Holistic Health Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Several Holistic Diet Tips That’ll Help You Look Better

Lately, you’ve been interested in holistic health concepts but aren’t sure where to begin and how to get the most benefits. You’re likely not alone, here, as a holistic diet can be a real challenge for many people. The following tips will help improve your diet and provide you with the holistic care you need to be happy and healthy for years to come. 

Don’t Go Too Long Without Food 

Some people like to starve their body to lose weight or maintain nutrient control. For example, the concept of the intermittent fast builds on the idea of fasting for 12-16 hours and eating during a limited time frame. The idea is that your body will jump into a ketogenic state during your fast and burn calories. While this fact is true, it isn’t a healthy way to live and may mess up your holistic health. 

For example, you’ll suffer from dips in your blood sugar that can make your life more challenging. Imagine having to adjust to life with a constantly low level of energy. This situation is common for those on an intermittent diet and is rarely a good idea. You should, honestly, only ever do an intermittent fast if a doctor suggests it and medically controls your food intake. 

Instead, you should try to eat at least once every 3-4 hours to keep your blood sugar stable, minimize your cravings, and keep your metabolism burning. You don’t have to eat a huge meal every time but can, instead, eat a small snack. If you wake up at six in the morning and go to bed at 10 at night, this schedule consists of five eating times, three of which can be meals and two snacks. 

Eat a Lot of Raw Foods When You Can 

Too often, we eat cooked, pre-prepared, or manufactured meals. This step is understandable in today’s modern society: who has the time to eat raw food any more? However, you need to try to schedule at least one meal of raw foods into your diet every day. Fresh foods can help to provide you with a rich abundance of vitamins and minerals that boost your holistic health in many ways. 

For example, a large salad with seeds, sprouts, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, peppers, onions, and more – all raw – will provide you with a massive burst of vitamins and minerals. Fresh foods of this type are preferable here because they’ll hold a majority of their nutrients. If you do have to cook vegetables, avoid boiling and instead stick to steaming to keep the majority of your vitamins and minerals. 

Just as importantly, you need to eat a heavy dose of raw fruits every day to increase your holistic health. Fresh grains are harder to come by and typically come in long-cook oatmeal dishes or some types of granola. You don’t have to eat oats without flavoring, though, as a small dose of raw brown sugar can help to improve the taste of your food and provide you with a blood-sugar-balancing capability. 

Get Your Caffeine From Dark Chocolate 

If you’re like the average hard-working adult, you probably drink a cup of coffee the moment you wake up. The caffeine in coffee will perk you up and increase your focus but can be a problem if you drink too much of it. Some holistic specialists argue that people shouldn’t drink any caffeine at all, with the rare exception of a little green tea from time to time flavored only with Stevia.

Caffeine is a problem for most people because it will trigger cravings, increase your appetite, and may even slow your metabolism in many ways. This problem worsens if you use a lot of sugar with your coffee. Simply put, sugar will offset the benefit you get from the caffeine and may cause blood sugar variations that can be problematic and make your holistic health more challenging to handle. 

If for any reason you find yourself craving caffeine – or if you need a little to get through a tough day – eat a bit of dark organic chocolate. This type of caffeine is the healthiest and provides you with other benefits, such as access to various kinds of antibiotic nutrients. The cocoa amount on your chocolate should range from 55 to 70 percent: the higher, the better. It may taste a bit bitter but will provide benefits. 

Sea Vegetables Shouldn’t Be Ignored 

If you’re a huge sushi fan or love a lot of Japanese dishes, you probably already eat a rich array of sea vegetables. However, some people either don’t like these foods or never eat them. This health mistake is understandable because many people may find the idea of eating seaweed stomach turning. However, seaweed – and other types of sea vegetables – are very healthy and improve your appearance. 

For example, seafood such as kelp, nori, and wakame are abundant in a variety of minerals that help enhance the appearance of your hair, skin, and nails. As a result, you can boost your looks and get a heavy dose of other essential minerals at the same time. For example, iodine – which is highly concentrated in these vegetables – will help boost your metabolism and thyroid. 

Try to integrate these foods into your diet whenever possible, focusing heavily on a diversity of different options. And make sure that you eat them raw, whenever possible, and steam them if you cannot eat them raw. Flavor everything with a little bit of natural vegetables or other healthy foods to get the best taste results. And, just as importantly, don’t be afraid to experiment with your recipes. 

Going Holistic 

As you can see, holistic health requires a concentrated and careful approach that may be a challenge for many to handle. You may need to reach out to a holistic specialist to learn more about these types of tips. A dietitian is particularly essential, here, as they can gauge the value of your holistic diet and tweak it for you in such a way that you enhance – rather than detract – from your overall health.