Food Staples For A Healthy Home
We've all seen the run on toilet paper and the problems after a storm that might make you want to stock up on healthy food staples. Stocking up is good when prices are rising, especially if you find some that are bargain priced. Start with canned goods. Not all canned goods are unhealthy. Even green beans with added salt can be rinsed to make them healthier. Canned tomatoes, corn, carrots, spinach and peas should also be on your shelf. Canned fruit packed in its own juice should be a top option.
Protein sources are important.
Canned mackerel, salmon and tuna are also great options to have on hand in a pinch. Even sodium free water-packed sardines can are good options. While canned beans and chickpeas without additives are healthy options, you're better off purchasing the dried beans, lentils and chickpeas. They're cheaper and long-lasting. You can also buy them in bulk and put in mason jars for display. Nut butters, like almond and peanut butter are great options. Go for the organic ones that only contain one ingredient, the nut.
Have grains ready to use.
Whether you choose stone ground oatmeal, rice, quinoa or whole grain pasta, having stocks of these grains can add bulk and nutrition to any meal. Quinoa is also a good source of protein that can be used in salads. Opt for brown rice or wild rice for the healthiest options. If you want a quick treat that everyone will love, toast oats and mix most with peanut butter and a small amount of honey, keeping some set aside. Make balls the size of golf balls. Roll the balls in the oats not used and let sit for an hour. It's quick, healthy and can be made from items you stockpile ahead.
Don't forget some of the condiments and extras.
Apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, coconut and olive oil are important ingredients to have available that can be used in many recipes. Stocking up on white distilled vinegar is also important. You can use it as a cleaning product, since it disinfects. Spray it on the tub or in the toilet to cut the calcium and soap build-up. Even healthy dressings have a decent shelf life.
- If you want a healthy option for a cheesy flavor, buy nutritional yeast and keep on hand. Stock up on popcorn as a good snack and use the yeast to add extra flavor.
- Some premade soups are extremely nutritious and can be a quick meal. Just include some whole grain biscuits or bread and a salad on the side.
- While nuts and trail mixes are good options for emergencies, nuts don't store well and succumb to oxygen, heat and light. If you do buy extra for use, store in smaller vacuum-packed containers in the freezer to maintain freshness.
- Dried fruit, such as raisins, have a varied shelf life and last longer in the freezer. On the shelf they can last anywhere from three months to over a year. If you want fresh fruit, apples are a good choice with a three-month shelf life.
For more information, contact us today at Habitat Health & Fitness
There are many reasons people love being part of the family at Habitat Health and Fitness in Lakeland, FL. Getting responsible answers in almost any area of fitness, either directly or in a blog is one. I've been getting quite a few questions about the difference between coconut water and coconut milk, and if coconut milk is good for you. Coconut water is found naturally inside young coconuts that eventually hardens to form the meat of the coconut. Coconut milk is more like a tea. It starts with the flesh of mature coconuts that's grated, mixed with water and simmered until a desired consistency, then strained to remove any solids that remain.
IBS--- irritable bowel syndrome---causes abdominal pain and changes in your bowel movements that include constipation, diarrhea or both. It all depends on the type of IBS you have. Other symptoms include the feeling you haven't finished in the bathroom, even though you just went, bloating and white mucus in your bowel movements. It can cause considerable discomfort, but normally doesn't cause digestive tract damage. Unfortunately, IBS can last years.
At Habitat Health and Fitness in Lakeland, FL, identifying the causes of preventable health issues and making lifestyle changes to avoid future damage, can boost health and vigor. One common problem faced by many people is consistent high blood pressure---hypertension. About 45% of all people have or will develop it. It's a silent killer, because left unaddressed, it can lead to stroke, kidney damage, hardening of the arteries, dementia and early cognitive decline. In the early stages, most people don't realize they have a problem because there often aren't any symptoms.
Exercise is king at Habitat Health and Fitness in Lakeland, FL. However, when you eat healthier and consume foods that give you more energy, not only will your workout be better, so will all aspects of your life. Foods that give you energy aren't sugary treats that spike your blood sugar momentarily and then plunge you into the pit of exhaustion. They're high quality foods that keep your energy level at its best throughout the day.
Your calorie intake and energy expelled determines whether you gain weight, lose weight or remain the same. If you eat too many calories, your body stores the excess as body fat. If you eat too few, your body breaks down body fat or muscle to supplement your needs. Eating the right amount to balance calories burned with calories consumed is the ideal, unless you're trying to lose weight or gain it. Most people want to know how many calories to eat a day to lose weight, but there's no simple answer. It's all based on your body and needs.
At Habitat Health and Fitness in Lakeland, Florida, FL, we focus on fitness through exercise, but that doesn't mean we discount other lifestyle changes that can make you healthier. Eating healthy should be a top priority. Some people question whether protein supplements should be used on that quest toward a healthier body. As with most things related to fitness, it all depends on you and your needs. Protein supplements can be quite beneficial for some and unnecessary or even dangerous for others. Older people who may have a difficult time of eating and don't process protein as efficiently, may benefit from a supplement.
If you run miles a day and do tons of cardio workouts to burn belly fat, but find you're not getting the results you want, there's a reason. Steady state cardio isn't necessarily the best route to take. Belly fat---visceral fat---is the hardest type of fat to lose. There's no special exercise to take it off your belly either, since spot exercises simply don't work that way. To lose belly fat, you have to lose fat all over your body. While cardio does burn calories, there are downsides to cardio that can sabotage your efforts.
There's a reason that food labels provide nutritional information. It's to help you understand what you're eating and the nutrients or additives that food contains. You can watch people in any grocery aisle in Lakeland, FL, and at least one or two are reading labels. A lot of the time they end up tilting their heads quizzically or trying to hold their glasses differently to read the small print. It's supposed to make eating healthier easier, but, does it? The answer is yes. Once you understand what the label is telling you, healthy eating is easier.
For years, eating breakfast has been praised as important for your health. While that might have been extremely important when most Americans made their living farming and the work was grueling physically, is it that important now? The first meal of the day does help improve cognitive performance, focus and task performance in children, so for children it's extremely important. Once the child reaches adulthood, then whether breakfast is beneficial or not is up for grabs and often a matter of personal preference.