Just as a well balanced meal is crucial to healthy lifestyle, so is healthy snacking. Sometimes we may put 100% effort into creating that perfect, low calorie dinner, but shortly after dinner we will grab a bag of potato chips to cure the hunger. Now remember, doughnuts, cookies, cakes, chips and candy bars are not healthy treats. They can make us feel full longer but with a price. If you want a larger waist and health problems, then those types of snacks may be for you. But if you want to feel healthy and maintain a slim waistline, you should watch what you snack on.

There are many snacks available out there today which are healthy and filling. Air popped pop corn, apple sauce, sunflower seeds, almonds, low fat string cheese, yogurt, apple slices, veggies, whole wheat products, and nuts (to name a few).

The simple process of eating food should not be overwhelming or confusing- everyone has the right to know the essentials to building an optimal balanced diet that provides their bodies with optimal nutrition. With all the pills, potions and advice available it is easy for the consumer to get lost in translation when it comes to feeding their face.

So how do you make nutrition optimal for you? By understanding the basic concept of nutritional feedings and changing the way you fuel your machine.

The diets of most North Americans and Europeans have dramatically changed over the last thirty years. Refined vegetable oil, specifically soybean oil, is now being used in most snack foods, breads, sweets, and processed foods to such an extent approximately 20% of the total caloric intake is estimated to come from this source alone.

Why is this so dangerous for our health?

Refined vegetable oil, like soybean oil, is an omega 6 fatty acid. Our body needs fats to survive, but many nutritional experts believe that to achieve optimal health humans need to balance their fat intake between omega 6 fatty acids, derived from seeds and nuts, and omega 3 fatty acids, primarily found in the fat of cold water fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, and mackerel. Today instead of a 1:1 balanced intake of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids, most western diets consume between a 10:1 to a 50:1 ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids. Changing that ratio is the best thing we can do to change the future of our health today.

Increased omega 6 intake can be attributed to obesity, depression, hyperactivity, and possibly even violence. Omega 6 fatty acids increase inflammation at the cellular level, which may explain the rise in hypertension, heart disease, certain types of cancers, asthma, and cognitive degenerative diseases. Omega 3 fatty acids on the other hand are precursors for anti-inflammation agents and help counterbalance the negative effects from the high levels of omega 6 fats we consume every day in our diets.

Omega 3 is a type of essential fatty acids and our bodies do make them on our own. We have to obtain the necessary amounts from our diets. However, since the chief source of omega 3 fatty acids is cold water fish, the average person would need to consume approximately four pounds of fresh fish per day to receive the same health benefits from two grams of a superior omega 3 fish oil supplement.

Simple changes to our diets to reduce our omega 6 fatty acid intake may be difficult due to the wide ranging use of soybean oils in processed foods. The best bet to reduce your omega 6 fatty acid intake is to avoid processed foods in favor of freshly prepared meals. Increase your fish intake and start taking a superior omega 3 fish oil supplement to help balance your bodies need for essential fatty acids.

People are so busy these days and it can be nearly impossible to prepare a good meal at home. Especially parents, where a typical Saturday afternoon can be soccer practice at 11:00 and then karate lessons at 1:15 P.M. Sometimes it is all you can do is stop at a fast food place just to grab a bite to eat in between commitments. After all you may not have time to get home and prepare a meal yourself and your little ones.

For optimal health it is indeed better to avoid these places altogether but there are simple adjustments that you can make to make the best of a bad situation.

1) Substitute: Most fast food chains cater to children so there is some type of kids’ meal.

A recent post on my blog directed readers to a produce buying guide that is available at no charge and help shoppers understand when purchasing organic vs. conventionally grown foods should be a preference A reader left a comment that it seems now the term organic is used rather loosely. It is similar to the “lite” label on foods. Lite can mean less fat, more sugar or less sugar, more calories. She is confused about what organic really means relating to her food purchases.

I totally agree with her. It is rare to have a conversation these days where someone doesn’t use the phrase “organic” or “organically grown” and they are not referring to anything in the food chain.