We all know we should eat healthily.  Filling our plates with vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains is important to fuel our bodies. Be sure to pick grains that say “whole” and not “refined”.  Refined grains have been milled – a process that removes the bran or germ.  This is done to give products longer shelf life and give the grains a finer texture.  Dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals are removed during the process as well. Examples of whole grains include whole wheat, bulgar, oatmeal, and brown rice.  Choosing the right grains is key so be sure to read the ingredients and choose the ones that are better for your body.

Reading the labels on our food can get tedious, but it is important to know what we are putting in our bodies.  Take the time to look for artificial, processed, or just plain bad ingredients.  One way to save yourself from looking at food labels is to shop for the majority of your items in the produce section!  Cooking or making your own food allows you to be in control.  You are able to decide what goes into it and the quality of the ingredients you will be using. 

Sodas, sports drinks, coffees, deluxe milkshakes, and just about anything out there besides water, often contain large amounts of sugar, even though they may be hidden using other names like sucrose, dextrose, fructose and other ambiguous names.  Eliminating or limiting the amount of sugary drinks in your diet can help you lose weight and reduce fat buildup that is linked to heart disease.  

Drinking plenty of water is vital to your health.  Take your weight, divide it by 2 and then drink that many ounces of water per day.  THIS IS THE BARE MINIMUM AMOUNT YOU SHOULD BE DRINKING!  Your goal should be to shoot for the number of ounces in water that you weigh in pounds.  So, if you weigh 150lbs, your goal should be 150 ounces of water per day.  Get yourself one of those water bottles that measures your water intake and reminds you to fill up!  Take the guesswork out of it.

According to the CDC only 1 in 10 children and adults eat the recommended daily intake of vegetables.  That number is a little better for fruit at 4 in 10 for children and 1 in 7 for adults. These numbers are not promising. While most of us know that we need to eat healthier to fuel our bodies, we clearly need some help. Poor nutrition contributes to costly diseases, including obesity, heart disease, and even some cancers.  Like the anonymous quote says, “If you don’t make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness”.

Adding good quality supplements to your diet can help contribute to some of these missing nutrients.  Thorne’s Advanced Nutrients is expertly formulated with essential vitamins, minerals, and additional nutrients from the purest sources and in the most absorbable forms. It provides optimal amounts of key ingredients to create an excellent foundation for good health.*

On top of a great multivitamin, a probiotic is useful to balance your microbiome.  An article published in “The Center of Ecogenetics and Environmental Health” department at Washington University says, “the microbiome is essential for human development, immunity, and nutrition. The bacteria living in and on us are not invaders but beneficial colonizers. Autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and fibromyalgia are associated with dysfunction in the microbiome.”  

A healthy gut is a key to overall wellness. Digestive health, immune function, and the state of your mood are dependent on the health of your gut and its microbiome.*  Curious about your individual gut balance and how to improve your health by balancing your gut microbiome? Take Thorne’s Gut Health Test for detailed analysis, personalized recommendations, and insights into how you can adjust your lifestyle to optimize your wellness from the inside out.