Eating Healthy
Nutrition can be a big and complicated topic. Anytime you talk to a friend or look on the news, there seems to be a new diet trend or thought about how to be healthy.
When you are looking to take care of yourself, there are a few general guidelines that have been studied and are a starting point in your health journey. Always consult your health care provider for any diet change you make.
Drinking Soda
How bad is it really?It is not just what you eat that matters. Sugary drinks like soda are not a good idea to have daily. Just one regular soda is up to three times more than your entire daily sugar intake recommendations.
Drinking plenty of water instead and making sure your calories count for nutrition will help you on your way to your health goals.
Hidden caloriesDrinking three 20 oz sodas in a day and you have had the amount of added sugar you should have from all of your food in an entire week!
Vitamins and Nutrients
Fruits and vegetables support a healthy lifestyleDaily VitaminsTaking a multivitamin boosts your diet to support many important functions in your body.
Counting calories may help your waistline size, but the quality of what you eat is just as important. To get the nutrients your body needs long term, it’s important to eat enough calories and to eat the right foods, such as fruits and vegetables.
Folic Acid
Folic acid is incredibly important for your health. Often, a daily multivitamin that includes folic acid is necessary to keep your body where it should be daily.
It is very common for women to not have enough vitamin D, calcium, iron, folate (folic acid), and vitamin B-12 in their bodies, even if they are “watching” their diets. This is because their foods do not have enough nutrients in them.
In some studies, as many as 42% of all women tested had at least one nutrient deficiency. Daily vitamins are a great start, and a combination of fresh fruits, vegetables, and vitamin supplements every day can help prevent or lessen many health concerns.
Benefits
Folic acid helps with your heart health and brain health. It also makes your hair shine, skin glow, and nails grow.
Reproductive benefitsFolic acid prevents birth defects. Even if you're not thinking about a baby now, the fact is that 50% of all pregnancies are unplanned!
How much is enough?
Folic acid is found in fruits, vegetables, and beans, but it’s difficult to consume the recommended daily dose of 400 micrograms (mcg) per day.
Vitamin Chart
Vitamins
Benefits
Source
A
Prevents eye problems, keeps skin and immune system healthy.
Milk, eggs, liver, fortified cereals, darkly colored orange or green vegetables (such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and kale), and orange fruits (such as cantaloupe, apricots, peaches, papayas, and mangos).
CAscorbic acid
Essential for healthy bones, teeth, gums, and blood vessels. Helps the body absorb iron and calcium, contributes to brain function and healing, and helps form collagen, which holds cells together.
Red berries, kiwis, red and green bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, and juices from guava, grapefruit, and orange.
D
Strengthens bones by helping the body absorb bone-building calcium.
A vitamin that comes from sunlight! Also from egg yolks, fish oils, and fortified foods, such as milk.
E
An antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage. Important for the health of red blood cells.
Vegetable oils, nuts, leafy green vegetables, avocados, wheat germ, and whole grains.
B12
Helps to make red blood cells and is important for nerve cell function.
Fish, red meat, poultry, milk, cheese, and eggs. Also added to some breakfast cereals.
B6
Important for normal brain and nerve function. Helps the body break down proteins and make red blood cells
Potatoes, bananas, beans, seeds, nuts, red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, spinach, and fortified cereals.
B12Thiamin
Helps the body convert carbohydrates into energy. Necessary for the heart, muscles, and nervous system to function properly.
Fortified breads, cereals, and pasta; meat and fish; dried beans, soy foods, and peas; and whole grains, such as wheat germ.
B2Riboflavin
Essential for turning carbohydrates into energy and producing red blood cells. Also important for vision.
Meat, eggs, legumes (such as peas and lentils), nuts, dairy products, leafy green vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, and fortified cereals.
B3Niacin
Helps the body turn food into energy, helps maintain healthy skin, and is important for nerve function.
Red meat, poultry, fish, fortified hot and cold cereals, and peanuts.
B9Folate, Folic acid, or Folacin
Helps prevent potentially fatal brain and spinal birth defects that may form in a developing fetus before you know you are pregnant. It also makes your hair shine, nails grow, and skin glow. Visit the CDC to learn more about the benefits of daily folic acid for women.
Dried beans and other legumes, leafy green vegetables, asparagus, oranges and other citrus fruits, and poultry; fortified or enriched bread, pasta, and cereals.