Nutrition Importance
Many of us have heard the phrase “you are what you eat.” The foods and drinks we consume directly impact how we feel and how our bodies respond. Eating a variety of whole grains, low fat dairy products, lean meats, fruits, vegetables and healthy fats will help overall health in a variety of ways, such as:
· Improving well-being
· Lowering high cholesterol
· Reducing high blood pressure
· Aiding in ability to fight off illness
· Reducing the risk of some diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke
· Improving the ability to recover from an injury or illness
· Increasing energy levels
We make choices in our daily diet. Are you reaching for a low-fat yogurt with granola or a donut for breakfast? Think about how you feel a half hour after you eat. Your food should give you energy and satisfy you until it’s time for a snack or the next meal.
One way to improve what’s on your plate is to examine the colors of your food and ensure that you’re getting a rainbow of choices – mixture of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, not just brown, black and white.
Well-balanced plates could look similar to these ideas:
Breakfast – scrambled egg with fresh, diced spinach and low fat cheese, served on whole wheat toast
Lunch – 3 ounces of grilled chicken, salad greens with low fat dressing, topped with 1 ounce of almonds or walnuts
Dinner – 4 ounces of ground turkey cooked with diced bell peppers, onions, salsa and homemade taco seasoning served over ½ cup of brown rice or cauliflower rice with a side of roasted broccoli
Snacks between meals – apple with 1 teaspoon of peanut butter; 5 ounces of Greek yogurt with 1 tablespoon of granola; 1 square of dark chocolate; 20 carrot chips with 1/4 cup of hummus; 1 cup of fresh fruit with 1 tablespoon of whipped cream
If you have concerns about your diet and how to improve the foods you eat, consider making an appointment with a Baptist primary care physician at EasySchedule.org. A doctor can work with you on a plan that best suits you or refer you, if needed, to a registered dietician and nutritionist.
The foods we eat make a real difference in our health. At Baptist Health Care, we are thankful for our primary care physicians, registered dietitians / nutritionists and diet technicians who evaluate and treat malnutrition, provide medical nutrition therapy and plan meals for our patients, team members and community members.
