect,
however, may vary from individual to individual. [25] However, it may not be a
good idea to skip breakfast at the day of an important exam, job interview, or
other critical event, where you may be distracted by your hunger or not having
enough energy, to perform up to your potential.

Eat slowly. Have you ever gorged on a huge meal and felt fine immediately after,
but felt like exploding 15 minutes later? This happens because it takes some time

for your stomach to tell your brain that it's full. Circumvent the problem by consuming
your food slower. That way, by the time you get the message and start feeling satisfied,
you haven't consumed too much extra food.

Slow yourself down by waiting 5 or 10 minutes between each course. Chew

each bite of food 20 to 30 times before swallowing.
Drink a full glass of water throughout your meal. Stopping for sips will slow your
eating, as well as helping you feel fuller.

Eat five times per day. You may consider eating three meals per day (breakfast,
lunch and dinner), with two snacks in between. Doing this allows you to eat slightly

less at your meals, giving your body a more manageable amount of food to digest, and

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keeps your blood sugar steadier throughout the day because you're not going for six
hours at a stretch without eating.
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Warnings
Never go on an EXTREME DIET!!!! You NEVER want to come to the
point where you can't drink any specific liquids or you have to stay
away from things that are actually nutritious for you. If you feel you
have more questions or you think you or a family member/friend might
be going through this, make sure to contact your doctor or talk to
people close to you.

Tips
Drink water instead of soft drinks or alcohol.
Make sure there isn't a lot of unhealthy food in your house that can
tempt you. Give or throw away the foods you shouldn't eat. You can't
eat what you don't have! And don't buy those thrown away again!
Wash your hands and mouth before and after eating.
Have patience. You won't see a drastic drop in your cholesterol level or
weight or increase in your energy level immediately. You need to give
the changes in diet some time to kick in. You may start to notice
changes a couple weeks later.
Consider eating fruit and vegetable salads instead of fast foods.
With labels such as "fat free" or "sugar free" there are more chemicals.
Most of the time, the simpler the ingredients list, the healthier the food
is. For example, juicing your own orange juice is always healthier than
store bought orange juice, even if its labeled fat free on the container. If
you make your juice at home, you know exactly what is in your juice
and not relying on a label to be truthful.
Try chewing more. This will give your body more time to digest the food

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and absorb nutrients.

Take time to change your diet. For example try switching from
chocolate dessert to a heather choice. Then try something else.
Cravings for junk food usually stop after about 2 weeks of eating
healthy.
Non-fat yogurt can make a great snack, and its healthy bacteria can
help with various stomach problems.
Show 7 more tips
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Sources and Citations

1. http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthy-kitchen-11/how-much-protein
2. http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/superfoods-everyone-needs
3. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/slideshows
/8-superfoods-and-their-alternatives/2
4. http://www.naturalnews.com/027053_spirulina_bluegreen_algae_health.html
5. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/10/spiceshealth_n_1085099.html#s461530&title=Cinnamon
6. http://www.news-medical.net/news/20120521/Salt-intake-why-isit-bad-for-you.aspx
7. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
8. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/digestion/AN01776
9. http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/faq/health/calories-in-330ml-can-ofcoca-cola.html
10. http://healthland.time.com/2009/08/07/calorie-counter-fruit-vs-fruitjuice/
11. http://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-high-calorie-menu-items2013-6?op=1
12. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/meatless-meals/MY00752
13. http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20060403/vegetarian-diet-mayhelp-weight-loss
14. http://www.examiner.com/article/vegetarians-and-vegans-live-longerhealthier-lives-and-weigh-less-say-studies-1
15. http://www.usatoday.com/interactive/2486955/
16. http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20410287,00.html
17. http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm
18. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/red-wine/HB00089
19. http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/pregnant-women-glasswine-day-fine-study-article-1.1375559
20. http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200311/stress-and-eating
21. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/eating-disorders/DS00294
22. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/NutritionInsights/Insight45.pdf

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23. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa1208051
24. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Starvation+Response
25. http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/03/01/dailyintermittent-fasting.aspx

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