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ROSS/GETTYIMAGESHealthy Eating for Life
30 GUIDE TO WELLNESS CR.ORG
hate in place of something
unhealthy you love.
“Seek out yummy healthyfoods—such as strawberries—
and you might find that after
enjoying a big bowl of fresh
berries you no longer want
that chocolate cake,” says
Meredith David, Ph.D., lead
author of the study.
Enjoy More of
the Right Kind of Fish
Oily fish such as salmon,
sardines, and mackerel have
the most omega-3 fatty acids,
a type of polyunsaturated
fat, so keep them high on
your rotation, along with
shellfish, which have moder-
ate amounts. “There’s very
solid science showing that
omega-3s can help reduce
inflammatory factors as-
sociated with a variety of
chronic diseases, including
heart disease,” says Marian
Neuhouser, Ph.D., R.D., of
the Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Research Center in Seattle.
Skip Sugary Drinks
We all know that soda isn’t
a healthy beverage choice.
A recent study suggests that
exchanging one serving
per day for a glass of water
could help reduce overall
calorie intake and the subse-
quent risk of obesity, lower-
ing your risk of developing
type 2 diabetes by 14 to 25
percent. Consider your fruit
juice intake, too. Even 100
percent fruit juices can con-
tribute a lot of calories and
sugars to your diet.Prioritize Those Veggies
If you’re not eating enough
vegetables, it could be because
you put them in a contest
they can’t win. “Research has
shown that when vegetables
are competing with other—
possibly more appealing—
items on your plate, you eat
less of them,” explains Traci
Mann, Ph.D., an assistant
professor of psychology atthe University of Minnesota
and author of “Secrets From
the Eating Lab” (Harper-
Collins, 2015). “But when
you get the vegetables alone,
you eat more of them.”
Mann has studied this
strategy with college stu-
dents and preschoolers, but
says it would work for any-
one. “Make a salad and sit
down to eat it before you put
any other food on the table,”
she suggests. “You’ll not only
eat more vegetables, you’ll
also fill up a bit so that you
eat less later in the meal.”Focus on Whole Grains
Switching from products
made with refined white
flour to those made with
whole-grain flours is a good
start. But eating whole
grains in their natural form,
such as brown rice, buck-
wheat, farro, millet, oats,
and wheat berries, offers
more nutrients and fiber.Opt For Healthy Fats
Research shows that certain
types of fats are beneficial,
even for heart health.
“If you get your fats from
good sources like olive oil,
avocados, nuts, seeds, and
seafood, that’s not going to
be a problem,” says Frank Hu,
M.D., Ph.D., a professor of
nutrition and epidemiology
at the Harvard T.H. Chan
School of Public Health.
“Those foods contain poly-
unsaturated and monoun-
saturated fats, which are
the advantageous types in
terms of heart disease and
diabetes risk.” But you should
still limit saturated fat.Strategize Snacking
To get all the nutrients your
body needs, snack on a va-
riety of foods—and go for a
combination of protein (such
as cheese) and carbohy-
drates (such as whole-grain
crackers) at every snack.
“Your body burns carbohy-
drates more quickly,” says
Lauri Wright, Ph.D., chair of
the department of nutrition
and dietetics at the Univer-
sity of North Florida in Jack-
sonville. “Protein provides
a slower, more sustained
energy release to help you
feel full longer.” And don’t
shy away from fat! Including
a food rich in healthy
fats—such as avocado, hum-
mus, nuts and seeds, and
olive oil—in your snacks will
boost satiety; plus, fat is
crucial for the absorption of
vitamins A, D, E, and K.