Healthy habits for the family

Think about a rainbow of color.

To eat a well balanced meal the rule is to have a colorful plate in front of you. Too many foods that are the same in color usually means your meal is not so balanced.

A meal that may have fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn and bread would not necessarily be the best choice for a well balanced meal. The foods are too similar and offer no variety in color.

A better choice would be grilled or baked chicken, red mashed potatoes, a garden salad, fresh corn with onions and maybe a whole wheat roll on the side. A little more color, a few more nutrients than our first meal.

Over the week we will talk about those colorful choices and the benefits of them.

BLUE

The bluer the better. Blueberries are a good choice to top frozen yogurt, cereals or just to eat by themselves. Studies show that blueberries pack more antioxidants than any other food. Blueberries are full of anti-inflammatory and cancer fighting chemicals. they keep your body healthier and your mind sharper.

Saying that blueberries are anti-inflammatory is strange. Sounds like eating a blueberry is like taking medicine. Well, in a way that is exactly what you would be doing. Food is medicine, the right kinds that is.

"Inflammation is a chemical reaction that can take place in the body and the process is kinda like a rusting of the body. It can happen on many different levels and through several different mechanisms, many having to do with food." Dr. Mehmet Oz

Eating unhealthy food is kinda like having a really bad infection that triggers an immune response, which then causes inflammation. The more inflammation we have in our body the more toxins enter into our bloodstream and the more unhealthier we are and feel.

Inflammation can lead to diseases like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and so on.
A diet high in fruits and vegetables helps decrease the chance of an inflammation response from your body helping you to be healthier and whole.

So remember good food is good medicine and it is a lot less cheaper than the kind you get from your local pharmacy.