When trying to work on your health, it can sometimes be overwhelming with everything you can do. One simple way to slowly work towards including more nutrient dense foods into your diet is to make subtle swaps or upgrades for your current favorite foods. 

You have way more control over your blood sugar and body shape than you may believe. When choosing foods for your health, there are five core goals to work towards in your swaps.

Number one 

Lower refined carbohydrates such as pure sugar, packaged pastries, white starches and other refined grains for fiber rich whole grains, dark chocolate and fruit. If you are craving a dessert, make it at home from whole grain flours and natural sugars to have full control over what you put in your body.

Number two 

Swap your soda for sparkling water, herbal tea or filtered water. There are even soda flavored sparkling waters and fiber containing soda alternatives available. Just be careful of those sweetened with aspartame, high fructose corn syrup or Splenda.

Number three 

Add more vegetables as sides at restaurants to increase your fiber and antioxidant intake. This can look like replacing your side of fries or tots with a side salad when eating a burger or adding additional vegetables to your pizza toppings.

Number four 

Choose higher quality fats to cook your foods in and add flavor. Meaning replace vegetable and seed oils in processed foods with things like olive oil, avocado oil and grass fed butter.

Number five 

Upgrade the sugar you use. Replace artificial sweeteners and pure sugars with more natural sugars such as stevia, coconut sugar, small amounts of raw local honey or maple syrup. Take note of where you use these daily, cut the amount you currently use in half then work on slowly reducing the amount you use to special occasions.  These can still raise your blood sugar levels so use them in small amounts.

Short on time? Read these quick tips!

Lower environmental toxins

Awareness is starting to increase when it comes to the impact environmental toxins can have on your health. Things like obesogens and persistent organic pollutants can negatively impact your hormones and can lower the functioning of your cells. A great resource to start making changes to what you use on a daily basis is the Environmental Working Group website.  In general, keep scents to a minimum, focus on what you put on your body as much as what you put in, store food in glass instead of plastics and cook in traditional pans instead of non-stick.

Include aerobic, strength training and stretching into your weekly routine 

You have heard it many times before but that is with reason. Moving throughout the day and having a regular exercise routine is a great natural way to help your body cope with excess blood sugar. Include aerobic, strength training and stretching into your weekly routine. It does not have to be a long session either. The standard recommendation is around 150 minutes a week or 30 minutes 5 times a week.