Eating a Healthy Balanced Diet is One of the Most Important Things Students Can Do to Protect their Health

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When you ask most people around the world what it takes to be healthy, you’ll probably hear them talking about a healthy balanced diet. But what does that mean? For some people, it might mean avoiding junk food like fries and burgers. For other people, it might mean avoiding sugary foods such as candy and ice cream. When you get different answers to the same question, you can end up confused or worse, consume an unhealthy diet. In this post, we are going to talk about the benefits of consuming a healthy diet and how students can protect their health in the long run. Let’s get started!

Defining healthy eating habits

A healthy diet is usually comprised of whole foods. This means that students should consume foods that are closest to their original form. When food is processed or refined, its fiber, minerals, and vitamins get stripped and in most instances, preservatives are added. Research studies have found that plant-based diets are the best for the body because they lower the risk of chronic diseases since they usually include essential nutrients like potassium and healthy fiber. Students can cultivate a good relationship with food when they focus on adding to their plate foods that will improve their health such as berries and nuts.

A healthy diet and academic performance

To get good grades and achieve your goals, you need to consume healthy foods. In America, obesity continues to be a major problem with 34 percent of adults above the age of 20 being overweight. Changing the food and drinks that you consume will promote health and wellbeing. Students who consume healthy foods tend to perform better than their counterparts who consume junk and soda every day. It’s difficult to achieve your goals without good health. Keep in mind that health is not your birthright but something that you earn every day depending on your eating patterns and regular activities.

A healthy diet and mental health

A healthy diet does not just promote physical health but also mental health. Various research studies have shown that food choices have a huge impact on mental health. A research study conducted by Clinical Nutrition Research found out that diets rich in minerals and vitamins reduce the risk of various mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder.

A healthy diet and weight management

Being obese or overweight have been linked to a wide range of health conditions. According to the CDC, having a high body mass index means that you need to lose weight. Fortunately, consuming a high-quality diet can help you achieve your goals. Thanks to dissertation help, you can start eating mindfully. Don’t eat too fast or when you’re feeling full.

Benefits of a healthy lifestyle

The benefits of a healthy lifestyle cannot be ignored. Students who make healthy food decisions lower their risk of certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, anxiety, and depression. You’ll feel better about yourself and you’ll have more energy every day. According to a study conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a healthy diet reduces the chances of early death by 56 percent. Nutritionists define a healthy diet as comprised of whole grains, nuts, vegetables, fish, and fruits. On the other hand, regular intake of junk and processed meats greatly increase the risk of early death.

Changing and improving your eating habits

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If you’ve formed the habit of eating unhealthy foods regularly, it can be difficult to change your eating habits. However, it’s not impossible. Here are a few steps that you need to take to achieve your goal:

1.       Create a plan for your healthy diet

The most effective way to change your eating habits is by creating a solid plan of action. As the popular saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. You need to create a plan that you can follow in the long run. Don’t be too harsh on yourself.

2.       Save money by carrying packed lunch

Instead of spending a few dollars buying junk food and soda for lunch, you should consider bringing your lunch to school. It’s one of the best ways to achieve your goal while saving thousands of dollars in the long run. You don’t have to cook every morning. All you need to do is pack your dinner leftovers. You can delegate tasks to essay writing service UK to find time to prepare a healthy dinner.

3.       Don’t buy unhealthy foods

If you have unhealthy foods in your kitchen or fridge, now is the best time to do away with them. You need to think of investing in high-quality foods only. This will reduce the chances of eating junk and falling back to your old habits. Before visiting the grocery store, make a shopping list that largely includes fruits and vegetables.

4.       Take baby steps

You need to focus on setting small goals that you can easily achieve. For instance, you can set a goal of consuming vegetables and fruits before supper or a smoothie every morning. It can be difficult to change your eating habits especially if you were used to consuming unhealthy foods regularly. Taking baby steps will ensure that you achieve your goals without a lot of struggle.

5.       Monitor your food choices

One of the best ways to monitor your food choices is by starting a journal. This journal is not about tracking calories but helping you to know more about your food habits. Understanding your habits is an essential step towards food behavioral changes. Revisiting your food diary regularly will help you become aware of your food choices and help you eliminate unhealthy ones.

