What?? Eating one hotdog can cut 48 minutes off your life?!

We all know that eating the wrong foods can affect your health, but to what extreme?

Have you ever said any of these things to yourself?

Well, I blew today – I just as well have that Dairy Queen blizzard.

I can’t look like I’m anti-social. I have to eat Grandma’s chocolate cake. It will hurt her feelings if I don’t.

I’ll eat better starting tomorrow.

I just can’t give up ice cream! (or buttered popcorn, or chocolate, or pizza – or HOTDOGS!)

But now the good news – improving your health may take less effort than you thought. You don’t have to give up everything you love to get healthier. Simple daily food swaps will reap benefits.

“Now scientists have estimated down to the minute the benefits of swapping out just 10% of your bad food choices for healthier items.” (Click underlined phrase for article.) The researchers of this study divided food into three groups: green, yellow and red food zones.

Simply substituting fruits or nuts or other foods in the “Green Zone” can get you back those 48 minutes of your life taken away by eating that hotdog!

Green zone: Fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and some responsibly harvested seafood.

Yellow zone: Poultry, grains, and most dairy.

Red zone: Meat, especially red meat, and most especially processed red meat, plus sugared beverages and most processed foods.

As you become more aware of the foods you’re consuming, simply start swapping out foods in the red zone for the yellow zone and the green zone. Every time you think about and make a simple swap away from red-zone foods, you’re taking a step toward a healthier life.

And every step you take toward eating healthier has a cumulative effect. No one can eat “perfect” all the time. Cut yourself some slack. But don’t throw in the towel when you make a bad choice. Start with making more good choices (yellow and green zone foods) than bad ones (red zone foods).

Before you know it, you’re adding minutes and hours and days to your life!

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I’m Vicki Peel, former home economics teacher and educational administrator. If you are not receiving my emails, coupons, and freebies, look for the Subscribe block (below right) and submit your contact information. I will not share your information with anyone, and all the content you will receive as part of our community is free. I may occasionally promote someone else’s paid content, offer a product for your consideration or share an item that I think might be of use to you. However, you are under no obligation to purchase anything – ever. So, sign up now so you won’t miss anything during our March – June foods extravaganza!!

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