Welcome to the Family Chiropractic & Massage blog! Here, we will discuss anything and everything that has to do with chiropractic care and wellness. We will share helpful information and hopefully answer any questions you have through our articles. We are a chiropractic clinic that began in 1997 and has since grown to locations in North Charleston, Summerville, and Moncks Corner, South Carolina. We are dedicated to providing tailored care and treatment with traditional and new techniques to help our patients reach their wellness goals. We treat a variety of conditions including neck pain, back pain, injuries, sciatica, scoliosis, and more. Besides chiropractic care, we also offer physiotherapeutic care, rehabilitative care, and massage therapy. Our licensed massage therapist offers all types of massage from deep tissue to compression massage and more. We are strong believers in natural healing! Check out our website to find out more information about the services and care we offer, and contact us today to schedule an appointment with our experienced doctors!
Our last post discussed headaches and how chiropractic care can help. Many people choose to take over-the-counter pain relievers to relieve their headaches, but this does not directly address the cause– Therefore, the headaches are likely to keep occurring. Chiropractic care can help relieve and prevent headaches by identifying the root cause of the headache. If you want to learn more about how chiropractic care can help relieve headaches, we encourage you to check out our last post!
Today, we’ll be discussing healthy eating and how to get into the habit of doing it. It’s easy to say that you are going to start eating better, but it can be difficult to actually get started– Especially if you don’t know where to start. Additionally, we all know that a healthy diet is good for us. But did you know that nutrition and chiropractic care go hand in hand? Nutrition can have a significant impact on your overall health and wellness. Chiropractic care promotes natural healing, and your body will have a hard time healing itself if it is not getting the proper nutrients. If you are interested in learning more about how to get started on healthy eating, you’re in the right place! Let’s get started.
Transitioning into healthy eating ultimately begins by breaking old habits. First and foremost, remember that this will be a process– It will not happen overnight. Making the change to a healthier diet is just like any other change in your life. When you’ve been eating a particular way for a prolonged period of time, it is difficult to switch things up. Because of this, it is important to have realistic expectations and a clear reason why you are changing your diet. Once you have identified why you want to transition to a healthier diet, you can start setting small and attainable goals for yourself. We’ve compiled a few tips and tricks that will make this transition easier!
Create Shopping Lists– And Use Them
We’ve all been there. You show up to the grocery store unprepared. Sure, you have a few items that you need in mind, but you find yourself wandering around, and soon enough you are picking up all kinds of snacks. This is called impulse buying, and it can severely impact your diet. To avoid this, we recommend that you never go to the grocery store without a shopping list. Write down all of the items you need beforehand, and try your best to stick to the list while you are there. Not only will you buy the healthier items that you actually need, but you’ll save money too!
A few additional tips for grocery shopping: Never go to the store hungry! You’re more likely to pick up extra snacks that are low in nutrients. Another good strategy is to try to stick to shopping around the edges, or the perimeter, of the grocery store. The edges of the grocery store are typically full of good foods that are rich in nutrients, like fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish, while the middle aisles tend to carry more junk food.
Replace Sugary Beverages
A good place to start with incorporating healthy foods is by replacing sugary beverages. It is no surprise that sugary beverages are one of the unhealthiest things you can drink– They are packed with added sugar, which can contribute to obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. This extra sugar can also lead to anxiety and premature aging. Sugary beverages often contain a lot of calories, but do not impact your appetite. This means you are likely to consume more calories than necessary, and those calories are non-beneficial. In fact, high sugar intake has been linked to an increased appetite. The more sugary beverages you consume, the more you will crave them and other sweet snacks.
A more beneficial beverage would be– of course– water! Studies have shown that drinking water can increase weight loss and promote weight maintenance. If you still need that carbonated feeling, try opting for flavored sparkling water. These often contain little or no added sugar, and some are even completely sugar-free.
Increase Protein
Protein is an incredibly important part of a healthy diet. Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are used by your body to build and repair muscles and bones as well as make hormones and enzymes. Protein reduces levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, while increasing GLP-1, peptide YY, and cholecystokinin, appetite-reducing hormones. It is also a great source of energy. Consuming enough protein can help you feel fuller for longer and curb cravings. The amount of protein needed is different for everyone and is determined by your weight. According to Harvard Health, you can take your weight in pounds and multiply it by 0.36 to find your recommended daily protein intake in grams. Getting enough protein can help support a healthy metabolism, which is the way our bodies convert food into energy.
With that being said, try incorporating proteins into every meal and/or snack. Here are some good sources of protein:
- Dairy products
- Peanut butter
- Nuts
- Beans
- Lean meat (beef, pork, chicken)
- Fish (salmon, tuna, trout)
You may also consider using protein powders. These can be added to shakes, smoothies, or yogurt to increase protein intake.
Cook At Home More Often
We know how tempting it is to eat out at a restaurant or order takeout or delivery. While this is okay to do occasionally, you’ll want to make a habit of eating at home in order to transition into healthy eating and stick to it. When you cook food by yourself at home, you know exactly what is in it. This means you don’t have to worry about unhealthy or hidden ingredients. If you want to be strict about portions, you can do so easily when cooking at home by pre-portioning ingredients. Studies have shown that people who frequently cook and eat at home are more likely to have better diets and consume fewer calories. And to top it off, you’ll save money by eating at home!
Opt For Whole Foods
Another great way to transition to healthy eating is to swap processed foods for whole foods. Processed foods often contain unhealthy levels of added sodium, sugar, and fat, including saturated fats and trans fats. They also often contain artificial ingredients. To put it simply, processed foods contain ingredients that you normally wouldn’t use in food preparation at home. These include sweetened breakfast cereals, frozen meals, instant soups, and packaged snacks like chips or cookies. In contrast, whole foods go through no or minimal processing. Whole foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, meat, fish, and eggs. They are typically higher in vitamins and minerals and are better for you overall.
These are just a few of the ways that you can transition to a healthier diet and lifestyle. This will promote and maintain your body’s overall wellness, which in turn helps your body’s ability to heal itself. A proper and healthy diet is essential for everyone, but if you are receiving chiropractic care, you definitely want to make sure you are eating well. We hope you found this article informative, and we encourage you to reach out to us if you have any further questions or concerns. It would be a pleasure to assist you. Here at Family Chiropractic & Massage, we have doctors who have studied a variety of chiropractic techniques to render care to patients with different types of conditions. As people vary, so do the techniques chosen to help each patient get well. We use evidence-based treatment methods to help patients get better faster. If you are suffering from any type of back pain, contact us today to set up an appointment so we can assess your needs and create an effective treatment plan. One of our experienced doctors would love to help get you on the track to living a healthy, pain-free life! Thank you for reading, and we hope you’ll check back for more articles about chiropractic care and all it has to offer!
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