Some of the foods that you need to include in your diet are:

  • Fruits: mango, bananas, melons, berries, and apples
  • Legumes: Lentils, beans, hummus, dried peas
  • Whole grains: Whole grain bread, millet, brown rice, quinoa, and amaranth
  • Nuts and seeds: cashew nuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, and sunflower

Conclusion

Students need to consume a healthy diet to live longer and become successful. By following the tips that we’ve discussed in this post, you’ll not only help yourself but the world too.

Author Bio:

Emily Harrinson is one of the most influential editors at custom essay service in the online world. She has been working in this company since 2006. Her hobby is reading books. But besides that, Emily is fond of sports and music. She is a very positive person.

 

  NutriFusion® 

NutriFusion develops all‐natural fruit and vegetable powders that are nutrient dense for when you do not have access to fresh produce…and even when you do to improve your vitamin intake. Sourcing only whole, non-GMO foods, NutriFusion offers consumers a concentrated micronutrient and phytonutrient-rich food ingredient blends. With a farm-to-table philosophy, NutriFusion’s proprietary process stabilizes the nutrients from perishable fruits and vegetables, allowing a longer shelf life and access to vital nutrients.

NutriFusion fruit and/or vegetable powders are for use in foods, beverages, supplements, and pet foods.

NutriFusion can help! Visit us at www.nutrifusion.com

8 Best First Foods for Babies

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Your baby is growing up every day. World Health Organization recommend to feed breastmilk for six months, and later introduce family foods. As a mother, you are worried about your baby’s health and want to give him/her proper nutrition, right? Picking healthy food on the first bite is vital since healthy foods play a crucial role to ensure the baby’s proper nutrition.

We are going to share the best foods that contain vital nutrients for a growing baby. So, without wasting time let’s get started with their names and later describe the benefits of how they help on baby’s development.

Top 8 Best First Foods for Babies

  • Egg.
  • Broccoli.
  • Yogurt.
  • Sweet Potato.
  • Green Beans.
  • Banana.
  • Squash.
  • Apples.

Broccoli

Broccoli is an amazing food choice for your baby. This green veggie contains less cholesterol, produce vitamin D, helps remove detoxification, fight against inflammation and lot more. Broccoli is a highly recommended food for a 6 to 12 months old baby.

Yogurt

Yogurt is also tasty and healthy first food for babies. The yogurt is mostly made of cow milk and fruits. You can prepare homemade yogurt or you buy readymade yogurt from a grocery store. If you want to know more, check out the top 10 best yogurts for baby reviews.

The whole milk yogurts are made by bacterial fermentation of cow’s milk and it contains a lot of beneficial probiotics that improve baby’s diegetic capabilities. Also, yogurt is high in protein and calcium which helps to achieve stronger bones.

Moreover, research has shown yogurt improves blood sugar control and helps reduce cholesterol levels. We recommend dairy yogurt as the baby’s first food.

Green Beans

If you are serving green beans to your baby, he/she is getting a large number of essential nutrients which helps babies preventing from various disease such as common cold or flu, asthma, ear infection. Besides, the research found that green beans have potent health-supporting antioxidants to protect the baby from illness.

Banana

Bananas are pretty ideal baby food. Bananas are sweet, soft, and easy to swallow. Also, it is a great source of potassium and fiber. Bananas are very easy to prepare as baby puree, just peel and punch with fingers, that’s it!

Squash

Squash comes in a lot of varieties; it is highly delicious and the healthiest first food for the little ones. The squash has many variants such as Kabocha, Hubbard, Delicata, and Acorn are all part of winter squash. Winter squash benefits the blood sugar level, prevent the risk of cardiovascular disease and improve baby moods.

Sweet Potato

When it comes to baby’s first food, sweet potato comes at the top of the list. The nutritional value of a sweet potato is outstanding and the sweet taste makes ideal first food for babies. It contains vitamin C, minerals, potassium, vitamin E, calcium, and folate. Due to the high fiber content, it assists the digastric system and aid in regular bowel movements.

Egg

An egg is another healthy food for a baby’s health. The yolk of an egg contains choline which helps in a baby’s brain development and the white part is consists of protein which boosts the energy level of a baby.

Apples

Apples are cute and yummy. It is not only healthy first food for a baby but also it is easily digestible and possesses immunity-boosting nutrition. Besides, apple contains a large amount of polyphenols and phytonutrients which increase a baby’s immunity system which enables power to fight against infant illness and diseases. In addition, the apple carries soluble fiber which protects a baby from diarrhea and other stomach-related diseases.

