healthy eating Archives - Page 2 of 2

Insurance Company Offer Discounts to Vegans

Veganism has become a mainstream lifestyle and has been becoming more popular within the last couple of years. There are many health benefits to becoming vegan and now there are financial benefits. An Israel-based health insurance company, Clal Insurance, offers discounts to people who are vegans. The trend has caught on in America with an insurance company offering discounts for life insurance to vegans.

You have to sign a declaration stating you are vegan to receive savings. — *The insurance company requres you to sign a declaration of health to qualify for vegan savings.*

The Israeli insurance company began a Vegan Pay Less, VPL, initiative for life and health insurance plans for vegans. The discount will be available to member sof vegan associations who provide a signed declaration of health to qualify. The company is hoping that more people will choose to make the diet change to become healthier which will reduce health issues and costs.

Benefits of Vegan Diet

Plant based diets have become popular due to how well it ranks in healthiest diets in the world.. Studies have shown that a vegan diet has been shown to aid in the prevention and treatment of major diseases. These studies from the Public Health Nutrition Journal have shown what the benefits vegans receive. Their hypertension reduced by 63%, type 2 diabetes reduced by almost 50%, cardiovascular issues reduced by 20%, and a 15% lower chance from all types of cancer.

A lot of fruits and vegetables can help your body from high risks of cancer, alzheimer’s, and diabetes because of the antioxidants and phytochemicals provided. The National Cancer Institute believes that antioxidants can prevent certain forms of cancer because these antioxidants prevent cell damage.

A person is less likely to become obese or have a high BMI if they are on a vegan diet. A meatless diet will help you to have less body fat. This in turn will keep you from having high blood pressure and cholesterol issues.

A meatless diet has many benefits for your health. — *A meatless diet has many benefits from maintaing your BMI, to lowering your chances of cancers and high blood pressure.*

People who eat fish are exposed to mercury in their diet and high levels of it can damage your kidneys and lungs. A large intake can impact your cognitive skills because it is damaging to the nervous system.

An insurance company in America has joined the bandwagon of giving discounts to Americans who practice a healthier lifestyle by going vegan. Health IQ made the shift in order to help people save money. They base premiums on a person’s lifestyle rather than family history. The likelihood that other insurance companies will join the vegan discounted rates are high because vegans are healthier than non vegans.

Insurers want healthier customers so they do not have to pay a lot to insure them, in other words, the healthier a customer then the more the insurance company saves. Insurance companies do not want to take on sick customers. This will not only benefit the insurance companies, but also the customers. Bottom line is the more greens you eat, the more green you save in your pockets.

Benefits of Cooking With Kids

When you invite children to cook with you in the kitchen, you teach them lifelong lessons and the ability to make healthier decisions. Kids cooking with their parents/guardians or grandparents has many benefits. Children learn life skills that help build their confidence and a stronger relationship with their parents. It also helps a child develop cognitive and motor skills that prepares them for success academically, and socially.

Making healthier choices

Bringing kids into the kitchen to help you cook teaches them about different kinds of food and their ingredients Giving kids an idea of what ingredients are in their food gives them a better understanding of what is healthy and

Children are more likely to make healtheir eating choices and try new things when they help cook. — *Children are more likely to make healtheir eating choices when they cook with you. They learn to try new things.*

what is not. This also gives you and your kids the opportunity to experiment and try to find healthier alternatives to your favorite snacks. For example, when making ice cream with bananas instead of purchasing it in the store, you cut down on sugar and artificial flavors that are in store-bought ice cream.

Going over ingredients when looking at packaging helps kids understand what to look for and what to avoid. For younger kids being in the kitchen is a great opportunity for them to develop their sense of smell, touch, and taste by experimenting with different foods.A child’s ability to make healthier choices in their adult life starts with their parents and what they are fed at home. Cooking with kids and introducing them to healthy options will help them be comfortable picking vegetables or salads, and trying new things, over always having greasy fried foods. Studies show over time as the kids grow up, they will choose healthier options when they learn to cook with their parents while growing up.

Building Confidence

When cooking, kids have to pay attention to details of a recipe and remain focused to get to the end product. Kids will build confidence and gain independence from learning to prep and cook a meal. After a few rounds of cooking with an adult kids may even have the confidence to want to try and cook something on their own. It is always easy to start with something like a sandwich or a simple snack recipe when they insist they want to do it on their own. Kids get a sense of accomplishment and pride when they complete a recipe and see their completed fully cooked meal.

