Food plays a vital role in enhancing your mental health and physical well-being. Unfortunately, in our fast-paced modern world, it’s easy to be distracted from maintaining clean eating habits by a busy schedule or the convenience of fast foods.
So what’s the solution? How can you start taking better care of yourself from the inside out? Exercising mindfulness every time you choose what to eat is a great place to start. In other words?
Be more aware of what you’re putting into your body. Practice clean eating, which means ensuring that what you eat is healthy, whole, not overly processed, and geared towards improving your well-being and overall health.
Here are a few easy tips to help you stay healthy and mindful of what you eat.
Sometimes, fancy packaging can make you think the food inside is good for you when it really isn’t. So, get into the habit of looking at the ingredient list. If it’s really long and includes words you can’t pronounce, it’s probably not healthy.
Instead, choose whole foods and complex carbohydrates. These are rich in fiber, which can help with better digestion and weight management. Examples of whole foods are fruits, veggies, and legumes.
Avoid processed foods, high-sugar drinks, and excessive alcohol, as they contain unhealthy ingredients. Drinks like soda wreak havoc on your skin by stripping it of moisture, killing its glow, and increasing the appearance of wrinkles. No thanks!
Nothing hydrates and rewards you with glowing skin quite like pure water does.
Water helps with digestion, which leads to better bowel movements and reduced instances of constipation. Water also transports nutrients and oxygen around your body and your cells, so it’s a crucial health component for absorbing nutrients from your food.
Pro tip: If you find it hard to stay hydrated, make it as easy as possible to drink enough throughout the day.
For example, buying a pretty, reusable water bottle to carry with you can be a great way to remember to drink – and it also reduces plastic waste! Keep sipping and refilling it throughout the day, whether you’re at your desk, in the car, or out hiking.
Drinking gradually will be less of a chore than if you gulp several large glasses down in one sitting, and it’s also easier on your body.
Sometimes, promoting clean eating can be as simple as changing how you prepare your food. For example, instead of deep-frying chicken, why not grill it? Instead of eating fries, why not make baked or mashed potatoes?
Small changes like these can help you consume fewer fats, eventually enhancing weight management, giving you healthier skin, and reducing unhealthy cholesterol levels without much effort.
For cooking, go for plant-based oils, such as olive and avocado oil. These are healthy cooking oils because they are unsaturated, making them heart-friendly.
When you have time, make a homemade meal from scratch. Why? Because it’ll help you choose healthier ingredients for yourself. Plus, it can be fun to experiment in the kitchen.
Take the example of bread: If you buy bread at a store, chances are pretty good that it will contain preservatives and other ingredients your body doesn’t need. But if you make your own, you’ll know what’s going into it and can choose the best ingredients.
Achieving better skin and overall health through clean eating is possible. It starts with doing simple things on a daily basis, like reading food labels, staying hydrated, using cleaner products, and making meals at home, when possible.
If you adopt these habits, you’ll be well on your way to achieving optimal all-around wellness.