Disclaimer: As we dive into different beneficial food types and groups, it is important to recognize that everyone’s body is unique and you must take into account what works best for you. Everyone is beautiful and the habits mentioned in this article are just ideas to get you started if you’re looking to improve certain aspects of your health. It’s important to do your own research and talk to a doctor before relying on anything to keep you healthy. These ideas are not guidelines or requirements and should not be taken as such. If you have concerns and want to speak with a school counselor, please find the counseling staff page linked here.

There are many beneficial foods and drinks that can be a great inclusion in your diet and food regimen. These can support a healthy lifestyle now and in the future, aid your sleep, and boost your overall health and energy.

TEA:

The first beneficial habit to consider mixing into your routine is tea, a beverage that contains many benefits. Herbal tea has been shown to reduce fatigue, which everyone knows can be overwhelmingly beneficial to high school students. According to Sleep Foundation, valerian root, chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, passionflower, and Mongolian bark are the top six plants and herbs, turned to teas, that aid sleep and relaxation. Chamomile tea is one of the most popular herbal teas and is sold by nearly every tea retailer. Despite what little research has been done, a few studies have shown that chamomile tea can improve sleep quality. Traditional teas also have shown to have a great deal of long-term health benefits (as long as it’s not too hot) including reduced risk of premature death, heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

PROTEIN:

Protein is a food group most people have heard of before. They are a very important biological building block and are necessary for body function. However, vegetarians should not lose hope yet. In fact, everyone should take a page out of their book while remembering that meat is not the only protein! While most Americans do, on average, eat enough protein, according to MyPlate, the variety quite simply isn’t there. While meat may be the most well-known, poultry, seafood, eggs, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, and soy products are ALL included in the protein food group. Including these other forms of protein in your diet can help ensure your consumption of important nutrients and limit your consumption of the unhealthy parts of processed meat.

SUPERFOODS:

In order to ensure you are getting the important nutrients that are necessary for a healthy lifestyle, some foods that you could consider have been deemed “superfoods” by the Harvard Health Blog. The ten superfoods on this list are berries, fish, nuts, leafy greens, olive oil, whole grains, yogurt, cruciferous vegetables, legumes, and tomatoes. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens, radishes, and turnips. Our first superfood, berries, are good to eat either in season or frozen when out of season. Fish can be bought fresh, frozen, or canned and still provide the nutrients needed. Nuts are good snacks in small handfuls. Greens can be eaten in salad or maybe even with soups. Olive oil can be drizzled over vegetables or in place of butter in pasta. Oatmeal is great to get some whole grains, so consider including it in your breakfast regimen. Try eating plain yogurt and adding your own fruits (berries, even!). Steam some veggies to eat or add them to soup and other dishes. Make a chili or bean-based spread to get your legume helping. Tomatoes work great in salads or in a sauce over pasta. There are many ways to consider getting these superfoods into your diet and they may be a good way to ensure you’re getting the nutrients you need to live a healthy life and to have the energy you need to get through the day.

Once again, before making any serious changes to your diet, please refer to a doctor who can advise you on how to best handle your concerns.