March is National Nutrition Month

We all know that feeling when we get finished with a really satisfying yoga workout. The world seems to be a little less hectic and we seem to have more patience and feel a little more levelheaded. The same can be said for eating right. There are so many benefits to a good diet.

If you have been thinking about improving your diet lately or making dietary changes of any kind, keep in mind you don’t have to make drastic changes in order to make a difference. Just like physical exercise can be as simple as going for a walk, changing your diet can be taken in small increments too.

With March being National Nutrition Month, I want to touch on the importance of a healthy diet and how eating right can help us all live better more fulfilled lives. A good diet paired with healthy activities such as walking or riding a bike can improve our lives immensely. The smallest changes to our eating habits can make a huge difference in how we feel and look down the road.

So if you are contemplating a healthier way of life, here is some food for thought to help you in making some changes and incorporating a healthy food plan into your life.

Heart Health

My active lifestyle paired with my having worked hard to improve my diet has helped me in many areas of my life. I not only feel better and look better than I have in years, but I have managed to drop and maintain a healthier weight which in turn has helped me lower my cholesterol and blood pressure and according to the American Heart Association has helped me significantly cut my chances of having a heart attack or stroke.

Mental Health

In a study done in 2016, there is also some evidence that the foods we eat can have an affect our mood. The conclusion of the study found that “a high-glycemic load diet was associated with higher depression symptoms, total mood disturbance, and fatigue compared to a low-glycemic load diet especially in overweight/obese, but otherwise healthy, adults.” Put simply a healthy diet can help to boost your mood especially when you are prone to depressive episodes like me.

Combating Cancer

Fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants, fiber, beta carotene, and other vitamins and minerals help reduce the risk of cancer. Foods like blue berries, raspberries, dark leafy greens, carrots, nut and seeds, apples, and so many more all have the potential to reduce the risk of developing cancer. Doing whatever it takes to potentially reduce the risk of such a devastating disease and helping me live a longer happier life is definitely a plus for me.

Maintaining a Healthier Weight

By eating a healthy diet it becomes easier to maintain a healthy body weight which by itself has so many health benefits. You will feel better, have more energy, sleep better, you can potentially lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, and you can reduce the risks of cancer. The list of benefits for losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight are endless.

Finally

As I said at the beginning of this article, the changes you make to your diet don’t have to be big drastic changes in order to meet your health goals. Just by making small changes in the types of food you eat and how much you eat you can lose weight without exercise. For example, last year I didn’t work out as much as I had the previous four years. I did manage to get out and run, but not as often as I would have liked, and my exercise routine was spotty at best. But I still managed to lose about ten pounds just by monitoring my calorie intake. Opposite of that, about ten years ago I lost almost twenty pounds just by incorporating a regular exercise routine into my life.

As my yoga practice grows I become more aware of how intricately interconnected everything is and how the slightest change can make a difference in how I see and interact with the world. Just by making a single simple change in my life can make a huge difference down the road for me and everyone around me. So take a chance, make a small change, have that apple for a snack or instead of that bucket of chicken wings from the pizza shop try making some yummy cauliflower chicken wings for a change. You and your body will appreciate it.