Conclusion

These are the eight foods that are highly healthy for a baby when he/she start taking food for the first time. You must blend all baby foods before feeding them. Enjoy happy parenting!

Author Bio:

Hi, my name is Rakibul Niloy the creator of content for Family Smart Guide. I love to share my solutions to first-time mom who struggles and my goal is to share practical tips to survive and thrive of early motherhood days.

 

NutriFusion develops all‐natural fruit and vegetable powders that are nutrient dense. They are an excellent source of nutrition and can be added or mixed with the foods above.

Sourcing only whole, non-GMO foods, NutriFusion offers all ages a concentrated micronutrient and phytonutrient-rich food ingredient that blends easily. With a farm-to-table philosophy, NutriFusion’s proprietary process stabilizes the nutrients from perishable fruits and vegetables.

NutriFusion® blends are ideal for toddlers.

NutriFusion can help! Visit us at www.nutrifusion.com.

5 Foods to Help Combat Stress & Anxiety

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As the world begins to reopen and some semblance of normalcy begins to re-enter our lives, most, if not all people will be carrying to some extent, burdens of stress and anxiety in their lives. 2020 and the first half of 2021 have certainly been trying times for many and our mental health has been tested through and through. We decided it would be a good idea to celebrate the month of May and Mental Health Month by sharing a few tips and tricks to help combat stress and anxiety. You can take the first steps to combat stress and anxiety by putting the best foods you can into your body. Read on to learn more!

Stress and anxiety on occasion shouldn’t alarm you. For example, if you have a busy day or deadlines to hit at work, you may experience symptoms like fatigue, headaches, and more. However, if your stress and anxiety is more chronic, then considering lifestyle switches to keep you in a positive mindframe can do a world of good.

Fueling your body with healthy, nutritious foods is one way to combat the symptoms stress and anxiety can bring upon your physical and mental health!

Eggs

Eggs are one of the most popular breakfast foods in the U.S for good reason. Don’t solely reserve them for breakfast sandwiches or as the side for some bacon and homefries. The health benefits of eggs are plentiful! Packed with protein, vitamins, and antioxidants, eggs are an easy way to not only make sure you have your breakfast, but can also help you fight off stress.

Broccoli

Most people know that a diet high in colorful foods, especially vegetables, is good for them. Along with helping stave off stress and anxiety, broccoli can help fight off diseases such as cancer, heart disease and others. Broccoli belongs to a food group called cruciferous vegetables which help combat disease thanks to being packed with Vitamins C, E and K among others.

 

Matcha

Matcha tea can be enjoyed in the morning, evening, or even in your favorite café drink, making it a versatile option you can have all day long. Matcha powder is rich in L-theanine, a powerful stress-relieving non-protein amino acid.

Chamomile Tea

If matcha isn’t your favorite flavor but you like the idea of sipping on a stress-relieving tea, chamomile may be the pick for you. Chamomile has historically been used as a stress-relieving beverage and is an extremely popular pre-bedtime drink routine for many people to help promote a good night’s rest. With the positive link between good, consistent sleep and it’s benefit on lowering stress levels, this is something we highly recommend implementing into your nightly routine.

Blueberries

Not only are blueberries delicious and easy to snack on, but they’re also linked to helping improve your mood. Blueberries also have anti-inflammatory powers thanks to their high concentration of flavonoid antioxidants which also promote neuroprotective effects. These antioxidants are also natural mood-boosters and can help fight off depression as well.

Conclusion

 A diet in nutrient-rich foods is a great place to begin your path to combating stress and anxiety. However, other lifestyle activities such as getting regular exercise go a long way as well. Keeping yourself in the company of people who support you can also take some weight off your shoulders when times get tough. If your stress continues and you feel you need to speak to a professional, explore the idea of talking with a psychiatrist online to help you with a personal treatment plan. High levels of stress could lead to other mental health issues such as anxiety or depression, if left untreated.

 

 

NutriFusion develops all‐natural fruit and/or vegetable powders that are nutrient dense for use in foods, beverages, supplements, and pet foods.

Consumers may purchase our powders at: https://sales.nutrifusion.com/. Add our powders to juice, or sprinkle on top of foods such as yogurt, pasta dishes, beverages, and baked goods such as cookies, brownies, cakes, etc. A small amount, 225 mg, will provide 50% of the daily value from the range of nutrition from fruits and vegetables.

NutriFusion can help! Visit us at www.nutrifusion.com.

