Properly fueling your body with the most beneficial foods helps with more than just weight loss. It is important for long term health to give your body the nutrition it needs. Here are 18 reasons to treat your body right with healthy foods.
It Keeps You Happy
Processed foods can mess up the brain’s chemical levels, leading to anxiety and depression. Health-promoting foods, however, that contain amino acids, vitamin D, and omega 3s, can help fight depression and boost your mood.
It Keeps You Smart
While fried and processed foods reduce cognitive abilities, high intakes of omega 3s from healthy foods lead to a larger, better functioning brain.
It Sets Personal Records
Each dietary decision made throughout the day fuels the body and impacts exercise performance. Getting consistent hydration, vitamins, and minerals keeps your body ready to work at its full potential.
Sleep Better
Studies have shown that eating right, including a diet full of antioxidants and water, helps increase quality sleep.
Increase Breast Health
Healthy foods help prevent breast cancer. Mushrooms, for example, help keep estrogen levels regular, preventing breast cancer. They also inhibit cancer cell growth and tumor growth.
Beat Stress
Foods impact neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, as well as cortisol and adrenaline. Studies have shown that people who ate dark chocolate rich in flavonoids prior to a stressful interview released lower levels of adrenaline.
Fight Inflammation
Inflammation is linked to stress, brain fog, and diseases like heart disease and cancer. Studies have shown that people who choose whole foods cut their levels of C-reactive protein, which is a key indicator of inflammation, by 38%.
Boost Immunity
Research shows that maintaining healthy gut bacteria can boost the immune system and reduce the likelihood of infections. Healthy drinks such as green tea can also help fight off the flu.
Heart Health
Women are more likely to die from heart disease than any other disease. However, eating right can reduce this risk. One study found that people who eat a handful of nuts (careful for those with nut allergies) each day were 29% less likely to die from heart disease.
Keep Up Your Strength
Eating nutrient-rich foods keep your muscles strong. Studies suggest that most woman consume between 25 and 35 grams of protein at every meal.
Keep Your Future Children Healthy
Studies show that what you eat throughout your life, including your childhood, affects your fertility and the health of your future children. Choose fresh food over fried food.
Prevent Osteoporosis
A strong diet leads to strong bones. Aside from dairy (for those who can tolerate dairy), eat fish, fruits, and vegetables.
Live a Long Life
All of these health benefits from proper nutrition add up to a longer life. Studies have found that people who eat over six daily servings of fruit and vegetables are 42% less likely to die on any given day compared to those who eat very little produce.
Be Productive
Research shows that people who eat are about 66% more productive than those who rely on junk food.
Stay Regular
To keep a healthy digestive system, you must feed your gut bacteria lots of produce and foods that are rich in probiotics. Also, avoid greasy and fried foods.
Keep Eyes Healthy
Healthy food helps prevent cataracts and macular degeneration. This may be because healthy foods fight free-radical damage that eyes are prone to. Foods that are high in antioxidants are best for this, including produce, red wine (yep), herbs and spices, and green tea.
Keep Skin Healthy
The skin is the largest organ in the body, and research shows that people who consume adequate levels of vitamins cut their chances of getting skin cancer by 23%.
Boost Energy
Vitamins are famous for keeping energy levels high. Making sure you eat healthy fat and protein with each batch of complex carbohydrates keeps your blood sugar stable and your energy levels from falling, according to recent research.
