Let’s face it—on busy days, when you’re running from one activity to the next, running through the drive-thru can seem like a tempting option. However, all that fast food is going to end up doing you more harm than good. During National Nutrition Month this March, our team at AFC Urgent Care Chapman Highway wants you to understand the importance of eating healthy. Read on as we offer some insight.
What Happens If I Don’t Eat Healthy?
It can be easy to fall into the trap of always eating out or choosing processed foods. Who has time to cook anyways? However, eating these foods puts you at a higher risk of developing many different medical conditions, from heart disease to cancer. Therefore, do yourself a huge favor by learning how to eat healthy on a daily basis so that you can reap the benefits of good health.
Benefits of Healthy Eating
- Weight loss
- Reduced cancer risk
- Diabetes management
- Heart health and stroke prevention
- Strong bones and teeth
- Better mood
- Improved memory
How Can I Work More Fruits and Vegetables Into My Daily Diet?
It is recommended that you eat at least four servings of fruits and five servings of vegetables on a daily basis. While this may seem a bit overwhelming, you might be surprised by how little you need to eat to hit a serving! Fortunately, if you aren’t getting quite enough, there are easy ways to add in more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet, such as adding some pineapple to your grilled chicken and more vegetables into your soups and/or salads.
Serving Sizes for Fruits & Veggies
- 1 medium apple, peach or orange
- Half of a medium avocado
- A half-inch thick wedge of melon
- 1⁄4 of a medium pineapple
- Half of a large bell pepper
- 5 florets of broccoli or cauliflower
- Half of a medium potato or half of a large sweet potato
- 1 small ear of corn
When was the last time you had your blood glucose levels checked? Visit AFC Urgent Care Chapman Highway today for a medical evaluation. No appointment is necessary!