Viva Vitality: Nutrition Tips for Well-Being
By Heather Mathur
The New Year is the perfect time to refresh your habits and set goals for better health. What you eat affects more than just your physical well-being. It influences energy, immunity, mental resilience, and even social well-being and connection. Healthy eating can help prevent chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer and heart disease, supporting a longer, healthier life. Here are some practical tips to boost your well-being this year.
Plan for success
Start small. Gradual changes lead to lasting habits. Set an achievable goal each week. Examples include, “This week I will add more vegetables to my lunch,” or “This week I will drink a glass of water when I wake up.”
Make healthy eating convenient. Create a weekly meal plan, wash and cut vegetables for quick snacks, and keep nutritious options like fruit, yogurt and whole grains on hand. Pack lunches and store healthy snacks at work, in your car and at home.
Cook once, eat twice. Prepare extra rice, noodles or potatoes to refrigerate or freeze. Pre-cook poultry or meat and portion for wraps, tacos, pizza or stir-fries.
Stay hydrated and mindful
Drink more water. Keep a water bottle handy and enjoy water hot or cold. Try herbal teas to hydrate during the colder months. Infuse water with fruit, herbs, or vegetables—like apples with cinnamon, pears with vanilla, raspberries with cucumber, or blackberries with mint.
Watch caffeine intake. Adults should limit caffeine to no more than 400 mg per day. Too much can cause insomnia, irritability, headaches and nervousness. Remember, caffeine can be found in coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks and chocolate.
Practice mindful eating. Slow down, notice hunger and fullness cues, and eat away from screens. Healthy eating is about habits, not just food choices.
Eat for connection and heart health
Share meals with others. Eating together boosts life satisfaction, encourages healthier choices, and reduces loneliness and overeating.
Add plant-based proteins daily. Beans, lentils, tofu and nuts provide fibre and less saturated fat, supporting heart health. Try beans in burritos, tofu in stir-fries, lentils in soups, and nuts in salads or baked goods.
Focus on fibre. Fibre helps you feel full and lowers cholesterol. Women need 25 grams per day, and men need 38 grams a day, but most Canadians get only half that. Choose whole grains, beans, peas, lentils, and fill half your plate with vegetables and fruits at every meal.
Nutrition is not about perfection, it’s about progress. Start with small, achievable changes and build habits that nourish your body and mind, all year long. Find more information on nutrition resources and classes at ahs.ca/nutrition.
Heather Mathur is a registered dietitian with Alberta Health Services, Nutrition Services.