What’s worse?
It’s been that way for much, if not all, of our life…
I was curious if I was alone or if everyone’s busy schedule just makes it challenging to get the nutrition that I need…
So I took to the internet to do a little searching.
Check this out...
Recommendations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture call for a minimum intake of 1.5 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables for girls 14 to 18 years old and 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables for boys the same age.
But only 7% of high school students get the daily recommended amount of fruits and vegetables…
Only 7%...
I’ll be honest, we feed our kids well and we still miss it more times than we get it right.
How about us adults?
Only 1 in 10 adults meet the federal fruit or vegetable recommendations…
Way to set the example mom and dad! lol
According to the USDA, the amount of veggies each person needs can vary between 2 and 3 cups each day.
For women, that amount is between 2-2.5 cups, and for men, it is 2.5-3 cups.
To get 3 cups of vegetables down in a day requires intentionally adding them to your diet.
So obviously, judging by the statistics, most of us don’t have time to do that…
And therefore our bodies pay a price…
A lot of the ailments that we are blaming on “aging” are merely warning signs of a long time without the right kind of nutrients that our vegetables give us.
So, what are some warning signs that you’re not taking in enough veggies?
How’s your overall mood?
Vegetables are an important source of numerous vitamins and minerals that are necessary for our body's critical functions.
If you aren't eating enough vegetables then usually the primary source of energy in your diet will be from high fat, high carb, or highly processed foods.
These foods will leave you crashing hard directly after a quick boost of energy resulting in fatigue, memory loss, and changes in your mood, as mentioned above...
Do you feel hungry again quickly after eating or
sometimes just can’t seem to get satisfied at all?
Adequate fiber from veggies helps to keep you full for longer because it takes longer to digest…
It’s as simple as that.
Have you lost your sparkle?
Vegetables are packed with antioxidants that may help prevent our body from free radicals that may damage our skin texture…
Some tomatoes or watermelon will do the trick and get that skin back to glowing.
Do your muscles cramp a lot?
I admit, I’m quick to blame dehydration when I start having cramps or twitches in my shoulders and legs.
But sometimes, a lack of greens can be to blame.
Muscles need enough potassium for smooth muscle contraction.
Those muscle cramps and twitches can occur if your blood levels of potassium are too low.
Feeling constipated or experiencing irregular bowel movements?
Adequate dietary fiber from vegetables helps to add more bulk to waste and helps to move waste more quickly through the intestines.
It’s a gross subject but if your digestion isn’t working properly, you’re likely to be experiencing weight issues, fatigue, poor or tired eyesight, and sometimes just feeling more stressed than normal…
Do you feel tired?
Any and every time that I start putting too many processed foods into my body, I start feeling lazy and fatigued.
It’s like my body feels heavier and harder to move.
I hate that feeling more than anything.
A simple fix is to cut out some of the processed foods and add in some more greens.
There are a host of other symptoms such as having trouble losing weight or gaining weight, eyesight issues like night blindness and several other ailments and diseases...
What goes into your body is so important and with today’s busy lifestyle, it can be difficult to find the nutrition that our body needs while staying on the go…
But just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean we should avoid it.
One way to instantly add more vegetable intake is to simply add vegetables to each meal, including and especially breakfast...
For breakfast, add some greens to your omelet or have a smoothie with a ton of greens for breakfast…
For lunch, add a salad or snack on some raw veggies.
And then for dinner, just make sure most of the food on your plate is colorful and not just brown.
There are so many awesome options for vegetables for dinner.
A quick google search will have you salivating.
Like I said, I’m not the 1 in 10 that gets as many calories from vegetables as I should so I safeguard myself by taking my Supreme Greens daily.
There’s the equivalent of two lbs of vegetables in one dose...
Which keeps me covered when time doesn’t permit me to have a fresh green snack available.
I hope that some of my research has motivated you to be mindful to get your daily recommended allowance of fruits and vegetables.
I uncovered a plethora of information of some of the more common diseases that adults commonly suffer from.
I'm still reading up on all of that but will be sharing my findings very soon.
Here's to your health!
