Are you ready to make a new year’s resolution? Do you want to make the most of the next 12 months? If so, why not aim to improve your health in 2023? Frankly, this is probably a goal that most of those living in the United States should consider. As noted, Americans tend to eat diets lacking in nutritious amounts of fruits and vegetables, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Beyond that, about 11.3% of the US population has been diagnosed with diabetes, while heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US
While this may seem like a horrifying fact, you can rest assured knowing that you can start your journey toward better health by taking a few simple baby steps. That includes eating the following foods, which Paulina Lee, MSHS, RD, LD, gut health dietitian and founder of Savvy Stummy, LLC., told Eat This, Not That! will restore your health completely in 2023. Read on, and for more, don’t miss Want to Get Skinny For Good? Eat These 8 Foods Every Day.
Kimchi is a fermented Korean vegetable dish usually made with cabbage. It can offer your body some pretty significant benefits that can make a big difference when it comes to your health over the next year.
“Kimchi is a fermented food or probiotic food with compounds from substances such as polyphenols, carotenoids, capsaicin, sulfur-containing compounds, fiber, and compounds produced from the fermentation process such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB),” said Lee. What does it mean for your health? Lee explained that kimchi may “contribute to better bowel movements,” while also having “antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-obesity and antibacterial properties.”
You might think of kimchi as something that will offer your food an extra flavor which, of course, is absolutely correct. As Lee says, “Kimchi is a great addition to any dish or meal. In Korea, it’s usually added as a side dish but is also included in many dishes. It pairs with all kinds of proteins, can be added to soups, eaten plain, added to stir fry or fried rice, and more.”
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Lee also recommends adding turmeric to your diet, noting that “this powerful anti-inflammatory spice can help with inflammation in the gut lining and throughout the body,” which will definitely make you feel better.
“Turmeric contains curcumin, [a type of plant compound called a ‘polyphenol’,] which stimulates Phase II liver activation, thereby increasing the detoxification of activated toxins.” Curcumin can also “increase the amount of antioxidants produced by the body and have anti-inflammatory properties,” Lee added.
To incorporate this spice into your diet, Lee suggests “adding turmeric when seasoning fish or protein.”
Strawberries are not only a delicious treat, they are also a healthy choice to satisfy both your hunger and your health goals. Lee told us, “Strawberries are full of polyphenols with great antioxidant effects. They have high amounts of vitamin C, manganese, folate, and potassium, each of which is important for immune health, brain function, cell growth, and blood pressure regulation. . “
“2019 study published in Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry concluded that eating strawberries helps increase beneficial bifidobacteria in your gut microbiome,” Lee continued. Lee explains this benefit, saying, “Bifidobacterium has been shown to have a positive effect on constipation, diarrhea, and intestinal inflammation.”
While you may enjoy eating strawberries plain, Lee points out that “you can freeze them to make it easy to add to your morning smoothie, pair them with yogurt dip for a quick snack, add them to your favorite spring salad mix, or add them to your favorite oatmeal combo you.”
There are certainly benefits to eating a variety of fish, however, Lee specifically recommends salmon if your goal is to improve your health in 2023.
“Salmon contains high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties,” says Lee. “Eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA found that omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce neuroinflammation. It’s also something that our bodies don’t make, so it’s an important nutrient that should be included through food or supplements.”
On the other hand, Lee says that “anti-inflammatory omega-3s work to reduce inflammation in the body and may help improve cardiovascular health and cognitive function.” Plus, “healthy fats can reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and feed some good gut bacteria to support gut healing.” In fact, Lee points out, “One study found an increase in inflammatory markers, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), with an increase in the number of lipid profiles from fish oil supplementation.”
“Bone broth has a gut-healing amino acid, mineral, and collagen profile,” says Lee. He adds that it’s a food choice that “can be very nutritious for an inflamed gut.” Indeed, “the high content of glycine in collagen works to strengthen the lining of the intestine while reducing joint pain and improving the quality of the skin.”
If you’re intrigued by the benefits of bone broth but afraid of the potential preparation process, Lee explains that you can put your worries aside, saying, “Don’t give up on making your own. There are many pre-made bone broth products you can buy. Use them as a base. soup, add it to vegetable stir-fries, or just drink it warm.”
While you no doubt know all about the health benefits of broccoli, you may also want to consider adding broccoli sprouts to your regular diet. Lee explains that “broccoli sprouts are nutritional powerhouses packed with fiber, vitamin C, and sulforaphane.” As for the latter, “sulforaphane is a compound in cruciferous vegetables with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.”
“A 2018 animal study from Current Developments in Nutrition noted a reduction in the incidence of prostate cancer with consumption of broccoli sprouts,” Lee said. “There is promising research continuing to show the benefits of broccoli sprouts in cancer treatment.”
Also noting that “you can buy them at the store or grow them yourself at home,” Lee says, “Either way, broccoli sprouts are easy to add to your sandwich, use as a topping on your avocado toast, or add to any salad . . .”
