Your One Step This Month: Be Mindful of Your Food and Beverage Consumption!

But some foods can help you feel better. Japanese diets high in vegetables, fruit, and mushrooms have been associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Likewise, Mediterranean diets high in white fish and vegetables are also good for mental health.

So could your food be influencing your mood? Find out for yourself! Give thought this month to how your food and beverage choices may be affecting your mood and energy levels and begin trying on some different options.

Re-balance your plate. If you’re not sure how you should change your food, Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate is a great place to begin.* It offers some simple guidelines that can help guide how you re-balance your meals. Ideally, half your plate should consist of a variety of fruits and vegetables. Another 25% should be whole grains, and the final quarter should consist of a healthy protein—think something like fish, poultry, or even nuts and legumes.

Skip the sugary drinks. On average, American adults consume 17 teaspoons of sugar a day, and sweetened beverages are the main reason why. The good news is this means reducing your consumption of sweetened beverages and switching to drinks with low to zero added sugar or artificial sweeteners can have a big impact on your sugar intake.

Get friendly with fiber. Consuming fiber is packed with health benefits! The highs and lows of a sugar crash are caused by the speed at which your body absorbs the glucose. Simple sugars are easily absorbed, meaning the spike (and drop) comes quick. But by eating more fiber-rich foods—fruits, veggies, whole grains and beans—you can slow down that process and keep your body and brain on a more even keel.

Eat Your Way to Better Health!

Did you know that your wellness benefits include access to health and nutrition webinars through the Perspectives Employee Assistance Program? These free educational resources are a great way to learn at your leisure, taking the guesswork out of healthy eating while providing simple, sustainable strategies that can fit within even the busiest lifestyle. If you’d like to learn more about nutrition and mood, we recommend checking out Eat Your Way to Better Health! to discover all the ways that small changes in what you eat can make a big impact on your life!

To find this resource and more, log in anytime at perspectivesltd.com, then visit Home → Health → Fitness and Nutrition.

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*If you have been told that you have a health risk or known medical condition, consult with a doctor or registered dietician prior to making any significant changes in your diet.

A Quick & Tasty Garden Salad

Summer is the perfect time to add more garden veggies to your meals. Here’s a quick and easy recipe for a cucumber and tomato salad.

Ingredients:

1 cucumber (peeled)

2 medium-sized tomatoes

1 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper (to taste)

A splash of red wine vinegar

Directions:

Cut the cucumber and tomato into half-inch cubes. In a large mixing bowl, toss the cubed veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper, and red wine vinegar.

For a little extra flavor, add fresh garden herbs like dill, basil, or oregano!