Our busy lifestyles sometimes means that it is easier to reach for the fast, processed and packaged food, which can be full of sugar, preservatives and other nasties. Food can either nourish us or be a source of toxins.

Having a healthy diet does not have to mean hours in the kitchen that require you to have the skills of a chef. There are simple ways to create healthy nutritional habits that will have a great impact on your health and wellbeing.

Keeping you energised

All food, good or bad can provide your body with energy. More importantly, it’s the good healthy food that can sustain your levels of energy all day. Some of us experience an afternoon slump, fatigue, or brain fog. Often this can be a determinant that we may not be eating the right foods for our body. The best place to start is to ensure you are eating a balanced meal that incorporates all the important nutrients that keep your body and mind fully energised. A balanced diet consists of a palm sized protein, good carbohydrates and good fats.¹

Regulating moods

Food can influence your mood and are natural sources that can exert control over our nervous system and the hormones that regulate our moods. Some of these hormones are dopamine, serotonin, melatonin and histamines.² Certain food can trigger these hormones, making us feel happy; however they can also have the reverse effect, with our mood being negatively affected when exposed to high levels of sugar and processed food.³

Disease prevention

Cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity are some of the diseases that are influenced by our lifestyle.⁴ Food that contains processed carbohydrates, high sugar levels or bad fats can be responsible for conditions such as high cholesterol, high glucose levels and other cardiovascular conditions.⁵ However, you can reduce this risk by simply swapping to foods that keep you full and energised, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seafood and lean meats.⁵

Overall, nutritional information can be overwhelming but keeping your nutritional choices to simple, easy recognisable and real food will take the guesswork out of eating healthy.

Blog post written by Complete Corporate Wellness. Visit their website: https://www.completecorporatewellness.com.au/

References
1. Nutrition Australia, “Healthy Eating Pyramid”, Fact Sheets, https://nutritionaustralia.org/fact-sheets/healthy-eating-pyramid/

2. Claire Sissons, “How to Boost Serotonin and improve your mood”, Medical News Today, medicalnewstoday.com

3. Sue Penckofer, Ph.D., R.N et al. Does Glycemic Variability Impact Mood and Quality of Life?, Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics. 2012 Apr; 14(4): 303–310, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/

4. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, ”What conditions increase the risk of heart disease?”, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://cdc.gov/heartdisease/risk_factors

5. Heart Foundation, “Healthy eating to protect your heart”, Heart Foundation, https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/heart-health-education/healthy-eating