HealthyLife Articles

Tag: balanced

  • Quick & Easy Grain Bowls

    HEALTHY EATING

    Homemade grain bowl.

    Grain bowls offer a nutritious, simple meal to fuel your day. They are also a great way to maximize your daily plant intake. Here’s how to make each bowl both delicious and healthy:

    *Start with a tasty grain.Amaranth, quinoa, rice, farro, millet, and bulgur wheat can be made in large batches and used all week long.

    *Add a well-seasoned protein.Roasted chickpeas, sauteed tofu, tempeh, or seasoned beans make tasty plant choices. Salmon, chicken, or eggs work, too.

    *Pile on the vegetables.Roast, steam, or sautée your favorite in-season vegetables to add to your bowl. Broccoli, peppers, squash, and carrots make great additions. And don’t forget the leafy greens!

    *Top with healthy fats.Avocados, olives, olive oil dressings, nuts, and seeds make your grain bowl a complete meal. Cheese also adds a punch of flavor.

    *Spice it up.Salsa, green onions, pesto, sriracha, herbs, or vinaigrette add flavor and an extra helping of nutrients.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • An Easy Guide For Healthy Eating

    Nutrition

    Image of women eating a healthy salad.

    Get your plate and body in shape.

    At the websitewww.ChooseMyPlate.gov, the dinner plate (and glass) graphic is an easy way to know the right portions of fruit, vegetable, grain, protein, and dairy food groups to eat at meals. But the website offers so much more.

    Interaction Helps You Get and Stay On Track

    ChooseMyPlate.govhas tools and resources to help you make healthy food and physical activity choices that meet your specific needs. Click on “SuperTracker.” Then click on “Create Your Profile.” Use this tool to:

    *  Get a custom eating and physical activity plan to meet your needs.

    *  Track what you eat and drink and your physical activity progress.

    *  Get guidance to help you manage your weight.

    The site also helps you personalize menus and provides quick access to calorie and nutrient comparisons of foods using My Food-A-Pedia. You can also download useful brochures and get White House recipes and Food Group recipes for healthy dishes like Rise and Shine Breakfast Cobbler and Caribbean Casserole.

    Tips to build a healthy plate

    *  Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Choose ones of different colors to get a variety of nutrients.

    *  Drink skim or 1% milk.

    *  Make at least half your grains whole, such as brown rice and 100% whole wheat bread.

    *  Vary your protein food choices, such as lean beef, chicken, turkey, fish, beans and tofu.

    *  Avoid foods that have trans fats.

    *  Choose foods with little or no added sugars.

    Action Step

    When buying packaged foods, read the Nutrition Facts labels. Compare serving sizes and calories. Read the ingredients.

    Page from Ways to Well-Being book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • A Diet For Lifetime Health

    Mature Health: Over Age 50

    Image rich in B vitamins.

    Studies show that some older adults are deficient in vitamins B6, B12, and folate (a B vitamin). To guard against vitamin deficiencies, plan a diet that includes food sources of these nutrients.

    *  Lean meats, chicken, organ meats and fish, are high in B6.

    *  Milk, eggs, and lean meats are excellent sources of B12.

    *  Asparagus, brussels sprouts, and almost all green, leafy vegetables are high in folate. Other sources are cantaloupe, orange juice, and fortified grain products.

    *  Citrus fruits, tomatoes, cantaloupe, strawberries, green pepper, and broccoli are rich in vitamin C.

    It is also important to get adequate protein and calcium daily. Low-fat dairy products are rich sources of calcium. Two servings a day of 2 to 3 ounces of meat, chicken, or fish provide the protein you need. Other sources of protein include cooked dried beans, peanut butter, milk, and eggs.

    A Year of Health Hints book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Pack Travel Snacks

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 3

    Mix of dried fruits and nuts.

    Pack these items ahead of time. Take them with you when you drive, fly, or take a bus or train. Be sure to pack snacks for kids traveling with you as well. This can help kids get in the habit of packing their own travel snacks. It can also take away your excuse to stop for fast food and buy candy or salty snacks. Use these ideas for a healthy work snack as well. Keep a healthy snack in your desk drawer, locker or fridge, if they need to be kept cold, like hummus or fresh edamame.

    *  Homemade granola bars. Look for recipes with nuts, seeds, peanut butter, and dried fruit to help keep you full and give you lasting energy.

    *  Homemade trail mix.

    *  Peanut butter + apple slices, celery sticks, or whole grain crackers

    *  Hummus + sliced veggies (celery, carrots, cucumber slices)

    *  Apple slices with cinnamon

    *  Almonds, peanuts, walnuts, cashews

    *  Dried fruit

    *  String cheese

    *  Whole fruit, like apples and bananas

    *  Edamame

    *  Protein bar

    *  Small, single-serving boxes of whole grain cereal

    *  Small square of dark chocolate

    Respect Food Allergies

    If traveling in a public place (e.g., train, bus, airplane), avoid snacks that contain peanuts. If someone has a severe peanut allergy, you may be putting their life in danger.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine