Healthy Lifestyle, Ways, and Some of the Most Healthy Cooking Methods

Healthy Lifestyle

You hear a lot about living a healthy lifestyle, but what does that mean? In general, a healthy person doesn't smoke, is at a healthy weight, eats healthy and exercises. Sounds simple, doesn't it?

The trick to healthy living is making small changes. Taking more steps, adding fruit to your cereal, having an extra glass of water. These are just a few ways you can start living healthy without drastic changes.

Exercise

One of the biggest problems in America today is lack of activity. We know it's good for us but avoid it like the plague either because we're used to being sedentary or afraid that exercise has to be vigorous to be worth our time. The truth is, movement is movement and the more you do, the healthier you'll be. Even moderate activities like chores, gardening and walking can make a difference.

Just adding a little movement to your life can:

   -  Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes
   -  Improve joint stability
   -  Increase and improve range of movement
   -  Help maintain flexibility as you age
   -  Maintain bone mass
   -  Prevent osteoporosis and fractures
   -  Improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
   -  Enhance self esteem
   -  Improve memory in elderly people
   -  Reduce stress

So, even if you opt for small changes and a more modest weight loss, you can see the benefits are still pretty good. One study has found that just a 10% weight reduction helped obese patients reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and increase longevity.

Simple Ways to Move Your Body

You can start the process of weight loss now by adding a little more activity to your life. If you're not ready for a structured program, start small. Every little bit counts and it all adds up to burning more calories.

Turn off the TV

Once a week, turn off the TV and do something a little more physical with your family. Play games, take a walk, almost anything will be more active than sitting on the couch.

Walk more

Look for small ways to walk more. When you get the mail, take a walk around the block, take the dog for an extra outing each day or walk on your treadmill for 5 minutes before getting ready for work.

Do some chores

Shoveling snow, working in the garden, raking leaves, sweeping the floor. These kinds of activities may not be 'vigorous' exercise, but they can keep you moving while getting your house in order.

Pace while you talk

When you're on the phone, pace around or even do some cleaning while gabbing. This is a great way to stay moving while doing something you enjoy.

Be aware

Make a list of all the physical activities you do on a typical day. If you find that the bulk of your time is spent sitting, make another list of all the ways you could move more--getting up each hour to stretch or walk, walk the stairs at work, etc. 

Learn about more ways to fit in exercise.

Eating Well

Eating a healthy diet is another part of the healthy lifestyle. Not only can a clean diet help with weight management, it can also improve your health and quality of life as you get older. You can use the new MyPlate to determine how many calories you need and what food groups you should focus on or, if you're looking for smaller changes, you can use these tips for simple ways to change how you eat:

Eat more fruit.

Add it to your cereal, your salads or even your dinners

Sneak in more veggies

Add them wherever you can--a tomato on your sandwich, peppers on your pizza, or extra veggies in your pasta sauce. Keep pre-cut or canned/frozen veggies ready for quick snacks.

Switch your salad dressing

If you eat full-fat dressing, switch to something lighter and you'll automatically eat less calories.

Eat low-fat or fat-free dairy

Switching to skim milk or fat free yogurt is another simple way to eat less calories without having to change too much in your diet.

Make some substitutes

Look through your cabinets or fridge and pick 3 foods you eat every day. Write down the nutritional content and, the next time you're at the store, find lower-calorie substitutes for just those 3 items. 

Find more ideas for healthy foods with this Healthy Foods Grocery List.

Creating a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to mean drastic changes. In fact, drastic changes almost always lead to failure. Making small changes in how you live each day can lead to big rewards, so figure out what you can to be healthy today.

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Cooking

Foods that are rich in nutrients can turn out to be less healthy, if cooked with wrong way. Though there are various cooking healthy ways to get delicious food but stay healthy.

Cooking methods with high temperatures can destroy vitamins in vegetables, especially vitamin C, folate, and potassium to 20 percent. Perhaps this is a reason for raw food diet followers the best way to present the food is not cooking.

Nevertheless research shows most of food would be more nutritious after cooking like carrots, spinach, and tomatoes. The cooking process will help release antioxidants by destroying the cell wall, so the important substances in vegetables are more easily absorbed by the body.

8 Methods Considered As The Healthy Ways To Cook

 1. Using the microwave

Cooking with a microwave is probably the healthiest for a short cook time so the damage to nutrients is less. Research shows the most appropriate cooking vegetables is by microwave. For example broccoli, the vitamin C content is more optimal if cooked by microwave. Raw foods cooked by microwave can be dry, but it can be prevented by adding little water before heated. Make sure you are using a special meal space for the microwave.

2. Boiling

Boiling is an easy and fast way. You only need to add water and little salt. But high temperatures and large quantities of water can reduce the amount of vitamins in water and minerals in vegetables by 70 percent. More advisable to boiling carrots, broccoli, or zucchini (green vegetables like cucumbers).

3. Steaming

Almost all kinds of food, from vegetables to fish are match to steaming. With this method the original flavor and nutrients can remain intact.

4. Boiling with little water

Boiling with a little water (poaching) is the recommended way to foods such as fish, eggs, or fruits.

5. Burn

It is a method of cooking food directly to the heat or flames within a short time. Burn is the recommended way to cook cut of meat like satay.

6. Grilling

Grilling is the recommended way to get fresh meat taste and padded. But some of the research mentioned this method can increase the risk of pancreatic and breast cancer. Grilling at high temperatures will produce a chemical reaction between the fat and protein in meat and result toxin that would destroy the balance of antioxidants in body.

7. Sauteing

This method only requires little cooking oil. Most of foods are suitable to cook by this method.

8. Not cooking

Raw food diet is popular lately. Followers of this diet claim, it is the healthiest way to not lose vitamins, minerals, fiber, and enzymes in healthy foods to eat. Nevertheless some research mention eating raw foods will make us lose lycopene in tomatoes and antioxidant carrots or spinach.

hopefully useful for you..

(As quoted from various sources)