Prioritizing health and wellness through better nutrition can lead to profound benefits for body, mind, and spirit. In this blog, we will focus on simple yet impactful habits that can elevate the efficiency of the immune system and overall health with some actionable steps.
1. Increase Your Intake of Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are nutritional powerhouses. Packed with essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, they play a vital role in preventing and treating chronic diseases such as metabolic disorders, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancers, and autoimmune conditions.
Research has consistently shown that diets rich in fruits and vegetables contribute to better immune function, improved digestion, and even mental well-being. Aim to fill half your plate with a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables at each meal. By doing so, you ensure your body will get a diverse array of nutrients to function optimally.
Tips to Add More Fruits and Vegetables:
A quick, grab-and-go, healthy breakfast could be an apple and banana with 1-2 ounces of nuts and/or seeds.
Try adding extra vegetables to soups, stews, and casseroles to power up lunch and dinner.
Keep pre-washed fruits and veggies readily available for easy meal prep.
2. Avoid Snacking for Healthy Digestion
Snacking, even with healthy fruits and vegetables, burdens the digestive system and leads to poor digestion, increased circulation of toxins, inflammation, and imbalanced blood sugar levels. Giving your digestive system adequate breaks between meals (4-6 hours) promotes better digestion, nutrient absorption, and metabolic efficiency.
Try to stick to balanced, nutrient-dense meals that keep you satisfied for 4-6 hours. This approach not only supports digestion but also helps curb unnecessary calorie intake and reduces the risk of weight gain.
Strategies to Reduce Snacking:
Stay hydrated—often, thirst is mistaken for hunger.
Choose to drink herbal teas (without caffeine) or water between meals.
Focus on meals with a balance of complex carbohydrates, plant-based proteins, and healthy fats, such as avocados, walnuts, and olives to help keep you satisfied until it is time to eat a full meal again.
3. Take Digestive Walks After Meals
A short, 10-20 minute walk after meals can work wonders for digestion and overall health. We call these digestive walks and they have many benefits:
helps regulate blood sugar levels
reduces and prevents bloating
improves gut motility
boost mood
increases energy levels
reduce inflammation
improves circulation
Gentle Walking (this is not a cardio workout) stimulates the digestive process by increasing blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract and activating muscles that aid digestion. Additionally, it’s an opportunity to incorporate movement into your day, especially if you have been living a sedentary lifestyle.
How to Start a Digestive Walk Routine:
Schedule digestive walks in your calendar immediately after meals.
Use this time to listen to music, or podcasts, or talk with a friend.
If possible, walk in a green space to enhance mental relaxation and health.
4. Avoid Eating Late for Better Sleep
Late-night eating disrupts your body’s natural circadian rhythm and can interfere with restful and restorative sleep. When you eat close to bedtime, your digestive system remains active, making it harder for your body to transition into deep sleep. Eating late also interferes with the nightly detox, causing you to miss out on rejuvenation and the body’s nightly preparation for the next day, and waking up feeling groggy and unrefreshed. Additionally, late-night meals can lead to acid reflux and weight gain.
Try to finish your last meal at least 4 hours before going to bed. This allows your body to digest food efficiently and prepare for quality sleep.
Tips to Avoid Late-Night Eating:
Establish a consistent early supper time.
Brush your teeth after your evening meal to signal the end of eating.
Avoid keeping tempting snacks in the house.
In 2025, would you like to commit to making nutrition choices that nurture your body, mind, and spirit? By increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, avoiding snacking, incorporating digestive walks, and steering clear of late-night meals, you can set the foundation for a healthier year ahead. Small changes add up to significant results over time. Focus on Progression-over-Perfection!
Blue Skies,
Dana West, RD, LD, ACLMDIP
Would you like some help and accountability to achieve your 2025 goals?
Dana can help you be successful through 2025 with her health-embracing, disease-conquering Start a New YOU!® Program. Click the link below to schedule a FREE 30-minute INTERVIEW to see if this is the right program for you.
References:
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The Nutrition Source: Vegetables and Fruits. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource
British Journal of Nutrition. (2021). "Effect of meal timing and frequency on health outcomes: A systematic review."
National Sleep Foundation. How Eating Affects Your Sleep. https://www.sleepfoundation.org
Mayo Clinic. (2022). Post-meal walking: A simple way to improve your health. https://www.mayoclinic.org
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