10 Benefits of Nourishing Your Body with Healthy Food by Denise B. Povernick

Why do you eat the food you eat every day? What role does food play in your life? Does the food you eat serve you? Or is the food you eat a substitution for something else missing or lacking in your life?  Does the food you eat nourish your body?  Is food your friend, enemy or frenemy? These are very important questions to ask yourself.  Do you know your real answers?

 We previously discussed 10 Benefits of Exercising.  Today this email will add to the equation we are building for a healthy body and life.  The primary purpose of food is to nourish your body.  Nourishment provides the energy and sustenance to function in everyday life.

Just like a car, your body is your vehicle.  The better you take care of both the faster and further they can take you.  What you put into both and the maintenance you provide will determine the quality of life you experience.

Here are 10 Benefits of Nourishing

Your Body with Healthy Food:

1.  Improves Well Being

 Eating a poor diet reduces physical and mental health because eating healthy allows people to be more active.  Feelings of well-being can be protected by ensuring that your diet is full of essential fats, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. How well do you feel and how consistent is this feeling?

2.  Helps you Manage and Maintain a Healthy Weight

Eating a nutritious diet filled with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and protein will help maintain a healthy body weight.  There is no one diet, no diet pill and no surgery that lets people eat whatever they want and still expect weight loss and improved health. Maintaining a healthy diet and exercise program will be what is needed to achieve those goals. Use food for its purpose: Nourishment.  Are you at a weight that enhances your health and life?

3.  Maintains Your Immune System

Our immune system is our defense against disease, but poor nutrition is the most common cause of immunodeficiencies worldwide. Maintaining your immune system requires an intake of proper vitamins and minerals. Eating a well-balanced diet, including fruits, vegetables and food low in fats, will help support a healthy immune system. How often do you get sick?

4.  Increases Focus

Food has an impact on the way we think. When the body maintains glucose levels the brain receives the energy it needs to remain focused. Diets high in fat and cholesterol can seriously damage the brain by building up plaque in brain vessels damaging brain tissue.  How focused are you now?

5.  Healthy Eating Increase Positive Feelings

Foods rich in protein, moderate in carbohydrates and low in fat will have a positive effect on mood because it leaves an adequate supply of iron, omega-3 fatty acids and iron. As much as food affects our mood, mood affects our food choices. When we experience feelings of sadness, we are more likely to choose unhealthy foods. People feeling happier feelings are more likely to choose healthier foods.  How Happy do you feel every day?

6.  Where Will You Spend Your Time and Money?

We often hear that it is expensive and time-consuming to eat healthier and prepare meals ahead of time.  The cost of illness and disease far exceed the cost and time needed to eat healthily.  Since your going to spend time and money, which way do you want to spend it? Are you an inconvenience in your own life?

7. Energizes You

Our bodies derive energy from the foods and liquids we consume. The main nutrients our body uses for energy are carbohydrates, fats, and protein. Carbohydrates such as whole-grain breads and starchy vegetables are the best for prolonged energy since they are digested at a slower rate. Water is necessary for the transport of nutrients, and dehydration can cause a lack of energy. A deficiency in iron may cause fatigue, irritability and low energy. Food rich in iron includes seafood, poultry, peas and dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach. To better absorb iron from these foods, it is best to consume vitamin C at the same time. Think of including vitamin C rich foods like broccoli, kiwi, peppers, leafy greens and tomatoes in meals full of iron.  How energized are you throughout your day?

8.  Gives You a Better Complexion

A better complexion is one of the great benefits of healthy eating habits. Your skin is the largest organ in your body, it needs plenty of nutrients to stay healthy. Eating fatty, fried foods make your skin aging fast, rough and prone to acne. Eating healthy is the best way to get a fresh, glowing, clean and healthy complexion. The reason is that your skin will be provided with the needed nutrients to grow new cells, flush out toxins and function properly.  Are you happy with your complexion?

9. Establishes a Healthy Attitude Towards Food

Due to the ongoing pressure to be slim and fit the mold of “beautiful standard”, many people, especially women, are likely to have eating disorders. Maintaining a healthy weight is important, but it is not by focusing too much on weight loss. It is encouraging healthy eating habits and regular exercise to maintain a healthy weight.  What is your relationship with food? Does food control you?

10.  Lengthens Your Life

Your body needs food in order to survive, but the process of breaking down food nutrients, or metabolizing, causes stress on the body. Overeating creates more stress on the body and could lead to a shorter lifespan. Nutrition that is rich in nutrients and does not contain processed foods have been found to have a positive effect on life expectancy.  Do you want to live a long healthy life with lots of energy and focus?

Eating healthy has lots of similar benefits to yesterdays’ article about exercising.  The power of health is in the choices you make now.  It is never too late to make changes.  Do not wait until something goes wrong in your body to make the changes needed for your health.  You cannot have a happy ending to an unhappy story.  You did not come here to live an unhappy life.  Decide today, right here, right now to make the changes you need to take back your health and your life.  You have everything you need within you to make these changes and all the extra help is always right in front of you.

Personalized Nutrition Plans

To learn more about Healthy Nutrition and getting supervised and supported 6-month Personalized Nutrition Plan created just for you click on the More Info button below.

Denise & Curvin take you on the journey of better health and nutrition by customizing a Nutrition Plan created to meet your specific needs based on your personal goals.  Contact us today.