Eating Well = Being Well

Welcome back to another #RCOServiceChallenge, this month’s theme is WELLNESS.

Eating well is a key component of your overall well-being. Food is fuel for your brain and your body, and healthy foods are the best fuel out there. Healthy eating not only makes you physically feel better, but it improves your health and keeps you in tip-top shape (which we all need during the pandemic)! 

*POTENTIAL OBSTACLES*

Healthy eating is integral to having good physical and mental health, but there are many obstacles that can accompany an attempt to improve one’s diet.  

1.     It can come with a hefty price tag: speaking from the student experience, it’s much cheaper to function on a diet of white rice and hot sauce than a week’s worth of gourmet meals. 

2.     Cooking all your own meals from scratch (or close to) can be a daunting task. One meal can become a huge grocery list based on spices alone. 

3.     Many struggle with finding the time and/or energy to prepare and cook meals, let alone clean up afterward. 

4.     We are fed (nice pun!) so many mixed messages about “good” foods and “bad” foods that picking meals and shopping accordingly can feel futile. 

In this blog post, I’ve compiled some information and tips for improving one’s diet while trying to keep it wallet-friendly. In advance, I’d like to repeat my mother’s favourite phrase: “everything in moderation”. Having a little bit of ice cream or ordering takeout every once in a while is not a crime! Just try your best to do what you can when it comes to fueling your body. 

*MAKING BETTER CHOICES* 

With that said, here’s my advice for making healthy food choices (compiled from the Canada Food Guide and other research):

-       Eat veggies and fruits at each meal as best you can.

-       Incorporate beans, lentils, and other legumes into great stews and sides.

-       Be mindful of highly processed foods. Instead, opt for unprocessed if you can. 

-       Look for foods high in vitamins, minerals, fibre and protein. Examples include whole grains, legumes, fish, eggs, fruits and veggies. 

-       Be aware of your fats: healthy fats such as omega-3s are great for your brain, heart, and liver, but saturated and trans fats are not.

-       Nutrition labels can be very helpful when trying to make the best choice: I personally struggle with my sodium intake, so I’m always checking labels for sodium content!

-       And, of course, drink lots of water! 

*HOW TO MAKE BETTER CHOICES*

Further, here are some tips for your day-to-day that will aid in the quest to make healthier food choices:

-       Make grocery lists. I always make a list on my phone’s notes app and erase items as I put them in my cart. The pandemic has made my brain turn into a bowl of Jell-O these days. 

-       Whatever you do, do not go to the grocery store hungry if you can help it! You will likely overbuy and grab items you’re craving rather than the ones you’re there to buy.

-       Try meal prepping. Spending one day a week cooking all your meals in advance and portioning them accordingly can save time, money, and effort during busy times.

-       Have some ready-to-go snacks like grapes and cheese, bananas, yogurt cups, granola, etc. They’re a great way to keep your body fuelled with minimal work!

-       Keep a jug of water or a reusable water bottle hanging around. Hydration is integral to regulating your hunger cues. 

-       Try to minimize your intake of juices, sodas, coffees, and teas with high amounts of sugars. If you’re looking to spice up your water, adding frozen fruit or trying out new flavours of soda waters are great options!

-       A personal tip: I’ve recently been using a nutrition-tracking app to track my macronutrients (carbs, fats, and protein). It has helped me identify which areas of my diet I need to address to feel better! Please be very cautious with your use of these apps, however, as they can sometimes do more harm than good for one’s mental health. 

*QUICK AND EASY MEALS*

I thought it would be a good idea to include some suggestions for meals that are quick, easy, and/or cost-effective. Most of them use ingredients that can be bought in bulk and will get you the most bang for your buck or can be adjusted to fit dietary needs!

 -       Poke bowls (salmon, sticky rice, avocado, cucumber, pickled ginger, wasabi, a honey-soy sauce drizzle, and sesame seeds [or hemp seeds]).

-       Veggie naan wraps (whole wheat naan, iceberg lettuce, tomato, white onion, tzatziki, Kalamata olives, and hot pickled peppers).

-       Quinoa salad (this recipe is a personal favourite: https://cookieandkate.com/best-quinoa-salad-recipe).

-       Butter chicken (chicken thighs, butter chicken sauce, basmati rice – I like to pair it with a lot of steamed broccoli). 

-       Chili (can be made vegan, vegetarian, or with ground turkey or chicken – also great for freezing portions and taking them out as needed).

-       Veggie noodles, konjac noodles, or spaghetti squash make for great alternatives to regular pasta.

-       Tacos (I like to use Beyond Beef instead of ground beef [though it is more $$] and use either lettuce wraps or whole wheat tortillas instead of taco shells).

-       Leftover ingredients from tacos make for great egg dishes! 

-       Marinated tofu or Portobello mushrooms are great alternatives for steak!

-       Eggplant is a tasty swap-out for breaded chicken cutlets in chicken parmesan dishes.

Remember, this is all just advice for ways to improve one’s diet and incorporate some healthier options into your daily meals. Again, keep “everything in moderation”, and I wish you all the best of luck and good health! 

Sources:
https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/tips-for-healthy-eating/adults/
https://www.heartandstroke.ca/healthy-living/healthy-eating/healthy-eating-basics
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/omega-3-6-9-overview#omega-6