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Healthy Eating and Exercise

10 Ways to Boost Your Nutrition Now

Too often people confuse good nutrition with sacrifice. You can’t eat this. You can’t eat that.

In truth, good nutrition is about consistency. When you develop healthy eating patterns, you can find nutritious foods that satisfy your cravings, whether savory, sweet, or salty.

March is National Nutrition Month, a great time to make little changes that can have a big impact. Here are 10 ways that you can boost your nutrition and get on a path to a healthier you.

1. Maintain Balance

Balancing your diet is the first step to better nutrition. MyPlate.gov is a great resource for helping you get the recommended servings of the five food groups — fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy.

2. Lower the Fat

This means reducing your intake of red meat, whole milk, whole-fat cheese, and ice cream. There are some delicious low-fat alternatives. Try to go for unsaturated fats in place of the saturated fats. Here’s a cheat sheet to help you in case you’re having trouble telling the difference. 

Person making a kale smoothie in kitchen.

3. Consume Calcium and Vitamin D

These are important for strong, healthy bones. Milk is a great source of calcium. For vitamin D, choose spinach, collard greens, bok choy, and mushrooms. Follow these links for other sources of calcium and vitamin D

4. Hydrate

Instead of grabbing a sugary soda or juice, you should drink some water. Water helps prevent infections, regulate body temperature, and keeps organs healthy. It also makes you feel fuller, there’s no added sugar, and you can flavor it with fruit.

Closeup of cooked chicken breast and healthy salad.

5. Keep the Protein Lean

Protein is the one macronutrient that can help you to maintain a healthy weight. It keeps you full, so you don’t have to eat as often. You burn more calories when you eat lean protein than other foods. Protein is also key for building muscles, which helps you burn fat when at rest.

6. Get More Potassium

Potassium helps keep the nerves, muscles, heart, and kidneys working right. Not getting enough increases the risk of high blood pressure and kidney stones. Bananas are a great source for potassium. So is prune or pomegranate juice. You can find more food ideas here.

7. Cut Added Sugars

Food companies are sneaky. They hide sugar in all kinds of places, so it helps to know where to look. There are the usual suspects like syrups, desserts, and sugary drinks. However, sugar is also abundant in yogurt, condiments, and foods you may think are “harmless.” Make sure to check the labels.

Healthy vegetable grain bowl on kitchen table.

8. Color It Up

If you’re only eating shades of brown, it’s time to add some flair to your plate. Delicious and healthy foods come in yellow, orange, red, green, blue, and purple. Mix it up and expand your plate’s palette.

9. Boost Your Fiber

Fiber can help you feel full and keep you from snacking between meals. Raw vegetables like celery or carrots make tasty snacks and are full of fiber. Have a piece of fruit like an apple, pear, or melon slice with your meal to improve your fiber intake. The CDC has a list of good sources of fiber.

10. Reduce Your Salt Intake

We need salt. We just don’t need a lot. Its use as a preservative means it’s in all kinds of processed and packaged foods. Avoid those and you can avoid a lot of extra salt. Too much will boost your blood pressure and put you at risk for a heart attack or stroke. Season your food with spices and herbs instead.

We Can Help with Your Nutrition

We have registered dieticians available to help your entire family get on a path to better eating. It may be medically necessary because of diabetes or a heart condition. Or maybe you’re just trying to be proactive with your health. Whatever the reason, AltaMed can help. Call us at (888) 499-9303.

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10 Ways to Boost Your Nutrition Now