Here we are again. Another year gone by in the blink of an eye. But it’s a good time to assess where we are in terms of our health habits and what we can do to improve our diet and general health without spending lots of money. So we have developed a set of “resolutions” for 2010 that should let anyone eat a healthier diet and still stay within a budget.
Oryana’s Resolutions for a Healthy 2010:
- Cook from scratch. Home-cooked meals made with whole-food ingredients generally have more nutritional value than prepared meals and take-out fare, and also costs less.
- Skip the meat at least once a week. Meatless meals high in whole grains, vegetables and beans can reduce the cholesterol and fat you consume while saving the family budget.
- Make your own stews, soups, and chili this winter. Big pots of hearty fare, served with whole grains or crusty bread, can last a long time, saving on money and cooking time.
- Eat a balanced breakfast – one that includes protein. It really is the most important meal of the day.
- Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Strive for 9 a day.
- Drink more water. Energy drinks, pop, coffee, and even some juice drinks can be high in sugar, calories, and caffeine while being low in nutrition. Start substituting more water throughout the day.
- Replace the whites – white bread, white flour, white rice – with whole grain alternatives.
- Try healthier snacks. Bring whole nuts, dried fruit and trail mix to work or school. These healthy snacks will fill you up more than junk food, while giving you nutritional benefits.
- Rather than going on a diet, make gradual lifestyle changes. If you take small bites and chew more, you should fill up more quickly with smaller portions. Avoid late-night snacking and seconds at dinner.
- Get more exercise. Start small with short walks and work your way up to longer stretches. Think of ways to sneak exercise in i.e. shoveling snow, taking the stairs, parking farther away. Participate in activities you like such as dancing, yoga, cross-country skiing, etc.
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy New Year, from all of us at Oryana!
If we could only be consistent with, say, 4 of those things on the list! A few of my favorites for winter time, making soup/stews in a crockpot over night. What a time saver. I like to add chicken or beef bones, or any bones, to get the broth, along with the meat. Add a quality sea salt, some brown rice, quinoa, barley, etc, and the next day you’ve got a stew to eat all day long (when you don’t feel like cooking). I will then take some out of the pot, heat up in a smaller pot, add frozen spinach (organic), or other frozen veggies, to make a complete meal. Or fresh organic if I can get it. And save or freeze the left-overs. Stews are fun because you can put just about anything in there, including sprouted nuts and seeds, at the end, just to warm it up without cooking it.
Also, time to get out my sprouting seeds. I make broccoli sprouts, green pea sprouts & a few others. Love it plain or on a sandwich. I just improvise, making them in any available container, with saran wrap on top, with holes poked in it, and a rubber band to hold it in place. The smaller seed sprouts, once they are sprouted, can be placed in some sunlight for an hour or so, to increase chlorophyll…..