Getting and staying healthy doesn’t have to be difficult, there are simple actions that you can easily add to your lifestyle. Today I will share with you some simple changes to help you on your health journey.

• Replace the lettuce on your sandwich with spinach
• Restaurants often garnish plates with parsley or kale, eat them
• Add some blueberries, or blackberries to your cereal, muffin or pancake mix, or a bowl of ice cream
• Instead of mayonnaise, butter, or cream cheese, use mashed avocado; I make avocado toast with my overripe avocados.
• Use olive oil or canola oil instead of animal oils or other vegetable oils
• Buy a good set of nonstick cookware, you will use less fat when cooking
• Use beans and peas n soups and casseroles and cut back on meat
• Trim excess fat from meat and buy the leaner cuts
• Top your baked potato with salsa or chili instead of butter and sour cream
• Sauté vegetables with wine or broth instead of butter or oil
• Add nutrition to mashed potatoes by adding mashed avocado or pumpkin (1/4 to 1/2 cup per two cups of potatoes)
• Use yogurt cheese instead of sour cream. Line a strainer with cheesecloth or paper coffee filter. Add plain yogurt and let it drain into a bowl, in the refrigerator. Throw away the liquid and your yogurt cheese is ready.
• Chill soups and stews, most of the fat will solidify on top. Skim it off and heat your soup and stew, then eat.
• Order pizza with lots of veggies and blot with a paper towel to absorb excess grease.
• Add shredded apple to a peanut butter or grilled cheese sandwich
• Get more vitamin C by choosing fruits and vegetables with the darkest colors
• When grilling add some vegetables to the grill try asparagus spears, or make a skewer with chunks of onion, green pepper, tomatoes, and mushrooms
• Grill a tropical kabob with chunks of pineapple, papaya, and ham
• Bake a banana, place a whole ripe banana on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 350F. Split the skin and sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon.
• Stuff bell peppers with cooked rice or pasta and tomato sauce. Cook in a muffin tin to help the peppers hold their shape.
• Mix chopped kiwi fruit, or papaya with tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro.
• Puree mangos and use as a sauce for grilled chicken, pork, or fish.
• Make a breakfast parfait. Layer low-fat yogurt, granola cereal, and fruit like peaches, or pineapple in a parfait glass.
• Don’t skip breakfast, grab an apple, bagel, or banana
• Look for 100% fruit juice. Other fruit drinks contain more sugar than nutrition.
• Read labels, fat-free foods can be high in calories.
• Serve meat or poultry with cranberry sauce, salsa, or chutney instead of gravy.
• For a cake treat try angel food with fresh fruit.
• Nuts are very nutritious but high in fat, add them to your diet but don’t overdo it.
• Add brown or wild rice to casseroles and soups for more fiber and nutrition.
• Grill fish in foil with lemon juice and herbs.
• Make a nutritious shake by blending low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt, ice cubes, and fruit.
• Sprinkle flaxseed on soups, salads, and hot, or cold cereal.
• When eating out ask for sauces and salad dressings on the side.
• To lower fat and retain nutrients broil, grill, steam or poach vegetables and meats, instead of frying them.
• For more lycopene choose sun-dried tomatoes over fresh. Those packed in oil are best at helping absorb lycopene, a cancer fighting nutrient.

Choose three or four of these tips to get started on your journey to health, over time add more. I will leave you with this weight loss tip. Drinking three to five cups of green tea at each meal helps boost your metabolism, which means you burn calories faster. Green tea helps you lose water weight.

Until next time,

Peace, Love, and Blessings ❤️