Healthy Eating Articles from APWU

Creative ways to add more fruits and veggies to your diet

The best way to get all of the nutrients you need each day is to brighten your plate with fruits and vegetables. Eating a rainbow of colorful foods adds flavor and texture to your meals, along with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Most are naturally low in calories and contain essential nutrients that can help prevent heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses. If fruits and veggies aren’t your thing, you can still sneak them into your meals.

Beat anxiety: What to eat to reduce anxiety and stress

healthy eating, mental health

Anxiety is a normal part of life. From time to time, we all feel nervous or worry about certain situations, but anxiety can be a problem if it interferes with daily activities or makes it hard for you to enjoy life. Anxiety disorders are quite common. In fact, in the United States, at least 40 million adults struggle with anxiety. While the condition is often treated with therapy and medications, watching what you eat can help reduce anxiety and stress and improve your mood.

Lose belly fat: 10 tips for a flatter stomach

exercise, healthy eating, weight loss

When somebody tells you there’s a fast, easy way to get rid of stubborn belly fat, they’re probably trying to sell you something. It’s tempting to believe in fat-burning miracle foods and secret exercises that will flatten your stomach in a matter of days. But there’s no magic formula for trimming your midsection. You can lose belly fat—and keep it off for good—by staying committed to your goals and following a few commonsense tips.

10 surprising things you can do to keep your heart healthy

healthy eating, healthy habits, heart health

Living a healthy lifestyle is one of the most important things you can do to protect your heart. Eating a nutritious diet, getting plenty of exercise, and avoiding tobacco can help prevent heart disease and reduce your risk factors for other chronic conditions. But when it comes to taking care of your heart, there are a number of other surprising things you can do.

Healthy fats vs. unhealthy fats: Get the skinny on dietary fats

healthy eating, heart health

Dietary fat is an essential nutrient our bodies need to work properly. In addition to providing energy, fats help maintain body temperature, insulate vital organs, and absorb many vitamins and minerals. But the news about dietary fats can be confusing. Sometimes it seems like the guidelines about good fats vs. bad fats—or how much fat we should consume—change by the day.

Healthy snacks you can eat without gaining weight

healthy eating, healthy habits, weight loss

Snacking gets a bad rap, but it can actually help you maintain a healthy weight—and even lose weight—as long as you pay attention to the types of foods you snack on and make smart choices. Eating smaller meals and snacks about every three hours or so can help maintain more stable blood sugar levels throughout the day. And, it can help you avoid extreme hunger so you don’t overeat at lunch or dinner.

10 foods that lower blood pressure

healthy eating, high blood pressure

High blood pressure affects millions of Americans, but many of us don’t even know we have it. That’s because high blood pressure—also known as hypertension—often has no symptoms. The condition makes your heart work harder than it should and can cause serious problems, including heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.

Pregnancy nutrition: What to eat when you’re pregnant

healthy eating, pregnancy

When you’re pregnant, eating a healthy diet can help promote your baby’s growth and development. The food you eat is your baby’s main source of nutrition, so it’s important to make smart food choices and eat from a variety of food groups, including fruits and vegetables, breads and grains, protein, and dairy products.