Believe it or not, the food we choose to eat has a profound impact on our health and wellbeing.
Analysing and becoming aware of the food products that we buy and eat, and the choices we make in relation to our diet, will help us to make small adjustments and gradually make bigger changes that will have an enormous benefit to overall health, and may even improve Hidradenitis Suppurativa symptoms.
The standard western diet has become the norm for millions of people around the world. This diet consists of high-fat foods, lots of sugar, red meat, processed meat and refined grains, and can be detrimental to our wellbeing. Most of us live busy lives and sadly cooking healthy meals has become less of a priority. Sometimes we reach for convenience food, or order a take-out to make our lives a bit easier. But these little habits over time become routine and the new norm for us. Like any habit they can be difficult to break, and sometimes it is hard to know where to begin.
That’s why making small changes to your diet can have positive effects and once these little changes become the new norm, you will be ready to take a closer look at your diet and see what else you can choose to change.
Lets look at some examples of little changes that you can make today!
1.Simple Yoghurt Swap
Instead of buying fruit flavoured yoghurt which is full of sugar, choose a natural yoghurt and add some fresh berries or your favourite fruit instead. If you know dairy products aggravate your Hidradenitis Suppurativa, choose a coconut or almond milk yoghurt.
2. Attack the Snack
Snacking has become a big part of our lives. Sometimes we crave something sweet and sometimes we crave something salty.
Potato chips (or crisps as we call them in Ireland) are a delicious snack, but they contain a lot of fat and salt so limiting them in your diet will benefit you in the long run. If you want a salty snack, choose to make some popcorn. It is so quick and easy to make and will satisfy your craving!
3. The most Important meal of the day
Many people believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Sadly, most of us don’t have a lot of time in the morning to prepare a hearty breakfast and so we choose different processed products like cereals and breads for convenience.
There are lots of quick breakfast ideas out there, and one is overnight oats. There are no rules when it comes to overnight oats, and there are hundreds of recipes and variations. One thing is for sure though, they are very quick and easy top prepare, so give it a go and ditch the sugary cereals!
4. You say potato, I say sweet potato
A really easy change to make is swapping regular French fries for sweet potato fries. Even better if you can bake them in the oven instead of deep frying. Sweet potato has a very different taste to regular potato, but once you have tried these a few times, you will be happy you did! Some people with Hidradenitis Suppurativa find that regular potatoes are a trigger food, so these fries are a great alternative option to add to your diet.
5. Steamed or Fried? Well it’s simple…
Next time you order a take-out that has a side of rice, why not choose steamed or wholegrain rice instead of fried rice. Or if you are cooking vegetables or potatoes at home, choose to bake or steam rather than frying, even just once or twice per week. Your body will thank you for this tiny swap as you reduce the fat and salt content of your meal.
It’s that simple. The little decisions we make every day can help us improve our health. Little tweaks to our diet can help us make healthier choices, and once they become the new norm, we can look at our purchasing and cooking habits, and decide what changes we can make to our diet to improve our Hidradenitis Suppurativa symptoms.
