[Guest Post] Eat Happy!

by Mahsa A

Everyone’s obsessed with diets, calories, carbs and fat content. But we rarely ever hear what’s good for maintaining a healthy diet that helps with old age, healthy skin, sleep and even a cold or the flu.

Well here are a few tips that I have picked up over the years, through articles, TV, Radio, friends and of course, my mom.

Red meat is delicious but unfortunately (and like so many other delicious things) it has so many negative effects on your body. And those negatives heavily outweigh the positives. I cut down my red meat consumption to once or twice a month and am hoping to cut it out of my diet completely.

Ever since I have done this, I have lost some weight, my skin is clearer and healthier looking and I am definitely seeing a positive difference in my health and eating habits in general.

But what's so terrible about red meat anyway? An article by Larry West on About.com perfectly explains just why I try to avoid red meat. Specifically:

...Nutritionists hardly need more evidence about the potentially negative health effects ofeating red meat. For starters, the saturated animal fat in red meat contributes to heart disease and atherosclerosis. Recent research also shows that frequent red meat eaters face twice the risk of colon cancer as those who indulge less often. Red meat is also thought to increase the risks of rheumatoid arthritis and endometriosis.
Meanwhile, according to the American Dietetic Association, vegetarian diets can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease, colon cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension, obesity, and other debilitating medical conditions. While red meat is a key source of protein and vitamin B12 in North American diets, nutritionists explain that properly planned meat free diets easily provide these important nutrients while keeping you healthier in the long run.

I know, I know! I love burgers and steak too (sad face) but here’s a tip: if a turkey burger is made right it’s just as delicious and lamb (if its flavour doesn’t bother you) is less harmful than beef.

You should also look into permanently switching to brown sugar. It is always the better option under all circumstances. Even though it takes more of it to sweeten things (because it's natural) it is still better than the controversial and heavily processed artificial sweeteners and of course, white sugar which has been processed and bleached

On a similar note, avoid white bread. When flour gets refined it loses its fiber, the majority of its minerals and vitamins and also its much needed fatty acids. Only iron, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin and folic acid are legally required to be added back in so about 25 other essential nutrients are missing. Basically 1 piece of whole wheat bread has the same amount of fiber as 8 pieces of white bread.

Aim for breads that don’t have high fructose corn syrup contents. It is always important to read Product Labels very carefully. Try to avoid high fructose corn syrup wherever possible. Not only is this a high calorie ingredient, it also increases the risk for type 2 diabetes and raises cholesterol levels. The documentary King Corn is a good source of information on the subject.

If you can't afford organic/natural products, a great rule of thumb is to read the backs of products that are within your budget and pick the ones that have the least amount of chemicals and if possible not high fructose corn syrup.

Here's a popular tip that we can all enjoy: a small amount of dark chocolate everyday is good for you, which is true scientist are saying that it can help stabilize high blood pressure, maintain good blood flow and it’s said to help with good heart health. However make sure to avoid eating any when it's close to bed time, because it has the same effect as coffee. Even a small piece of chocolate can keep you up for hours on end.

Fruits and veggies are of course, always the best - but this doesn't mean you have to eat broccoli all the time! I try random stuff in the produce section every time: some I like and buy again and some I don't. If you are too lazy or don't have enough time to make a salad like myself then buy the readymade ones.

Even if you don't like eating them, several fruits and vegetables can still work wonders on your skin. Specifically, the inside peels of most fruits and vegetables can be rubbed onto your skin which will absorb all the nutrients. Avocado is one that I would highly recommend.

Finally we get to the nasty flu season demon. When you're sick, even though orange juice is great and yes drink lots of it, but try drinking 4 to 5 big classes of natural pineapple juice as well. Pineapple has great healing properties as it has bromelain and vitamin C which work together to aid your immune system and is also said to help with arthritis and digestion. I remember when my sister got major surgery done, my mom made her eat so much pineapple after her surgery that compared to anyone else I had seen before and anyone since who had undergone similar procedures, she healed in almost record time.

I hope my tips help you with having a healthier diet.

Until next time, much love from your personal eat happy consultant, Mahsa A.

---

Sources
Images (all edits by me):
TriColor by Denitorious @deviantArt
Fast Food - Burger by helmuc @ deviantArt
Bread by Cheriznjalapenoz @ deviantArt
Chocolate by BakeryGirl-stock @ deviantArt
Swim in Produce 3 by vacuumslayer @ deviantArt