Simple Ways to Improve Your Health
A 5 Part Series
Why did your parents try so hard to get you to eat your broccoli?
Broccoli and all other green vegetables are nutrient dense, they contain many vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function properly. Veggies contain fiber that support a healthy gut microbiome, they are rich in phytochemicals (this means antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties), that reduce the risk of disease like cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, etc. and they are so beneficial for your body.
Maybe it was because broccoli has the most absorbable form of calcium.
“for every 1/3 of a cup of leafy greens you eat each day, you reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes by 13%. Eating at least 5 servings of veggies can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by 38%.”
-Ballantyne
How many servings of veggies should you be eating in a day?
8 servings of veggies a day.
2 at breakfast and
3 at lunch and
3 at supper.
A serving is ½ a cup for most cooked veggies, 1 cup of raw veggies and 2 cups for leafy greens.
How do you add veggies to breakfast?
This was the hardest for me to change, I grew up with cereal every morning and it just seemed like the way breakfast should be. If we did change our breakfast it was to waffles and bacon with some fruit like peaches and blueberries, not too bad but where are the greens?. Vegetables were not common in my house for breakfast, it made sense to have a salad for lunch or roasted veggies on the side for supper but how do we change breakfast?
Here are a few ideas on adding greens to your breakfasts:
- Add sautéed spinach or kale to your eggs and sausage for breakfast.
- Serve cut up raw veggies like cucumber, broccoli, green peppers, snap peas or celery
- Have a smoothie adding in spinach or frozen zucchini
- Meal prep a frittata for the week and include spinach, kale, zucchini, broccoli, and the list goes on.
- For recipe inspiration check out this bacon and asparagus frittata from Balanced Bites https://balancedbites.com/content/bacon-brussels-asparagus-goat-cheese-frittata/
More ideas on adding greens to each meal:
Have a salad for lunch, and to make sure it doesn’t suck, check out this guide to the best big fckin salads by Beth at https://tasty-yummies.com/big-fckin-salad/
Grill some zucchini or romaine on the BBQ with your chicken for supper.
Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.
-Hippocrates
Simple Ways to Improve Your Health, a 5 part series:
#1 Drink Enough Water Every Day, click here to read
#3 Make Sleep a Priority, click here to read
#4 Reduce Stress, click here to read
#5 Increase Daily Movement, click here to read
Reference: S. Ballantyne. (2017). Paleo Principles.
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Personally, I like to call it a Hugh Jass salad 😂
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