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It's not unusual to need a small snack between meals. Discover an equation you can use to make sure you choose snacks that sustain you.

Choose Snacks That Sustain You Between Meals

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Do you snack in between meals? It’s not unusual to need a small snack between your three larger meals to keep you sustained throughout the day. This helps your blood sugar stay balanced, which also helps with mood and energy. But take a stroll down the snack aisle at your local grocery store, and you’ll find a lot of packaged foods that aren’t beneficial to your health. How do you choose snacks that sustain you between meals?

There’s an equation you can use to make sure you are snacking in a way benefits you the most. After all, you’re less likely to overeat or crash during the day when your body has a steady stream of nutrients to fuel it. Here are some essential snacking tips to help keep you sustained throughout the day. Read more

Avoid Blood Sugar Crashes

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Have you had those moments where you waited too long to eat, and then struggled through a blood sugar crash where that hangry mood takes over. You felt lightheaded, shaky, and generally unwell. Not only will keeping your blood sugar stabilized throughout the day avoid this rough situation, it is a great way to have sustained energy, feel vibrant, and keep your body functioning optimally. Read more

Stoke the Fire in Your Gut

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stomach-acidIn prior articles, I have outlined the path that our food takes when we eat a bite. Starting with chewing, and then swallowing to send the food down the esophagus into the stomach, where it meets with stomach acid to aid in the next stages of digestion.

We aren’t aware of the intricate process that our food goes through once we swallow a bite. You may have heard the phrase “you are what you eat,” yet I would say that is not a complete statement. Simply eating doesn’t make the food become a part of you. It must be broken down into its constituent components – proteins into amino acids, carbohydrates into starches and glucose, and fats into fatty acids – in order for your body to absorb them. Read more

Edit the Balance of Your Plate

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PrintIf I mention “balancing your plate” are you picturing a plate spinning on a stick, or just sitting steadily on the tip of your finger? Relax. That’s not what I mean.

I’m not talking about balancing the plate itself, but rather the contents of the plate … your food. And I’m referring to balancing the macronutrients that make up your meal.

Macronutrients is a big word that means “a type of food (e.g., fat, protein, carbohydrate) required in large amounts in the human diet.”

Whoa! What jumps out to you as being outside our normal expectations these days? Notice that fat is noted as a food that we require in large amounts? That’s NOT what the media have been advocating for the past several decades. Read more

EDIT Your Meal’s Courses

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Healthy PlateYou’ve heard about the problems related to eating a diet full of processed carbohydrates or added sugars. Have you experienced the blood sugar spike and subsequent crash that brings hunger and cravings along with it? You may not have realized what was happening inside, but the result is the same.

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Building Blocks for Your Body

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ProteinThere are lots of different opinions about the best foods to include in your diet, but no one questions the need for protein. Consuming protein supports the building of bone, muscle, skin and blood.

Protein is considered to be a macronutrient, meaning your body needs a relatively large amount. If you have worked with a trainer at the gym, I’m sure they have told you to consume protein within an hour of your workout. That’s because the protein will support your body in rebuilding your muscles, and increasing your muscle mass will raise your metabolism, which makes it easier to lose weight. Read more

Curb Your Fat Storage

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Take a BiteOne Bite at a Time

When you are enjoying a nice meal in local restaurant, what portion of the meal is served first? It is often bread or soup or salad, unless you prefer to eat at Mexican restaurants, in which case chips and salsa are offered first.

If I asked you what happens to that food after you have swallowed, I’m sure you would say “digestion” … which would be partially correct. But beyond that, what is your body doing with the foods you are digesting?
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