Hannah Smith, CSH, Manager of Nutrition Services for Rochester Regional Health, gives her insight into some attainable and nutritious New Year’s Resolutions.
Cleanse Your Digestive System
The holidays have put your digestive system to the test with an abundance of sugar and alcohol. One way to get back on track and help your body rid itself of holiday toxins is to drink warm water with lemon or green tea before and after your meals.
Warm water helps with digestion and keeps you hydrated. Your liver and kidneys require constant hydration to filter out toxins. Lemon contains powerful health benefits like vitamin C and soluble fiber that promotes weight loss and has shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. Smoothies are also great cleansers that allow you to get creative with your favorite fruits and vegetables!
Hannah says: “For an effective cleanse, choose whole foods and nutrient-dense foods like fruits and vegetables, and eat whole grain products over refined grains.”
Cook at Home
Food prepared at home is healthier than take out or eating out for a variety of reasons.
For one, cooking at home helps you maintain control of what goes into your food. Restaurants don’t always disclose what they put into their recipes, and many of them are high in sodium and contain preservatives. By cooking at home, you also provide you and your family with better choices and at a much more affordable price.
Aim for home-cooked meals at least 4 times a week, and if take-out is necessary, try to stay away from fast-food chains.
Grocery Shopping Tip: Visually inspect your produce, and don't choose anything with browning or bruising. You can talk with your local grocer and find out what day produce is delivered and shop on this day to get the freshest produce.
Drink Flavored Water
Flavored water is both an easy and tasty way to stay hydrated and reduce the amount of soda you drink. And the best part is you can add any of your favorite flavors. Lemon, cucumber, and watermelon are 3 nutritious types of flavored water. Simply chop up your desired fruit and combine in a jug with water and ice.
Hannah says: “Flavored water is a great substitute for soda. Research shows that diet sodas can actually increase feelings of hunger, and phosphorous in soda can affect calcium absorption, and the high sugar content in soda increases instances of dental caries.”
Eat Breakfast
Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day as it sets the tone for the day and decreases the risk of unhealthy snacking throughout the day.
How to plan ahead:
- Leave cereal, bowl, and spoon the night before
- Hard boil your eggs and place in fridge
- Pop a whole grain bagel in the toaster while you shower
- Cook a frittata in advanced and heat up in the morning
- Bake a batch of high-protein breakfast bars
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