The Benefits of Exercise for Weight Loss and Overall Health

 Healthy Food List to Fuel your Body

Check out this power-packed healthy food list to consider when planning your meals and optimizing your health. You will see that these healthy food choices help to fight disease, promote weight loss, and provide loads of other great benefits!

I'm tired of people complaining (or making excuses) about healthy eating being expensive. Check out these simple tips for eating healthy on a budget.

Once you know the benefits, you will choose from this healthy food list.

APPLES

Nature packaged the apple beautifully into a portable and power-packed snack. A nutritious choice from the healthy food list. Take one to work or school with you today.

Eating apples assists with promoting bone density, helps with asthma symptoms, protects the brain from free radical damage leading to Alzheimer's disease, and lowers the risk of lung, colon, liver, and breast cancers. Two apples a day lower bad cholesterol (LDL) by as much as 16 percent.

There are two more great benefits: diabetes management and weight loss. It's true—an apple a day DOES keep the doctor away!

AVOCADOS

Taste great and help you look younger!! Rich in vitamin E (anti-aging properties), avocados can promote healthy skin.

Avocados are a great source of healthy fats and potassium, too. You could consider spreading avocado on a sandwich instead of mayo to add moisture and flavor. They are terrific in salads as well.

BERRIES

Berries top the healthy food list. They have been found to be incredibly healthy, and they are so delicious! Full of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, add berries to your regular food choices.

Blueberries contain pterostilbene, which helps protect against colon cancer; raspberries and blackberries fight cancer with ellagic acid. Strawberries are packed with vitamin C and help keep arteries clear. Throw some on your cereal, in your salads, in your yogurt, or simply grab a handful as a quick snack.

BROCCOLI

Eat it raw, include it as a side dish, or include it in a salad. Just start including it in your diet, as it earns top honors as a super healthy food.

The health benefits of broccoli are endless: it reduces the risk of cancer, reduces bad cholesterol, reduces the risk of heart disease, and more. A dark-green vegetable, broccoli is also a valuable source of calcium, vitamins A and C, antioxidants, and fiber.

Bonus: Broccoli is on the healthy food list because it is filling due to the fiber content, but it is low in calories, which will help you maintain a healthy weight.

FLAX SEED

Flax seed is a rich source of fiber, lignans (compounds with anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-cancer properties), and high levels of omega-3 essential fats.

It is easy to add flax to your diet. Grind it (in a coffee grinder) just prior to eating, and sprinkle it on cereal, in protein shakes, and on salads.

GARLIC

The healthy food list definitely includes garlic. It is known to be an excellent cancer fighter against breast, colon, prostate, stomach, and throat cancers, and garlic is a quick and easy addition to many dishes. It also promotes heart health due to its strong antioxidant properties.

During the cold and flu season, you may want to increase your intake of garlic, as it helps stimulate the immune system. It was recently discovered that garlic can fight superbugs that are resistant to antibiotics.

Oh, and it tastes so good!! Add it to your healthy food list next time you go shopping!

NUTS

Nuts get a bad wrap! Many say that they are too high in fat and should be avoided. Limit your portions and include nuts in your diet for huge health benefits. They are considered a superfood with heart-healthy fats, high fiber, and antioxidant benefits.

Try a handful of almonds, walnuts, pecans, or pistachios as a quick snack. I also like to put them on salads or on your morning cereal. The right amount of nuts can help you manage cholesterol levels and weight control (my favorite benefit).

OATMEAL

Oatmeal, an excellent source of soluble and insoluble fiber, has tremendous cancer-fighting properties, according to the American Cancer Society. Oatmeal also lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) without lowering good cholesterol (HDL). In addition, it assists in diabetes management, reduces the chance of developing heart disease, and is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals.

Here's my favorite benefit of oats: eating a bowl of oatmeal in the morning can jump-start your metabolism, which will definitely help you with weight maintenance. A healthy food list plus!!

Why not add some powerful blueberries or strawberries to your oatmeal to improve the taste and add health benefits?

OLIVE OIL

Used particularly in Mediterranean diets, olive oil contains antioxidants, vitamins, and nutrients to protect against illnesses.

Consuming olive oil daily can protect against heart disease by controlling bad cholesterol (LDL). It also aids in healthy digestion, helps with constipation, and has beneficial effects on ulcers and gastritis.

In addition, olive oil is one more food that contributes to your daily intake of healthy fats. It can also stimulate metabolism, contributing to weight loss. Why not add a little to your salads?

PUMPKINS SEEDS

Okay, men, start snacking on pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds, and especially pumpkin seed oil extracts, are linked to promoting a healthy prostate. They are high in zinc (which supports prostate health) and high in dietary fiber.

Pumpkin seeds have recently been found to have anti-inflammatory effects and assist with arthritis. Lastly, this zinc-rich food supports bone density in men and women, thereby helping to prevent osteoporosis.

QUINOA

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) has been called a "super grain." It has been cultivated by the Incas for thousands of years, but it is just beginning to gain popularity in western diets.

Quinoa is a complete protein that contains nine essential amino acids that promote muscle development. It is a seed that is high in calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and zinc. Quinoa may be effective in preventing and treating breast cancer, diabetes, atherosclerosis (the buildup of plaque in blood vessels), and acting as a probiotic that aids in digestion and absorption of nutrients.

SALMON

The endless list of health benefits of eating salmon may eventually lead me to create a dedicated website on this powerful and delicious fish. It is low in calories, high in protein, and packed with heart health and weight management properties. This is definitely one of the superfoods.

Choose salmon (especially wild salmon) from the list of healthy foods as it provides high levels of essential fatty acids called omega-3 fatty acids, only obtained through food consumption. A diet rich in omega 3's reduces the risk of colorectal and prostate cancers.

The cardiovascular benefits are incredible! Consuming salmon improves blood flow, controls blood pressure, protects against stroke and heart attack, and improves ratios of good to bad cholesterol.

Other benefits include eye health, improved mood, and brain health. Yes, eating salmon can reduce your risk of dementia and cognitive decline. In addition, consuming omega-3-rich fish can assist some children with hyperactivity, behavioral, and sleep issues.

The Omega 3's in salmon help the body respond to insulin, thereby helping to control diabetes. My favorite reason to eat salmon is to increase my metabolism and control my body weight.

SPINACH

Remember Popeye? He knew the incredible benefits of this bright green, leafy vegetable, and I want to share them with you. Spinach promotes heart health and mental performance, builds strong, healthy bones due to vitamin K, protects eyesight, and has anti-inflammatory nutrients. Spinach also protects against colon cancer by fighting the damaging effects of free radicals.

Spinach is nutrient-dense (iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, folate, and riboflavin), versatile, and delicious! You can easily make a spinach salad, and adding olive oil will only increase the nutritional benefits. Also, cook it in casseroles, omelets, soups, and more.

SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Taste, crunch, and nutrition. These words sum up the benefits of eating sunflower seeds as a quick snack or to add texture to meals. They are an excellent source of dietary fiber, which assists with digestion and reduces cancer risk.

Sunflower seeds are rich in vitamin E, lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes, and, incredibly, these little seeds can have a calming and relaxing effect as they contain tryptophan, which increases the brain's production of serotonin. Wow...who knew??

TOMATOES

This powerful vegetable or fruit (which has been a topic of conversation for a long time) has many health benefits, including cutting your risk of heart attack and cancer. They contain lycopene, which neutralizes free radicals and cuts the risk of many cancers. A tomato is packed with antioxidants, vitamins A, C, and K, as well as iron and potassium. Eating tomatoes can aid in digestion, diabetes, obesity, and much more.