What are the Benefits of Healthy Eating For the Family

The benefits of healthy eating are numerous. In addition, they are a major brick in the foundation of living healthy lifestyles. Let’s explore the good that comes from eating with good health in mind.

Tropical fruit for healthy eating.

Your body, like any other machine, requires a fuel source to help it run efficiently. Foods are the fuel for the human-machine. Just like any other machine the better the fuel burned, the better the results received.

Let’s look at the traditional automobile as an example. It is a complex machine powered by a petroleum fuel called gasoline. If the gasoline is of low quality or contains excess foreign ingredients the car either won’t run well or not at all. Quality fuel yields quicker starts, better mileage, and energetic performance.

The human body is very similar. Put good food into it and usable energy is increased. As an additional benefit, the amount of time you can dedicate to physical tasks is extended. Best of all you are more productive as a result.

The human body receives additional benefits of healthy eating in appearance. Nutrients provided in abundance by good foods effect skin, hair, teeth, muscle tone, and bones. The result is an enhanced posture and healthy glow.

Other Benefits of Healthy Eating

Fueling your body with the right blend of fuel will make you feel better. A person who feels better is usually in a better mental state to deal with the hurdles of life. So stress management ability is enhanced.

Medical Benefits of Healthy Eating

Eating a well-balanced diet helps the body control and/ or prevent health problems such as:

High blood pressure

Heart disease
Some cancers
Type 2 diabetes
Excess body weight and obesity

What Healthy Eating Means

Why do the benefits of healthy eating seem difficult to achieve when first examined? The primary reason is many of us don’t know what it means to eat healthily. “Eating healthy” means consuming the right balance of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to support good health.

Hake | Tasty and loaded with nutrients

Wholesome foods fall into four basic food groups. They are:

Fruits and vegetables
Grains
Protein foods (meats, lentils, beans)
Dairy

Eating the right combination, quantity, and variety of foods from these groups each day can provide all the nutrients needed for healthy living.

Reaping the Benefits of Healthy Eating Means Change

Change is another important obstacle to achieving the benefits of healthy eating. Ever try changing a habit you have developed over an extended period? Think about attempts to stop biting fingernails, popping gum, smoking, eating late dinner directly before going to bed, and many others. Was it easy to change?

The expression “old habits are hard to break,” is more than just a notion. Success is achieved through desire and sheer will. Some do better with gradual change, while others are better with drastic changes. Either way, it will require patience, consistency, and determination to see it through.

This fact is especially true in a family setting. I have an inner ear condition that requires me to have a low sodium diet. Every food known to man has sodium, and mine and the kid’s favorites had the most. Initially, it was necessary to cook two different meals each day. Gradually everyone came together to enjoy the benefit of reduced sodium.

Making Healthy Eating a Habit

Studies have identified two weeks as the magic time duration for creating and changing a habit. My experience has been slightly different; however, doing a particular act consistently over a short period (two to four weeks) is habit-forming.

Begin by choosing something relatively simple like including more fresh fruit or roasted, unsalted nuts as a lunch snack. Change movie munchies from greasy flavored chips to peanuts in a shell or celery stalks and peanut butter. Replace candy with raisins, grapes, cherries, or other fresh fruit items.

Patience must be your friend here; especially if this is a family or group project. You will have to tweak your method to find the exact points where change is acceptable. Once you do, move ahead with consistency and determination.

Healthy Eating Is a Lifestyle

It seems the true benefits of healthy eating are best achieved through a change in lifestyle. Taking a more managed approach to nourishment will not succeed unless it becomes a seamless part of your life. It will be tough in the beginning, but the benefits of healthy eating you and your family experience will be well worth the effort!