Healthy eating isn’t rocket science — just remind yourself of the obsolete food pyramid or the wholesome plate that’s been stuck in your head since elementary school.
All you have to do is fill your meal plan with fruits, veggies, legumes, lean meats and seafood, low-fat dairy and unsaturated fats. Tweak your diet to focus on these healthy foods and you’ll reap the results.
A healthy diet is naturally low in salt. (Most of the sodium in an unhealthy diet comes from highly processed foods, like hot dogs, deli meat, chicken nuggets and french fries.) In fact, over a period of five years, researchers found that people with a higher intake of ultra-processed foods had a higher risk of developing heart disease, Saturated fats should still be viewed with caution — which means to limit it to 10 percent or less of your total daily calories
lower your sodium, limit saturated fats, and steer clear of trans fats, and you’ll be on your way to a healthier heart.
Cutting down your salt intake can help reduce your BP. Keeping your sodium below 2,300 milligrams per day, even if you don’t yet have high blood pressure, is a good practice. If you have elevated blood pressure.
If thinking about the bacteria in your gut creeps you out, just imagine them as little helpers working to keep you healthy.
The health of your gut has been implicated in everything from obesity, type 2 diabetes and immune health.
What you’re looking for in keeping those microorganisms healthy is diversity. You want lots of different types, because the more diversity, the better. And you can achieve that by eating specific types of foods and avoiding others.
There are many factors that influence diversity in your gut (such as antibiotics, smoking and laxative use), but the ones you can control come from your diet.
Some foods that decrease the diversity in your gut include sugar-sweetened beverages, bread and savory snacks.
One noticeable change to your gut health after you add healthy foods is a decrease in bloating. If your current diet is filled with salty, processed foods, you may be carrying around a little extra water, which can cause your belly to distend.