Effect of Alcohol Use on Academic Performance of College Students

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You might remember that, around the time you were finishing high school, there were at least a few people around you who were talking about the fun life at college that was awaiting you. By fun, they usually implied a lot of networking and non-stop parties. But they didn’t mention anything about studying hard.

Why do some people have such a distorted perception of college life?

Typically, having entered the university, students have to adjust to a new micro-society. They want to get recognized by others and integrate into the new circles quickly and painlessly. That’s why, at parties, they engage in social drinking to become part of the group.

Unfortunately, the behaviors formed by social drinking grow incrementally and very soon become the part of college student’s identity. But while students might get the recognition they longed for, such distractive behaviors ultimately have a negative impact on their academic performance.

So, a seemingly innocent cup of beer with your college friends can turn into an alcohol abuse problem, which has an impact on your future as you switch your perspective from building a successful career to simply trying to fit in. And, if your academic performance started getting worse, it could mean that the problem already exists.

How does research interpret the connection between academic performance and alcohol use?

Apart from social drinking, studies also list other reasons for increasing alcohol consumption among students. For instance, a study involving 114 male and 86 female students showed that while the majority of students (59%) started consuming more alcohol because of their peers, 20% of participants also mentioned their parents influencing their alcohol consumption behaviors.

This study also confirms the negative impact of alcohol use on academic performance. Reportedly, 66% of students said they missed a class or failed a test due to a hangover. Also, 96% of the participants say they’ve been sanctioned in school or at home as a result of alcohol use.

An IJPM study investigated student registries in several universities in the Netherlands. The study found that there was a link between students dropping out during their first year at a university and alcohol dependency. In this study, students also confirmed that alcohol use impacted their GPA.

A general research overview on the effects of alcohol on academic performance supports the statements from the previous study.

The scientific papers reviewed in this research came from different decades and used different approaches to studying student behavior. But all of them confirmed that alcohol use first impacted the quality of learning, which consequently influenced academic performance.

For instance, one study listed in this research overview examined the neurological effects of alcohol on learning capabilities. This study has proven that alcohol alters the structure and function of the brain, leading to learning impairment and other consequences reaching far beyond adolescence.

Some studies also indicate that poor academic performance caused by alcohol use can lead a student to even more alcohol consumption.

For instance, a study from Ethiopian scholars, which involved 725 randomly selected students from different colleges and universities, has shown that students whose academic performance got worse because of problematic alcohol use tended to increase their alcohol consumption.

From these studies, we can draw a conclusion that once a student engages in regular alcohol consumption, it has an inevitable impact on their academic performance. However, this situation also creates a vicious circle – a worsening academic performance can push a student to consume alcohol even more.

Of course, you can take the results of these studies with a grain of salt. Ana Mayer, a writer and researcher at TrustMyPaper, says that in this case, you also need to take into account such factors as each country’s economic advancement and social progress, which also have an impact on drinking habits.

But what matters is that all of these studies show the same pattern – the increased use of alcohol leads to poor academic performance.

How to Talk to a Student about Alcohol?

Now, let’s talk about how you can communicate the impact of alcohol use on academic performance to a student. Whether you are a parent or a worried college teacher, you need to plan your conversation right.

Here are a few recommendations.

1) Don’t take a derogatory tone

It can be hard to see a young person ruining their life, especially for a parent. That’s where you can make a mistake and try to shame a student for their choice, thinking that this shame will help them quit drinking.

However, this approach can and will backfire. Your goal is to help a student pay attention to their academic performance while normalizing their relationship with alcohol. You don’t want them to start hating drinking because it’s running their life. You should help them understand that the consumption of alcohol should be responsible.

2) Ask about the reasons for increased alcohol use

What pushed a student to consume alcohol more?

Maybe it was a lack of confidence, a fear of missing out, or the desire to relax that lead a student to start binge drinking. In a calm and understanding tone, try to figure out the reason for increased alcohol use and build your conversation around it.

3) Show facts and explain the consequences

There is a chance that a student will react negatively to your attempts to change their relationship with alcohol. They might even say, “If others are doing it, why can’t I?’

If your conversation takes this turn, your task is to support your claims with the facts. You can show a student how their academic performance worsened within a certain time span and ask whether there’s a connection with alcohol use but do it carefully. Remember, your task is to be objective.

4) Provide valuable and authoritative resources

Next, offer a student a variety of resources to read about the impacts of alcohol on academic performance and their life in general. For instance, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has great resources on the impact of alcohol on health and the quality of life.

At Hello Sunday Morning, students can also get other information about normalizing the relationship with alcohol, its effects and also find support from others struggling with the same problem.

5) Show trust

There is a chance that even after the most informative and well-wishing talk, a student will still feel hostile and won’t take the conversation seriously.

Your task here is to trust their judgment. They might not show it, but it is possible that this talk will stick in their head, and they will start changing their relationship with alcohol when they are ready.

Wrapping Up

Starting a college or university is both an exciting and stressful time in a student’s life. To deal with this stress, they might engage in harmful behavior, including binge drinking and increased alcohol consumption, which, as evidence shows, has an inevitable impact on their academic performance.

But the realization of the problem is the first step to solving it. The goal here is to help a student understand that alcohol doesn’t resolve issues and won’t lead to anything constructive. Drinking with your friends every day might make you look cool. But does it help in the long run? Hardly.

Author bio: Erica Sunarjo is a researcher, writer, and editor at Supreme Dissertations. She partakes in different projects that allow them to grow her list of experiences and expand her interests.

 

NutriFusion develops all‐natural fruit and/or vegetable powders that are nutrient dense for use in foods, beverages, supplements, and pet foods.

Consumers may purchase our powders at: https://sales.nutrifusion.com/.  Add our powders to juice, or sprinkle on top of foods such as yogurt, pasta dishes, beverages, and baked goods such as cookies, brownies, cakes, etc.  A small amount, 225 mg, will provide 50% of the daily value from the range of nutrition from fruits and vegetables.

NutriFusion can help! Visit us at www.nutrifusion.com.

The Impact Of COVID-19 on Our Eating Habits

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COVID-19 has impacted our daily lives in so many ways that healthy eating habits have fallen by the wayside for a lot of people. Even those who typically focus a great deal on health and nutrition are in many cases paying a little less attention to their diets. We simply have too many other things to be concerned with of late (and let’s be honest, we’ve all needed to indulge in a bit of comfort eating!).

This is all understandable. But it also makes it worthwhile to stop now and then consider just how all of this is changing our eating habits. COVID-19 has brought about some changes in this regard — some having to do with current habits, and others setting us up for changes in the future.

Eating More Sugar (While it’s Worse for Us)

We’ll begin with an unfortunate negative side effect of COVID-19, which is that it has led many people to turn to sugar. Now, to be fair, the sugar situation in our diets is a little bit more complex than it sometimes gets credit for. The idea that all sugar is simply bad is not accurate, and in fact nutritionists agree that some natural sugar is “part of a healthy diet for most people.” For the purposes of this discussion though, we’re referring to added sugars, which should be consumed in minimal amounts (less than 25 grams per day) if at all.

Unfortunately, it’s this sort of excess sugar that people are consuming more of during the pandemic. According to an examination of why sugar is worse for you during COVID-19, surveys have indicated that as many as 31% of us are changing dietary habits due to stress. Stress eating often leads to more sugar consumption, as sugary foods can be comforting. In act, there are even chemical and brain-related reasons we reach for sugar in times of stress. But this is a poor dietary habit, and potentially a very harmful one. Regarding why it’s particularly problematic during a pandemic, the bottom line is that sugar can lead to or exacerbate heart conditions, obesity, and type 2 diabetes — all of which put us at greater risk from COVID-19.

Increased Snacking

The notion that people are snacking more relates pretty directly to that of eating more sugar. We’re stressed out, we’re seeking small comforts, and snacks — even the non-sugary ones — can provide it. Furthermore, many of us are spending a lot more time at home than usual, which makes it extremely easy to sneak off to the pantry for a pretzel or a few handfuls of chips a few times a day. These, too, are poor habits. Disciplined, healthy snacking is possible, and when it’s not excessive it can be part of a healthy diet. But COVID-related snacking is more likely to revolve around comfort foods, which generally aren’t doing us many favors.

More Home Cooking

On a more positive note, the pandemic has also led to more home cooking and meal preparation. This can actually be a surprisingly difficult thing to prove, but in this case grocery and supply sales prove it. Early in the pandemic, from February to March, food retail jumped more than 25%. In April it was still 10% higher than it had been pre-pandemic. Additionally, kitchen supply stores have seen more sales in a clear indication that more people are cooking up their own meals and realizing a need for new equipment.

