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Now that the holidays have passed, you have the perfect opportunity to change your diet. So many people have gone vegetarian or vegan that it can be challenging to navigate the current culinary climate for those of us who eat some of everything. Blogs and magazines are brimming with articles about what you should be eating. If you want to make positive changes in your lifestyle, it may be more helpful to expand your knowledge of what not to eat.
Learning what not to eat can help to leave a window for all the delicious things you already enjoy, with the new understanding that sometimes you should enjoy those things in a different way. This will discuss the specific foods we should leave behind in 2021, as well as the ways in which we cook and prepare our meals. How we prepare our food is just as important as the ingredients themselves. With a little effort, saying goodbye to old habits and exploring new ideas can lead to lasting positive changes in your diet, health, and overall success in the new year.
Cut the Beef
The numbers don’t lie: some of the most popular food chains in the U.S. are McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, and Taco Bell. These restaurants primarily serve beef. While burgers and steaks might be tasty, eating beef is detrimental to your long-term wellbeing. Red meat raises your risks of developing type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. Consuming even one serving of red meat a day raises your chances of heart disease by 13%. Red meat is typically high in cholesterol, saturated fats, and sodium, all of which can seriously impact your physical health.
If you simply can't resist red meat, try having just six to eight ounces once a week. Beef is something many people enjoy prepared on a grill. Unfortunately, cooking beef on high heat can lead to stomach cancer. If you can’t let the beef go, consider changing the way you prepare it. Baking beef may be your best option. We live in a time when you can even replace beef with plant-based options. Switching to plant-based beef or bean burgers can make a huge difference to your long-term health--and many find that the Impossible Burger tastes a lot more like meat than they’d expect.
Control Your Sweet Tooth
This is a tough one for many of us. Numerous occasions in our lives put sweets front and center. Unfortunately, like with other foods we’ve discussed, the excessive consumption of sugar can lead to type two diabetes and heart disease and can wreak havoc on your energy levels. On top of harming your insides, too much sugar can also affect your outside. High sugar consumption can play a part in the development of acne.
For some, sweets can be harder to drop than beef and pork. Desserts like cakes, pies, candy corn, candy canes, and cookies are popular in kitchens and restaurants all year long, and coming off the holiday season means we might find ourselves surrounded by especially high numbers of tempting treats. Ultimately, lowering your sugar intake will reduce your chances of early aging, diabetes, and heart disease. Cutting back on sweets may seem joyless, but luckily, there are healthy alternatives at your fingertips.
Explore Healthy Alternatives
The long list of ways to satisfy a sweet tooth is full of options that can be completely healthy. Almost every high-sugar dessert has some type of alternative. Switch out the tub of ice cream for some delicious greek yogurt. One cup of yogurt averages 100 calories, while a cup of ice cream averages 137 calories. Though yogurt may not be as sugary as ice cream, it's a healthier choice if you're paying attention to calories. If you want to get creative, add berries, bananas, and granola to make a parfait.
When you are thinking about healthier alternatives for your favorite sweets, it helps to understand why you like a particular dessert in the first place. If you’re a cookie lover, you might enjoy mixing dark chips in with steel-cut oats. The oats will make you feel full and can help you forget your sugar cravings. These and other minor changes to your diet can greatly help your sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels stay down in 2021 and beyond.
Entering 2021 with a positive attitude can help you keep consistent throughout the year. Adopting a health-conscious diet can enhance your wellbeing and overall life experience. Sparingly consuming foods like beef and pork promote a healthier heart and body. This article is not suggesting that you go vegetarian, only that lowering your intake can benefit you in lasting ways. Beef and pork are highly fatty foods that can clog arteries and potentially cause heart failure. With a little effort, you can find healthy alternatives for all your favorite foods that would cause harm in the long run. Fruits can provide an easy, healthier option for many cravings, though that may be easier said than done. If that’s the case, then it’s time to get more creative with your food options. This is your chance to bring in the new year with a healthier mind and body. Contact START UP RECOVERY to get help today at 310-773-3809.