How to Snack Smartly
June 30, 2008
Summer seems to have lots of opportunities to eat junk food and snack often. I’m always trying to figure out what is good to eat, so I asked my friend Olivia to share her secrets.
Here are Dr. Olivia’s tips for healthy eating:
1. Take a natural multi-vitamin daily.
2. Take an added mineral such as magnesium glycinate to support bones, muscles and nervous system development.
3. Take essential fatty acids such as EPA/DHA, also known as fish oil, to support nervous system development and mental health.
4. The best thing you can do is to avoid soda! Water, juice and tea are healthy alternatives. If these sound boring to you, try vitamin water or ruit water which come in a variety of flavors and brands.
5. Do your best to eat fresh fruit and veggies at least a couple fo times every day, and try to limit anything pre-made and pre-packaged.
6. Clif protein bars are a great alternative to candy bars and they can to help satisfy your sweet tooth. If you crave salty chips, try baked whole grain pita chips with hummus or baked blue corn chips with guacamole and salsa.
7. Snack on raw nuts such as almonds and walnuts. They’re an additional way to get good fat, fiber and essential nutrients.
You can find out more about healthy eating and Dr. Olivia at www.wellnessconnection-ofallon.com
I love snacking. I would eat all day if I wasn’t more careful. The trick is to surround yourself with healthy snacks. I want to enjoy what I eat, but I also want my body to benefit from what I’m snacking on. My eating habits have developed according to this stipulation. For example, why should I eat greasy potato chips I’ll feel guilty about later when I could eat apple slices with peanut butter?
Carrie, I love the point you made about incorporating “good fats” into your diet. Foods such as peanut butter and avocados contain essential fats that are good for your body. I think too many people try to cut out fat entirely when they diet instead of incorporating moderate amounts of the right kind of fat into meals and snacks.