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Healthy Eating Principles for Busy Work At Home Mums.

By: Justine Simard


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We all recognize that eating healthy foods is vital to maintaining good energy levels and brain power. A wholesome diet keeps us fit and protects us against diseases and viruses. However, as for several other things, busy mums tend to put their needs last and forget to sustain a daily healthy diet. This creates an even bigger issue for work at home mums, especially when working around young kids. Our little ones can take up all our focus while they're around, and after they head to bed or are not home we often take the opportunity to work and take care of house chores. Our heads are full with schedules, work commitments, our kids' education and health, household planning (and the list goes on), and we sometimes have to thank our stomachs for reminding us that we are hungry, otherwise we sometimes would not remember to eat! I am sure some of you can relate! I am not an expert in diet and nutrition. I believe however that taking even the most simple well-known health-promoting steps can help mums achieve greater results, and feel healthy, empowered and focused. So with the risk of repeating what everyone knows, here are some vital yet easy nutritional facts you need to follow to help maintain a healthy body, mind and spirit!

About Carbohydrates and the Glycaemic Index: Carbohydrates are the preferred source of fuel for your body. They are rated against the glycaemic index (GI) on how rapidly they can be absorbed and bring up the glucose level of your blood. Low-GI carbohydrates allow you to reach and maintain the energy you need to perform at your best, making you feel fuller for longer (hence reducing the sugar cravings and related sugar-eating habits!). Work at home mums should include the following low-GI foods in their diet: oats, bran, barley, soy products, beans, milk, fruit, pasta, lentils and grainy bread. Lots of vegetables, fruits and leafy greens. Higher GI-foods like potatoes, highly refined grain products and concentrated sugar should be taken in moderation.

About Protein: Protein is too a source of energy for the body, although accounts for only a fraction compared to carbohydrates. Most significantly, proteins play an essential role in growth and repair, as well as metabolic, enzyme and chemical processes. Proteins are found in meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, seeds, soy beans and other soy products, nuts and wheat.. Eating a diet too low in protein is rarely a concern in modern countries, however it's important to know that proteins are not stored within the body and must be replenished on a daily basis.

About Iron: Tiredness, fatigue and a fragile immune system can sometimes be connected to diet-related iron deficiencies. Work at home mums simply don't have time for these! If you have concerns about your iron levels, see your doctor. If you have low iron levels which can be helped through a diet regime, ensure that you consume iron-rich foods on a daily basis, like wholegrain cereals and breads, meat, poultry, fish, dark-green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, raisins, peas and lentils. Remember that Vitamin C supports iron absorption, so include vegetables and fruits which are rich in Vitamin C.

About Sugar: Sugar can provide you with an energy boost, however can bring back down your energy level even lower, and slow your brain down too. If you crave sugar, what you actually need could be a low-GI snack. Oats and wholegrain snacks, nuts and seeds, orchard and stone fruit, bananas, baked beans, fresh natural popcorn, dried apricots, and low-fat yogourt are all examples. My best trick for work at home mums to beat the sugar habit is this: don't keep high-sugar foods in your home! If they're not in the house, you will have to choose the healthier choice.

About Vegetables and Fruit: You've probably heard the magic formula by now: 2 serves of fruit + five serves of vegetables daily. This easy formula is so powerful, it helps prevent cardiac disease, cancer, obesity, and assists with cholesterol, blood pressure and digestive regularity. Work at home mums usually make sure that they include a great quantity of veggies and fruits in their children's diet throughout the day, however often forget their own. When you take the time to arrange fresh fruit and vegetables for your kids, make extra for yourself to eat throughout the day.

About Legumes: Legumes, such as soybeans, kidney beans, chick peas, and lentils are great brain foods. They are additionally a great meat substitute when served along cereals or pasta, providing protein, vitamins and fibre. They are versatile and easy to integrate in your diet, which is handy for work at home mums! You can add them to salads, soups, stir fries, sandwiches, pasta and casseroles.

About Water: Ok, I'm not going to cover this one in detail. You know water is good for you, therefore drink lots of it! Fill up that great big jug in the morning and have it drunk by the end of the day. Line up your glasses. If you are a busy mum working from home around your kids, you may need to use creative tricks, drinking prompts or monitoring tools for drinking the eight glasses of water you need, so find what works for you! Keep in mind also that sometimes feeling hungry means that you are dehydrated, so hydrate before you fill up your plate!

About Salt: Although salt plays a vital role in regulating blood and tissue fluids in your body, we often consume it way beyond the recommended daily intake. The over-consumption of salt is not related to adding table salt to meals, rather excessive amounts of sodium are found in processed foods. Over-consumption of salt is connected to many serious conditions, from heart and kidney disease, to cancer and osteoporosis. For work at home mums and their families, the most effective means to make sure that the daily limit of 6g of salt (2,300mg of sodium) isn't exceeded is to eat fresh, unprocessed foods. When eating processed foods, keep aware of the amounts of sodium by reading the nutrition facts on the label.

Work at home mums deserve to take care of their health and make the time to prepare healthy meals for themselves. Let's not forget how necessary it is to eat varied nutritious foods, every day, for sustaining our physical health, mental health and brain power.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

Justine Simard is a full-time mum and home business owner. Visit Work At Home Mums to learn about a work from home business which allows mums to achieve a greater income, a better lifestyle and more freedom. Visit also my Work At Home Mums Blog.

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