Why Great Food Makes a Great You

Do you want to do any of the following?

Lose weight and prevent weight gain
Increase your energy
Delay aging and look younger
Increase your immunity so that you do not get sick
Fight cancer
Boost your mental power
Detox your body
Lessen/rid yourself of stress
Decrease inflammation and pain
Strengthen your heart
Prevent and improve diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol
Boost your sex life
Live longer and better

Then I want to tell you a secret that will help you accomplish any and all of these goals. It is actually an open secret, something so obvious and right in front of us that most of us do not even notice it.

This open secret is that food can help you do all these things. Because food ultimately becomes you. Yes, you are what you eat and drink. Literally.

You were born weighing only several pounds and measuring less than two feet in length. But now you have the height and weight of an adult. Where has the increased weight and stature come from? The molecules that make up your body come from what you eat and drink.

While you are reading this sentence, countless chemical reactions and interactions are firing in and amongst your cells, starting from your eyes, through nerves, and to your brain ― all so you can see and understand what you read.

At the same time, without your being conscious of them, other chemical reactions and cell interactions are occurring to keep your body temperature comfortable, your heart beating, and your lungs breathing. These actions and reactions also ensure that you stay in your present position without tipping your head or slumping your trunk forward, and countless other things.

All these processes require materials, tools, and energy to fire. Food gives your body these things.

The calories in carbohydrates, proteins, and fats from food provide energy. These three so-called macronutrients ― along with vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals (chemicals from plants) and zoochemicals (chemicals from animals) ― are the materials and tools that make up your body and keep it running.

They help your body stay healthy by maintaining comfort, fighting bugs that make you ill, and repairing damage from wear and tear. They also provide raw materials for your brain so you will feel peaceful and happy.

Foods not only determine your weight from the calories they contain, they also help determine who you are, how you are, and how you feel.

Therefore, to treat yourself and your body well, eat high-quality foods and follow these tips to make the most of every meal and every food choice.

Tip #1. Enjoy Your Food

We eat to satisfy our bodies and give them the nutrients and calories needed to function. Eating can lift our spirits as well.

Whenever you eat, ask yourself why you are eating. The honest answer may surprise you. Have you ever eaten not because you were hungry, but because you were lonely, stressed, bored, overtired, or with company? The term “comfort food” exists for good reason.

Eating is supposed to make us feel good. But because of its association with weight gain, it has gotten a bad rap in recent times. But this really isn’t fair, especially to you.

Rather than having food play a negative role in your life, you can turn the situation around to make food your friend and a source of your health and wellness. This is as it should be.

Tip #2. Eat Mindfully

To enjoy your food, start by eating mindfully.

Sit down and eat slowly. Savor the sight, smell, and the taste of your food. Appreciate the texture of the food in your mouth. The same applies to drinking fluids such as water, coffee, or tea. Eating mindfully is a form of meditation, and it can help manage stress and lift the spirit.

Tip #3. Eat Only When You are Hungry

Once you eat mindfully, it becomes easier to eat only when you feel hungry.

On a fullness scale of zero to ten, zero being absolute hunger and ten being absolute fullness, start to eat when the scale comes down to three. It works better if you don’t wait until you are famished to eat. Stop eating when the scale reaches six or seven. And remember to eat slowly. It takes about twenty minutes for your brain to get the message that you’re full.

If you find yourself eating for a reason other than hunger, do something else that you enjoy. Or, eat foods you like such as vegetables that are low in calories. Chewing sugarless gum is also a good option.

Tip #4. Give Yourself the Best

When you eat, give yourself food of the best nutritional quality. You and your body deserve the best!

Tip #5. Spice it Up

Cooking with herbs and spices not only flavors your meals, but doing so may also help prevent and manage certain diseases.

For example, the spice turmeric contains curcumin, which may suppress cancer cell growth. Ginger can be used to prevent motion sickness and nausea. Cinnamon can help control blood sugar levels.

Tip #6. Eat Foods that Sustain

Foods high in fiber, protein, and water tend to keep you feeling full longer. This helps control unnecessary nibbling and prevents wild swings of sugar levels in your body. Fortunately, compared to foods that carry empty calories, nutrient-rich foods tend to satisfy your appetite longer,

Tip #7. Explore the World with Your Food Choices

We are so lucky that many wholesome foods that at one time were virtually unknown or hard to get, are now much more easily available. Check out new foods from all around the globe in your grocery stores to make your eating more exciting.

By following these seven healthy tips, you will enjoy your meals more fully, make wiser choices, and control the amount you eat as food works its life-sustaining magic in you.