We should also note that sales of frozen food and snacks have also spiked noticeably, which means not all of this shopping is indicative of more cooking. But home meal preparation is undoubtedly up, and there is clearly a cooking component to this change. By and large, this should make for a healthy change.

A Shifting Focus Toward Food Trucks

A shifting focus toward food trucks is another change we’re starting to see now, as well as one that will likely continue into the post-pandemic days. Reports in recent months have indicated that restaurant owners are turning to food trucks as a means of serving customers while COVID-19 is still a major risk. The simple fact is that people are wary of eating in restaurants, and in some cases still prohibited from doing so. But food trucks can cater to these same customers with much less risk. As a result, many are slowly getting into the habit of patronizing food trucks when they might otherwise have gone to restaurants.

We also see this trend continuing simply because it offers a more affordable avenue for people in the restaurant business. Starting a food truck business has a low initial investment cost when compared to a brick-and-mortar restaurant — and there’s also a greater profit margin. Given that restaurants have been hit extremely hard by the pandemic, these will likely prove to be irresistible benefits. Aspiring restaurant owners, struggling restaurant owners, and even those who have been driven out of business will all consider trying the food truck route. In the long run, this may mean that we’ll all get in the habit of simpler experiences dining out, potentially with more options.

More Strategic Shopping

The COVID-19 experience has also led us to shop more strategically, and this too may be a trend that sticks. The first indication of this was actually the focus on cleanliness. Recommendations to clean produce carefully and wipe down groceries in the early days of the pandemic took hold with many, and made us focus more on product quality and freshness. Following this, many also learned to plot out their grocery trips more carefully, given efforts to shop less frequently, and avoid actually going into stores when possible. Essentially, we have all been trained to wash produce, be mindful of quality, plan out our shopping needs, and buy only what we need.

This is not to say we won’t return to more wasteful or less quality-oriented habits. But this last change is one that should make us healthier and more sustainable food shoppers in the long term.

–

Written for nutrifusion.com by Jennifer Victoria 

Jennifer is a personal trainer and life coach operating out of the Bay Area. Her primary areas of expertise are physical fitness, nutrition, mindfulness, and motivation.

NutriFusion develops all‐natural fruit and vegetable powders that are nutrient dense for when you don’t have access to fresh produce…and even when you do to improve your vitamin intake. Sourcing only whole, non-GMO foods, NutriFusion offers consumers a concentrated micronutrient and phytonutrient-rich food ingredient blends. With a farm-to-table philosophy, NutriFusion’s proprietary process stabilizes the nutrients from perishable fruits and vegetables, allowing a longer shelf life and access, even during a shelter in place order, to vital nutrients.

NutriFusion fruit and/or vegetable powders are for use in foods, beverages, supplements and pet foods.

NutriFusion can help! Visit us at www.nutrifusion.com.

How to Snack and Prevent Diabetes

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Diabetes prevention is something we all should be working for, and your diet plays a huge factor in this. One often overlooked part of the conversation surrounding a healthy diet is snacking. While the obvious answer may seem to be to give up snacks altogether, depriving yourself of your favorite treats may not be the best protection from diabetes either. Below are a few ways to develop snacking habits that can reduce your chances of developing diabetes, as well as a few different foods to implement into your diet.

Avoid Glucose Spikes

Diabetes is characterized by having blood sugar levels that are unnaturally high due to insulin resistance. One of the ways that this insulin resistance can develop is by having spikes in your blood sugar that make it difficult for your body’s insulin to break down all of the glucose in the body. You can avoid these spikes by limiting consuming foods that quickly raise your blood sugar, such as sweets, starches, and processed foods.

Choose Your Snacks Wisely

Instead of choosing foods that are unhealthy in nature, try to focus on curbing your hunger with healthier options. Skip the donuts, cookies, and cakes and reach for fruits, vegetables, and nuts instead. Many adults struggle to meet their daily value of fruits and vegetables, so incorporating these foods into snack time can help you reach your nutritional needs.

There are certain foods that can help prevent diabetes more than others. Foods like apples and berries can satisfy your sweet tooth while carrots and pumpkin seeds can give you that crunch that you crave from chips and other salty snacks. Incorporating these foods into your snacking routine can help cut your risk of developing diabetes by minimizing spikes in blood sugar and preventing insulin resistance.

