How to Establish Eating Habits

Let me start by saying, that each person's ideas of "healthy" are extremely different. Our ideas of health are engraved in us at a very young age and how we examine them as we get older can change our ideology of what we believe is true health.

Developing healthy eating habits for some can be as simple as a change in a grocery shopping list and better meal planning, while for others it can be life altering going from frozen meals to learning how to cook.

“If you keep good food in your fridge, you will eat good food.” - Errick McAdams

In today's society we expect everyone to know what the difference between whole grains over refined carbs and the difference between bad fats and good fats. Unless one does their own research or takes a specific class on nutrition, how do we expect everyone in society to know this?

Difference between bad fats and good fats....

There are three categories of fats:

Unsaturated fats ~ These are the good fats you should eat the most of as part of a healthy diet. There are two types: monosaturated and polysaturated. The bottom line is that you need healthy fat in your diet. Our brains are made up of 60% fat and fatty acids are the most crucial molecules that determine your brain's integrity and ability to perform. Let's not starve them. Examples of foods with these good fats are: almonds, olive oil, fish, flaxseeds, walnuts and more. For a complete list of foods, click the link.https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-unsaturated-fats.html

Saturated fats ~ Animals are the primary source of saturated fats and some vegetable oils. Dietary guidelines for Americans recommend less than 10% of your daily calories should come from saturated fats. If you eat a 2,000 calories a day, only 20 grams at most should come from saturated fats. There is a lot of controversy over this formula. Much research done suggests that saturated fat is not good for human health. The American Heart Association takes it further and suggests that saturated fat make up no more than 5 to 6% of your daily calories. If you eat 2,000 calories a day, then that is 5 grams. I recommend paying attention to how the food makes you feel, document, and speak with a nutritionist or coach when it comes to changing your diet. For a complete list of of foods, click the link https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-saturated-fat#1

Trans fats ~ They are the fats you may want most but shouldn't have. They are liquid at room temperature, and to make them solid, food manufacturers add extra hydrogen, making it a "hydrogenated" or trans fat. The highest levels of trans fats are found in baked good, animal products, and margarine. Trans fats are the worst type of fats for the heart, blood vessels, and overall body health. Consuming trans fats: *Raises bad LDL levels of cholesterol and lowers good HDL levels of cholesterol, *Increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, and *Contributes to insulin resistance and is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Eating a meal high in saturated fats - say a large steak with potato salad loaded with eggs and mayo - can drive up the total cholesterol and tip the balance to more LDL or bad cholesterol. This can cause high triglyceride levels (to be described in a future blog) and increase the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart problems. Here is a complete list of foods, click the link https://www.health.com/food/the-22-worst-foods-for-trans-fat

The Difference between Whole Grain Carbohydrates and Refined Carbohydrates

Whole carbs are minimally processed and contain the fiber found naturally in the food, while refined carbs have been processed more and have had the natural fiber removed or changes. Examples of whole carbs include: vegetables. Here is great list to print out and keep with you when you make a grocery list, click the link https://cf.ltkcdn.net/diet/files/2235-good-carbs-bad-carbs.pdf