Lower the amount of meat, and increase the amount of vegetables, herbs, nuts, fruits, legumes, and grains.
Herbs, berries, mushrooms, seaweed, whole grains, cabbage, vegetables and potatoes are available to everyone. Larger quantities of fish in the diet reduces the amount of meat to 2 portions a week.
The main trick is that you are eating seasonal and fresh ingredients to avoid canned stuff with saturated fats and too much sugar.
No snacks, but rather three full meals a day !
Benefits:
· Eating more than 600g of fruit and vegetables reduces the risk of heart disease, being overweight, and obese
· Whole grains have been associated with a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and weight gain risk
· The starchy plant foods offer a good source of vitamins, fiber, and minerals
· Exercise : The important thing is to find ways to incorporate activity into other things you do. Adding more walking, biking or swimming to your daily activities will help you to lose weight and get healthier.
· outdoorsy life—particularly in the winter—does wonders for the metabolism by quickly burning unwanted fat
· vitamin A in carrots helps skin cells renew themselves and the surprisingly high vitamin C content in rutabagas (also known as Swedish turnips) is shown to prevent wrinkles.
When you don’t live in one of the Nordic countries :
- Buy local, seasonal, and organic produce.
- Avoid food additives and pre-packaged meals.
- Focus on whole foods: whole grains, including oatmeal, barley, rye, and whole wheat, along with whole nuts, seeds, beans, and foraged foods.
- Eat lots of responsibly caught fish.
- Consume only small portions of meat, sticking to lean, free-range and grass-fed options whenever possible.
You can buy:
· Root vegetables (carrots, turnips, beets)
· Cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage)
· Dark leafy greens (kale, spinach)
· Foraged foods (chanterelles, wild mushrooms, fiddleheads)
· Legumes such as beans, seeds, and lentils
· Rapeseed (canola oil)
· Whole grains, especially rye, oats, and barley
· Berries
· Apples and pears
· Fatty fish like salmon and herring
· Wild, lean game meat like elk
Good genes are bolstered and perpetuated by two key ingredients: a healthy diet and an active, on-the-go-lifestyle, both of which contribute greatly to natural beauty and are just a part of life in the Nordic region.