Healthy Eating Without the Hype

Posted by Rick Murphy Conscious Living Friday, August 31st, 2012

These days, more people than ever are becoming concerned about their health and well-being. However, most people don’t seem to know exactly how to go about it. Some people make it a point to buy into the newest health supplement craze. Others are convinced that dropping entire food groups from their diet is the secret to perfect health. Still more people snack helplessly on junk food all day long, feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of conflicting health information they hear.

All of the hype that is being spread about the ways to lose weight or stay healthy does the public a great injustice. Most of this information conflicts with other popular medical beliefs. Some ideas don’t even make any sense, but are somehow still adopted by millions of people, often with negative repercussions.

Here are some tips on staying healthy in a way that both people and medical science often ignore.

Moderation

One of the biggest keys to health is moderation. Too much of anything can be harmful to your health, such as over-eating, over-imbibing, eating too many unhealthy foods and even exercising too much. Overdoing things strains your body and can have dire effects on weight, immunity, cortisol levels and muscle mass.

Avoid Refined Carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates, which include things like sugar, corn syrup, agave syrup and white flour, are some of the biggest destroyers of health. These substances enter the bloodstream very quickly after consumption, resulting in large secretions of insulin to bring blood glucose back to a normal level. Such a rapid increase in blood sugar means that the subsequent insulin release is excessive. This causes blood glucose to fall suddenly, resulting in a condition known as hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose. Symptoms of hypoglycemia vary but may include dizziness, fatigue, feelings of aggression, anxiety and depression.

The most obvious and omnipresent symptom is a craving for sugary foods, a problem that often results in a vicious cycle. Over time, obesity and diabetes may develop. Heart disease is a common consequence of these health problems, making it a good idea to keep an AED Brands defibrillator on hand.

Eat Real Food

After a long day at work, many people loathe the idea of cooking, opting instead to pull a microwavable meal out of the freezer. These foods, while fast, easy and convenient, do little to support your health. Besides being expensive and unsatisfying, they’re also devoid of nutrients and very high in empty calories. If you read the ingredients list, you can plainly see that most of them are fillers or additives that aren’t necessary.

Rather than subsisting on these so-called ‘foods’, it’s better to stick to the real deal. Fresh produce, meats, eggs, dairy and whole grains can be used to create an array of tasty and balanced meals. Best of all, you supply your body with all of the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.

While diets aren’t one-size-fits all, everyone is capable of eating in such a way that promotes optimal health. It doesn’t require pricey or highly specialized foods, ridiculous fads or programs approved by some celebrity. While it can be hard to resist the urge to try out the same things that your friends and family are trying, you’ll come out on top in the end.