Health with These 10 Essential Foods and Habits

  • Hydrate with Water Aim to drink 8 to 12 cups of water daily to keep your body well-hydrated and functioning optimally.
  • Load Up on Dark Green Veggies Incorporate dark green vegetables into your diet three to four times a week. Opt for nutritious choices like broccoli, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, and leafy greens such as kale and spinach.
  • Choose Whole Grains Consume whole grains at least two or three times a day. Look for options like whole wheat flour, rye, oatmeal, barley, amaranth, quinoa, or multigrain products. A good source of fiber provides 3 to 4 grams per serving, while an excellent source offers 5 or more grams per serving.
  • Embrace Beans and Lentils Incorporate a bean-based meal at least once a week. Add legumes, including beans and lentils, to your soups, stews, casseroles, salads, and dips, or enjoy them on their own.
  • Enjoy Fish Eat two to three servings of fish each week, with a serving size of 3 to 4 ounces of cooked fish. Excellent choices include salmon, trout, herring, bluefish, sardines, and tuna.
  • Indulge in Berries Add two to four servings of fruit to your daily diet, focusing on berries such as raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries for their rich nutrient content.
  • Add Winter Squash Incorporate butternut and acorn squash, along with other richly pigmented dark orange and green vegetables like sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, and mango, into your meals.
  • Incorporate Soy Aim to consume 25 grams of soy protein daily as part of a low-fat diet to help lower cholesterol levels. Try incorporating tofu, soy milk, edamame soybeans, tempeh, and textured vegetable protein (TVP) into your meals.
  • Include Flaxseed, Nuts, and Seeds Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed or other seeds to your food daily, or include a moderate amount of nuts—1/4 cup—in your diet.
  • Opt for Organic Yogurt Adults aged 19 to 50 need 1000 milligrams of calcium daily, and those over 50 require 1200 milligrams. Eat calcium-rich foods such as nonfat or low-fat dairy products three to four times a day, and choose organic options when possible.

ADS