This is also a good time to teach children about kitchen safety, things such as not touching the stove top, how to use the microwave, and how to safely check hot food. They learn teamwork and how working together to reach an end goal is better than doing it alone. Remember to continuously compliment your child’s efforts, even when they get frustrated. This will help your child keep calm and boost their confidence so they do not want to quit and give up on cooking. Praising your child in the kitchen also helps build a bond between the adult and child and lets them know that you believe in them.

A kid's reading skills improve from from being in the kitchen. They learn different measurements, and to follow steps. — *A kid’s reading skills improve from from being in the kitchen. They learn different measurements needed, and to follow steps.*

Math & Reading Skills Improve

Cooking helps a child understand measurements in a real world setting. Kids who learn things like numbers and measurements in a setting like a kitchen as opposed to just on paper are more likely to pick them up easier and remember them. You can help younger kids learn their numbers by having them count out each ingredient as you gather them and add them to the recipe. Older children on the other hand can work on more advanced skills like reading and fractions in the recipe.

Next time you cook a meal, bring your children in the kitchen to help you so they can begin learning these valuable life skills. Both you and your children will benefit from cooking together. You get to have a partner while cooking who will make the experience more fun, while your children learn to be more confident, enhance their cognitive skills, and use the knowledge to make healthier decisions as the grow into adults.

Healthy Eating Tips

In order to stick to a healthy diet, it is important to consume the right amount of calories for how active you are throughout the day. You must have a balanced diet so that your body receives all the nutrients necessary with the energy you use. It is recommended that men eat around 2,500 calories a day, while women should have 2,000 a day. Here are a few eating tips to focus on every day.

Eating breakfast is important to kickstart your metabolism for the day. — *Eating breakfast is important to kickstart your metabolism for the day, it also gives your brain fuel.*

Do Not Skip Breakfast

It is always said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and that’s because it is. Eating breakfast is what kick starts your metabolism for the day and helps you to lose and/or maintain weight. Research has actually shown that people who eat breakfast regularly are less likely to be overweight.

Eggs with whole grain toast or a low-sugar cereal with fruit is a nutritious healthy way to start the day.

Eat Less Salt

Too much salt can raise your blood pressure which makes your heart pump more than normal. This can lead to heart disease or a stroke. Reading food labels is a good way to cut down on your salt intake. Foods that we eat already such as bread and sauces contain salt in it.

More than 1.5 grams of salt over 100 grams means that the food is high in salt. You should try to limit your salt intake to no more than 6 grams a day.

Drink Plenty of Fluids

*Make sure to keep yourself hydrated so your body can replenish your cells.*

Getting enough liquids in a day is important to stay hydrated and help flush out your system of toxins. It is recommended that a person drink 8 glasses of water a day in addition to the fluid we get from the food we eat.

Avoid sugary soft and fizzy drinks, and unsweetened fruit juice and smoothies because they are high not only in sugar but in calories as well. Stick to a cup of teas, fruit juices, smoothies or vegetable juices. However, water is the most essential for your health.

Eat More Fish

Fish offers a lot of protein, vitamins, and minerals, which is why it is good for your body and health. They contain a lot of omega-3 fats, which is essential for heart health, preventing heart disease. You should try to eat at least 2 portions of fish a week, one oily fish and one non-oily.

Some oily fish include salmon, mackerel, trout, herring, fresh tuna, sardines, and pilchards.

Non-oily fish include haddock, plaice, coley, cod, canned tuna*, skate, and hake.

*Canned fish contain a lot of salt, so be sure to keep an eye on salt intake to a minimum.

Eat Plenty of Fruits & Vegetables

Doctors recommend that we eat at the minimum five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. A lot of people do not accomplish this because it may seem to be too much. You can easily eat a banana or blueberries in the morning with your breakfast. And as far as the rest of the day, unsweetened fruit or vegetable juice/smoothie counts as another serving, and at lunch and dinner try to have a cup of vegetables, raw or cooked.

Watch Starchy Carbohydrates

Starchy carbohydrates such as potatoes, rice, bread, and pasta should make up over a third of the food you eat. A lot of people are scared to eat carbs and cut them out of their diet completely to lose weight, but these carbs are important. They can help you feel fuller for longer, just be sure to try to choose whole grain for a healthier option.

You should aim for at least one starchy carbohydrate each meal, but make sure to keep an eye on what you put on these starches, Calories add up quick when you add butter to bread or creamy sauces on pasta.

Achieving these helpful eating tips and turning them into habits will help you live a healthier life. Over time of choosing wisely what you eat, it will become a habit to make healthier lifestyle options, which in turn is best for heart health, body, and weight.