Hi there, we asked a friend of Tiger Nuts USA, who is really into Healthy Living to write an article that could be shared with like-minded people just like you, so here it is.
Many people are embarking on personal journeys, seeking overall wellness. Good physical health is necessary for a long and happy life. There are multiple aspects that must be considered in the pursuit of overall wellness. One cannot simply focus on exercise or diet alone, but on both together. Focusing on what you put into your body not only nourishes it, but provides the correct fuel for physical movement, which is another key in overall physical health. Total wellness of mind and body is easily achieved if you focus on proper nutrition and exercise.
Plant based diets are growing in popularity, as more and more people realize that “clean eating” means more than eliminating sugary sweets and saturated fats from our diet. Popular studies are now showing that the risks of consuming beef, milk, and even poultry and eggs are much greater than the nutritional benefits. Animal protein, especially that found in dairy and beef, has been linked to cancer and most chronic illnesses and diseases like heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, joint inflammation, and more. Elimination of animal protein eliminates dietary cholesterol. Once dietary cholesterol is eliminated from our diet, our bodies produce all of the good cholesterol that we need, and our diets are truly “clean.” Eating a diet of whole plant-based foods and limiting oils and sugar is the key to clean eating. By simply “eating the rainbow,” a person can meet all of our nutritional requirements on a plant-based diet. There are three vitamins that you may consider supplementing, however, just to be safe, as sources of b12, omegas, and Vitamin D can be hard to come by, even for an omnivore. Vitamin D is made by the body through exposure to sunlight, so in darker, colder months, or less sunny climates, you may wish to supplement this vitamin. The only plant-based source of Vitamin D is fortified cereal and fortified vegan dairy as well as mushrooms. Vitamin b12 can be found in fortified cereals and fortified vegan milks and cheeses as well as tofu and nutritional yeast but is easily supplemented as well. Finally, plant-based omegas are easy to find in nuts, chia seeds, and hemp seeds, but a wonderful source of plant based omegas is the same place fish get their omegas – algae. As humans, we cannot consume algae, but we can consume an algae based omega supplement. Websites like Dr. Michael Greger’s nutrition facts.org provide wonderful information on getting optimum nutrition on a plant-based diet. Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen is a wonderful tool to use to assure you are getting the proper amount of all of your nutrients via fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains. There is even an app you can download to stay on track. Clean eating does not just mean eliminating fatty meats, processed baked goods, and adding cheese to your burger. Plant-based, whole food diets are best for your overall health.
Should you find it difficult to give up items like cheese and meat at first, or if you wish to “treat yourself” on occasion, it is much cleaner to substitute with plant-based vegan options, as these do not contain any of the animal protein or cholesterol linked to cancer and other chronic illnesses. Going plant-based becomes easier each day, as there are a plethora of meat substitutes, vegan cheeses and other vegan “dairy,” and more options coming out all the time, should you choose to add these items into your diet. One might find being vegan difficult when eating out, but restaurants have become even more vegan friendly. You can even find a healthier and cleaner option at fast food restaurants like Taco Bell, Burger King, Dunkin Donuts, White Castle, and more. It is also quite easy to find strictly vegan and vegetarian restaurants in big cities, suburbs, and even sometimes in small towns. Google is your friend, as well as websites like happycow.com when seeking healthy clean options. You do not have to deprive yourself of treats when eliminating animal products from your diet. It is much better to have a plant-based treat than anything with animal protein.
Exercise, in addition to a clean and plant-based diet,is wonderful for your cardiovascular system. It is key to keep moving, get your heart pumping and blood flowing. Eating enough good calories to fuel this exercise is also important to prevent fatigue and muscle exhaustion. Exercise is also necessary to prevent muscle atrophy. It is easy to get started on an exercise regimen. Simply start taking the stairs more, walk around your block, or spend an extra hour walking around the mall if you love to shop. Once you feel comfortable, think about what activities you love like sports, yoga, weight training, walking or running, and begin to slowly incorporate those into your daily routine. Exercising 3-5 times per week is wonderful for your heart, mind, muscles, and overall wellness.
Being healthy, mind, body and soul can be an undertaking for some, especially those who have never had to pay attention to what they eat or to physical activity to stay looking well. However, as the years go by, we can discover internal health does not always match external appearance. This is why it is so important to pay attention to the fuel we put into our bodies, just as much as we pay attention to the physical activity we may begin doing. A truly healthy lifestyle includes 3-5 days of exercise as well as a truly clean diet of plant-based vegan foods, watching fat and sugar intake.
Jack and the Team at Tiger Nuts USA www.tigernutsusa.com
By the way if you have an idea or concept for an article that you think would be a good fit for our Tiger Nuts customers, please share it with us via nuts@tigernutsusa.com
Remember our customers are into health and well being, yoga, running, jumping, biking, hiking, swimming ((you name the sport) eating seriously healthy foods.