Space Out Your Snacks

While it might seem counterintuitive, snacking does have the potential to prevent blood sugar spikes from happening if eaten at the right times. When there is a large gap of time between meals, your blood sugar can dip, sometimes to dangerously low levels. This can result in extreme highs and lows that can make your body become less sensitive to its own insulin, ultimately leading to diabetes. Snacking can help prevent these highs and lows by keeping your blood sugar levels steady throughout the day because of the more consistent intake of nutrients. If you find yourself getting hungry throughout the day or if you know there is going to be a large gap between your meals, try keeping a snack nearby to help hold you over and stabilize your blood sugar.

Be mindful of your snacking

Raspberries and BlackberriesWhile it may appear that snacking is purely a physical activity, the way that you snack is heavily tied to your emotional being as well. Unpleasant emotions like stress, anxiety, and depression can lead to overeating and cravings for those “comfort foods” that tend to be unhealthy in nature. And when it comes to emotional eating, you often won’t stop munching until you feel better, or until your body can’t physically take another bite. These snacking sessions can contribute to blood sugar spikes and insulin resistance because of the sheer volume and contents of the foods involved.

A change in mindset can help prevent you from snacking mindlessly, as well as keep you from eating foods that are less healthy in nature. A great way to get a handle on your emotional eating is to first assess why it is that you’re tempted to start eating. Ask yourself— Are you really hungry? Are you upset? Are you avoiding something? If you realize that your cravings are originating from something other than hunger, try resisting the urge to snack for about 15 minutes to see if the feeling subsides. The more self-aware you become of your snacking habits, the better you’ll be able to fend off the development of diabetes.

 

Just 1 in 10 adults meet the federal fruit or vegetable recommendations, according to a study published today in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). This report highlights that very few Americans eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables every day, putting them at risk for chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

NutriFusion develops all‐natural fruit and/or vegetable powders that are nutrient dense for use in foods, beverages, supplements and pet foods.

NutriFusion can help! Visit us at www.nutrifusion.com.

 

Mitigating Stress: How Food Can Reduce Your Stress

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Everyday stress can easily pile up, but today’s circumstances have made it much easier to feel more overwhelmed than ever. In fact, studies reveal that 88% of Americans are stressed out due to the uncertainty clouding over us.

Even though stress is a normal part of life, we owe it to ourselves to learn how to combat it — and one of the best ways to do this is to eat right. Though many people know that stress causes you to eat more and in unhealthy ways, it’s possible to reverse this and use healthy food to reduce stress. To help you eat right amidst these stressful times, here’s what you need to know:

The Best Nutrients to Beat Stress

Food serves as a source of nourishment. And leaning on this fact will help you identify which ones can help increase and decrease your stress levels. Case in point: Our post on how to ‘Boost Your Mental Health With Fruits And Vegetables’ notes that probiotics (otherwise known as ‘good bacteria’) positively influences your mental outlook, while soothing your anxiety.

Vitamin C is also a great stress-reliever, as it helps reduce levels of cortisol (a major stress hormone) and lower your blood pressure. Another helpful nutrient is omega-3 fatty acids because they can help relieve stress symptoms. Plus, Dr. David Mischoulon writes on Harvard Health that its anti-inflammatory properties can even help alleviate depression. Overall, knowing the right nutrients will help you build a strong foundation for healthy eating against stress.

That said, here are some food sources that you should consider incorporating into your diet to help fight stress:

Probiotics
• Lentils
• Banana
• Oats
• Asparagus

Vitamin C
• Sweet potatoes
• Broccoli
• Guava
• Citrus fruits

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
• Salmon
• Walnuts
• Flax-seed
• Soybeans

Essential Eating Habits to Beat Stress

A successful diet to combat stress isn’t complete without proper eating habits. Practicing these everyday will help you stay on the right track with your diet and stress.

Practice Mindful Eating

Mindful eating calls you to be in the moment when you eat — from paying attention to your food, to acknowledging your physical and emotional sensations. It’s all the more important to practice mindful eating today, when most people are working from home and the lines between work and your personal life can be easily blurred. Resilience coach L. Barbour told Marcus that it’s important to focus exclusively on eating during lunchtime, instead of looking at your phone or trying to multitask. This way, you can truly enjoy your food and be more careful about the dietary choices you make. After all, it’s very easy to subsist on coffee and beef jerky if you’re stuck to a screen all the time! Remember that what and how you eat can affect your mood and cognitive performance, so be sure to give yourself time to thoroughly enjoy your meals.

