5 Health Improvements You Can Attain Through Optimized Nutrition

Attaining and maintaining good health requires your active participation, but you don’t have to go about it all on your own. One of the key components of optimal health is good nutrition. 

At Legacy Pain and Regenerative Medicine in Plano and Addison, Texas, our experienced chiropractor and family nurse practitioner, Dr. Trace L. Alexander, takes a whole-person approach to care, providing all the tools you need to improve your health now and for the future.

Nutrition is one of the services we provide to help our patients live their best lives. We create individualized nutrition care plans that match health needs and goals. 

Here, we want to share with you some of the health improvements you can attain through optimized nutrition.

1. Longer life expectancy

Optimizing your nutrition helps you live longer. According to research, changing your diet from a traditional Western diet (high in fat, sugar, and sodium) to an optimal diet (high in nutrient-rich whole foods) may increase your lifespan by up to 10 years. And you get these life-prolonging benefits no matter what age you start, whether you’re 20 or 80. 

2. Lower risk of chronic diseases

Poor nutrition is one of the lifestyle factors that increases your risk of developing some of the common chronic health conditions, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

Eating a more balanced diet may lower your risk of developing a chronic health condition, or prevent disease-related complications if you already have a long-term health issue.

3. A healthier weight

What you eat supplies your body with the energy and nutrients it needs to function. A balanced diet is an eating pattern that supplies the right amount of energy and nutrients to meet your specific needs to maintain weight and health. 

No single diet plan works for everyone, which is why so many people struggle to lose weight and keep it off when following the latest fad diet or commercial weight-loss plan. In addition to general nutrition, we also provide help with weight loss, customizing plans so you lose the weight for good.

Most whole foods — whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and lean sources of protein — are lower in calories and more filling than energy-dense foods like sweetened drinks, fried foods, and highly processed snacks. 

Eating an optimal diet not only improves how your body functions, but also satisfies your appetite.

4. Stronger bones and muscles

Though things slow down as you get older, your body is constantly removing old cells and replacing them with new cells. Eating a balanced diet ensures that your body gets the nutrients necessary to support this ongoing rebuilding process. 

For your bones, this means an adequate supply of calcium and vitamin D. For muscles, the protein (found in fish, poultry, beans, nuts, dairy) is important, but not the only nutrient that keeps you strong. You also need an adequate supply of energy from carbohydrates (found in grains, fruits, and vegetables) and fat (from nuts, vegetable oils, and fatty fish) in order to use the protein from your diet to build and maintain muscle mass.

Optimizing your nutrition also benefits your skin, immune system, and digestive tract.

5. A boost in overall well-being

Supplying your body with the nutrients it needs to thrive makes you feel good, boosting your energy, mood, and overall sense of well-being. 

Optimized nutrition doesn’t mean giving up pizza, french fries, and chocolate cake, but it does mean making sure nutrient-rich foods make up the majority of what you eat. 

Are you ready to optimize your nutrition and improve your health? We’re ready to help. Call our office today to schedule a consultation.