Healthy Eating: Getting started with achievable, small steps
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – In our busy, complicated world, it’s tough knowing where to begin when embarking on a journey towards optimum health. To live a healthy, happy life, we need to keep it simple and take small steps every day to promote health and help support our temple from the inside out.
A sweet lady recently told me her doctor instructed her to increase her calorie intake by drinking a red can of full-sugar coke. I almost had a stroke, it broke my heart. That’s grounds for malpractice, considering the rock-solid facts that Coke is cancerous, feeds diabetes, bone loss, and blunts the immune system. Way to go Doc.
This is a part of why Indiana consistently ranks 41st unhealthiest in America. Garbage in, garbage out.
Let’s begin with calories. Calories are the energy in food. The more active you are, the more you need. When you’re less active, you need fewer. But, no one mentions the quality of said calories. All calories are not created equal. A 100 calorie candy bar pales to 100 highly-nourishing calories from a portion of avocado or sweet potato. According to ChooseMyPlate.gov, empty-calorie foods contribute a lot of calories to your daily intake without adding many beneficial nutrients.
Or visit this website for a full outline on what makes a calorie a calorie.
Listen to your body. Young children are good at listening to their little bodies. They eat when they’re hungry and stop when full.
But adults may ignore these ‘signals’ and keep eating after they’re – burp – full, or they may eat because they’re bored or upset. Your temple uses these signals to tell you when and how much to eat.
Slow down. Your brain doesn’t immediately register that your stomach is full, you may be at risk of eating more than your body needs and getting too full if you are prone to eating quickly or on-the-go.
You can reduce your calorie intake if you focus on slowing down and enjoying every bite of food during a meal.Limey, Spicy Bean Salsa
(Low in calories and high in nutrition)
- 1 pound cooked and rinsed garbanzo beans
- 1 pound cooked and rinsed black beans
- 1 pound Indian’s own HUSK brand corn kernels, thawed. (www.huskfoods.com)
- 2 Tbsp. chipotle peppers in sauce, chopped fine with sauce
- 2 jalapeno peppers seeded and chopped
- 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
- 3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp. garlic, minced
- Himalayan salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tsp. cumin powder
Combine drained beans, corn, onions, jalapeno peppers, chipotle, cilantro, garlic and tomatoes.
Add fresh lime, olive oil, cumin and salt.
Mix gently.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Let it reach room temperature before serving. It will have bolder flavor.
Preparation suggestions:
- Wraps filled with greens and beans
- Dip for corn chips to accompany traditional tomato salsa
- A side dish for a grilled fish or chicken.
- Stuff a half avocado as an appetizer. (Squeeze on some extra lime.)