Live Well: 6 Easy Tips for Better Nutrition

Would you like to have more energy, be more productive, and feel happier? Giving your nutrition a boost could help you accomplish all three.

Better nutrition doesn’t necessarily mean completely overhauling your diet. Instead, try these simple steps for incorporating healthy choices into your current routine.

1. Make smart swaps. Substitute whole-grain rice for white rice and fruit for sugary treats.

2. Drink more water. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends women drink 2.7 liters of water per day and men drink 3.7 liters of water per day. Getting enough water is great for your energy level, skin, joints, and more. Note: Living or working in hot, humid environments, and extended periods of strenuous exercise may increase daily needs.

3. Track what you eat. Looking back at what you have eaten over a day or a week may help you make healthier choices in the future.

4. Cook at home more often. Zipping through the fast food drive-through is easy. But fast food is often high in fat, sodium, and preservatives—and low in nutrition. Cooking (or even just “assembling”) meals at home gives you more control and may also save you money.

5. Keep healthy snacks on hand. Think of healthy snacks you will actually eat, and keep those at home, in your car, and at work. (Nuts, apples, and bananas are great snack options that don’t need refrigeration.)

6. Change it up. A big key to a healthy diet is eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. One way to think of it is in terms of color—try to eat healthy foods in a variety of colors each day.

Take small steps to work more fruits, vegetables, and healthy proteins into your diet. Before long, healthier eating will be a habit, and you will feel better for it.