Healthy, Anti-Aging Foods...The Day After Thanksgiving!

I know, I know...the thought of 'food' still brings back memories of yesterday (Thanksgiving Day in the US) & that stuffed feeling many of us left the table with...

How appropriate (at least in my thinking) to have a quick refresher course in healthy foods--foods that have 'Anti-Aging' properties--to guide us in our eating choices during this most challenging time of year.

I have a goal of eating healthy at least 75% of the time, realizing that it's a 'real world' out there, with time crunches...holiday get-togethers with few if any 'healthy eating choices'...and the whole Christmas baking/cookies arena... :o)

Keep this list in mind when grocery shopping, eating out, and preparing menus & meals for the week (if you're one of those organized people I'm jealous of!).

->Fresh fruits & vegetables: Keep handy in the fridge or basket on the counter for healthy munching options. Get organic if possible--be sure to include dark green veggies!. The nutrients in fresh fruits & veggies are huge in keeping you healthy & slowig the aging process.

->Whole grains, nuts & beans: These will keep your fiber intake up, along with providing great protein, minerals and essential fatty acids (EFA's).

->Cultured foods: Good quality yogurt, kefir (like drinkable yogurt--very good!), miso (soup), & tempeh are in this category. They help keep your digestive system working as it should, which keeps your immune system strong (the good bacteria/bad bacteria benefits--see past blog from 7/26/09).

->Sea greens: These are amazing 'superfoods of the ocean' that are loaded with protein, vitamins, minerals chlorophyll, enzymes, fiber...and are very helpful in regulating thyroid function. You can buy the dried version of them & 'get used' to them by crumbling a few on green salads & adding to soups. I'll post a blog about Sea greens in the near future as well.

->Fish & fresh seafood: Choose ones with lower mercury levels & ecofriendly, like cod, halibut, pollock, salmon... (http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=15890 This website gives a great listing of good fish/seafood choices). Fish & seafood are a great protein source, with many of them a great source of essential fatty acids (EFA's) as well.

->Whole grain pasta & rice: A great source of complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins (esp. B vits) & iron. There are many 'brown rice' options to choose from---they have so much flavor!

->'Good' fats (monounsaturated): Our bodies need small amounts of healthy fats each day...olive oil, peanut oil, almonds, avocados & pumpkin seeds are some great sources of 'good fat.'

->Filtered, pure water: (I know...water is not a FOOD, but it is THAT important!) Drinking at least 8 8-oz glasses/day is a good start. An more precise guideline for water consumption is drinking half your body weight in ounces/day. I weigh 140lb, so I should drink at least 70 oz/day (about 9 8-oz glasses). Being well-hydrated has a powerful effect on your entire body, not to mention providing energy & a greater sense of well-being. For information on the various types of water & how they affect our bodies, check out my blog post from June 10th.

Here's to a Healthy & Joy-Filled Christmas Season...so we can all start out the New Year on the right foot (instead of the 'I wish I hadn't eaten so much over Christmas' foot!)

Blessings on your health...
Sana