Don’t Skip Meals

As we’ve mentioned, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life — especially during this point in time. And trying to keep up with everything makes it much easier for you to skip meals. Unfortunately, ignoring your meals can result in even higher levels of stress. Psychiatrist Steven Gans explains on Very Well Mind that your blood sugar levels start to drop when you miss out on a meal. This, in turn, causes you to become irritable and tense, while also heightening your anxiety. To this end, it’s essential to follow a healthy eating schedule. If you’re not feeling too hungry during a certain mealtime, you can opt for a filling snack like a protein bar or a green smoothie.

Cook for Yourself

While ordering in from food delivery services may seem like a convenient option, it’s better to use the time you have on your hands by cooking your own meals. Cooking can do wonders for your stress levels as it helps you get in tune with your senses — from therapeutic techniques like stirring and rhythmic chopping, to smelling the aroma of your ingredients. Not to mention, there’s a special sense of accomplishment after preparing your own meals. If you’re pressed for time on weekdays, a good practice is to meal prep during the weekends.

 

Words by Mona Presson
Written exclusively for nutrifusion.com

Sugar – It’s a Sticky Situation

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Sugar.

Parents don’t want to give it to their kids. Adults don’t’ like it because it turns, quite quickly, to fat. But clever packaging and the misconceptions natural sugar and no added sugar tend to only raise more questions. Is all sugar created the same? Can you learn to navigate the sticky sweet sugar labels? What’s the difference in added, natural, modified, and fake?

According to a recently published article on cnet.com, “The US Office of Disease Prevention and the World Health Organization say you should get no more than 10% of your daily calories from added sugar each day — and even better is limiting added sugar to 25 grams (or six teaspoons) in total.” So if the first step includes knowing we should limit our sugar intake, the next step moves us into the tricky task of decoding, you guessed it, sugar itself.

Added sugar.

Just like it sounds, added sugar is, as you’d assume, added…by either you or a manufacturer. The various added sugars can be derived from several sources including coconut sugar, can sugar, maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar.

Natural sugar.

Certain foods like, for example, fruit, is a whole food and the sugar included is in its natural form. An apple doesn’t have added sugar and, again, as you’d assume, offers the added benefits of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. While a fruit’s natural sugar, fructose, does affect your body and can raise both blood sugar and insulin hormones, it’s bound to fiber…something that aids your body in slowing down how fast you’re absorbing the naturally occurring sugar.

“Natural sugar, like the sugar found in whole food like fruits, is definitely part of a healthy diet for most people,” explains Jayne Williams, a certified nutritional consultant and clinical nutrition graduate student. “While fruits do contain low levels of fructose, which is a sugar, the overall nutritional value of a piece of whole fruit with all the vitamins, fiber and nutrients is well worth including in a healthy diet.”

Fructose should not, however, be confused with the often-added ingredient high fructose corn syrup. This chemical-made sugar is often a used as a sweetener in many processed foods.

Modified natural sugar.

The honey you add to your oatmeal and the agave you put in your smoothies are natural, but they’re sugar all the same. “Modified natural sugars are those that start from a natural source but need slight ‘modern intervention’ to make it to your table. Coconut sugar, raw honey and organic pure maple syrup all have some additional minerals and vitamins,” says Williams, “but are still sugar and can affect your blood sugar levels more than natural-occurring sugars in whole foods.”

Processed sugar.

Often called fake sugar, processed sugar has been stripped of any nutrition or health benefits. The modification process renders fake sugar difficult for your liver to process as it contains high levels of fructose. White sugar, cane sugar, and agave nectar, even if it’s labeled as low-glycemic, fall into the processed sugar category.

The take-away.

Stick to whole, unprocessed foods and stay away from processed foods and high fructose corn syrup. Watch for tricky food labels and packaging…just because you’re indulging in a smoothie or seemingly healthy prepared food doesn’t mean added sugar isn’t hiding inside. If you do add sugar, like honey, try to keep it at 6 teaspoons (or under) a day.

When you may not have access to quality whole foods, you can still achieve the necessary nutrition via NutriFusion’s quality supplements. Our ingredients are plant based and never include added sugar, just real food from nature to you. We use first-grade, fresh and high-quality fruits and vegetables to create nutrient dense powder full of natural vitamins and minerals.

Inspired by Good sugar vs. bad sugar, what’s the difference? by Mercey Livingston