Meal Plan
Eating a diet rich in antioxidants and health promoting nutrients is sometimes hard to achieve, despite the fact that it should be a goal for everyone. Busy schedules and rushing around often prevent us from nourishing our bodies. Though it seems complicated, it is actually fairly easy to get 100% of the critical vitamins and nutrients necessary with a simple meal plan.
To begin, antioxidants are things in food, such as minerals, vitamins, amino acids and tiny specialty nutrients called phytonutrients. Antioxidants destroy free radicals—free radicals are things that can damage the body in a variety of ways—most notably they can damage your DNA and ultimately lead to many cancers.
The amount of antioxidants in foods varies and eating a variety of foods each day is necessary to receive the maximum nutrition from your diet. You should always remember to eat colorfully. Enjoy the bright colors of food and eat from the reds, yellows. blues, greens, oranges and whites with targeted tenacity.
It's complicated to start at the top of a list and suggest which antioxidants and nutrients are most important. Each and every one of them plays and important role in vitality and performs specific functions in your body to help you live well. Consider the list that follows and the roles each plays in your diet. You may find it helpful using this guide to target specific needs, wants or interests.
Antioxidants and Other Health Promoting Nutrients (HPN)
With a targeted meal plan you can enjoy food and be confident you're feeding your body in one of the most nutritious and simplest ways. Consider the following list of 25 antioxidants and HPNs:
Vitamin A: the immunity, lung and eye vitamin
Vitamin C: the immunity, vitamin E regenerator and iron absorbing (helper) vitamin
Vitamin E: the skin vitamin and intra-cellular communications vitamin
Vitamin D: the bones, teeth and anti-inflammatory vitamin
Vitamin K: the blood clotting and bone helping vitamin
Vitamin B1: the energy nerve and muscle vitamin
Vitamin B2: the energy and homocysteine fighter vitamin
Vitamin B3: the stabilizing blood sugar, lowering cholesterol vitamin
Vitamin B5: the anti-stress vitamin
Vitamin B6: the nervous system and anti-homocysteine vitamin
Vitamin B7: another skin and energy vitamin
Vitamin B9: the red blood cell and anti homocysteine fighting vitamin
Vitamin B12: another red blood cell vitamin
Amino Acids: for cellular strength
Calcium: for strong bones and good blood clotting
Carotenoids and Flavonoids: for eye, lung, and blood vessel support
Coenzyme Q: for vitamin E and cardiac aid
Iodine: for thyroid balance
Iron: for energy, oxygen and immunity building
Manganese: for a host of enzymatic processes
Magnesium: for nerves, muscles and circulation
Omega 3s: for inflammation and cellular support
Protein: for healthy skin, hair and nails
Selenium: for cellular support
Zinc: blood sugar support, senses integrity and immune build up
Meal Plan—Eating Healthy
What if a meal plan included every one of the antioxidants and nutrients above? Would you try it? Though it would be recommended to differentiate your menu daily, this quick snapshot shows you just how easy targeted meal planning can be. All meal plans should consist of organic foods whenever possible because eating organic keeps unwanted contaminants, food dyes and waxes off of your plate. Equally, low-fat to non-fat foods are suggested to reduce overall fat and saturated fat intake.
Breakfast - one cup of milk, two cups of yogurt, two tbs. flax seed, two tsp ground cinnamon, one cup of oatmeal and a banana
Snack - one quarter cup of sunflower seeds and/or a blueberry smoothie
Lunch - a kale or spinach salad, one can of sardines, a banana and an apple
Dinner - one cup of milk, one baked chicken breast, kale or spinach salad topped with parsley and pumpkin seeds, one medium sized sweet potato and a cup of yellow corn.
Eating Healthy
What's uniquely fabulous about this sample meal plan is its variety of foods, vast array of color and strong exhibition of a whole foods emphasis. Last but not least, this meal plan provides 100% and more of the daily recommended intake for over 25 antioxidants and HPNs and nearly all amino acids required for excellent health. Equally important, you'll be securing a healthy dose of flavonoids including anthocyanins, catechins, flavones and flavonols. Along with these the schedule above also can boast daily fulfillments of the carotenoids including beta and alpha and as well lutein zeaxanthin.
As with all meal plans, it's important to hydrate effectively and plan for plenty of rest. Take the meal plan above and use it as it is or alter it to suit your specific tastes. Remember to research the nutritional values of different foods to include to help you live long and live well. Though we're all predisposed with certain genetic tendencies, meal planning can help turn off the negative gene expressions in your body and amplify the positive ones.
Sources
- American Dietetic Association
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Nova Jones - Nova Jones M.Ed./Sp.Ed. NBCT
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