[embracinglife]

How do you guys take care of yourself physically, food wise? I know it is important for me because I have PCOS, which is related to insulin and hormones and I should be eating much healthier than I am, but it's hard to get inspired to do so.

I should be eating whole grains, more protein and fruits and veggies, but it is hard to cook a lot. Lately, I've been eating lots of ramen noodles.

Also how do you eat healthy on a limited budget. I know i've been spending way too much money on unnecessary junk food snacks.

[missbelle]

Ah ramen noodles..I love them......well something cheap is to cook them with sliced peppers red and yellow(I buy them frozen) and some zuccini(also frozen or fresh even better). Then when almost done I saute in olive oil and only use a little bit of the seasoning from the Ramen noodles package(very salty)....Or you can make up your own seasoning. Its pretty healthy and cheap!

Tuna casserole is also cheap. You buy the canned mushroom soup that is the store brand,can of peas low salt, tuna and noodles. Healthy also and cheap!

Oh and the old standby is spaghetti and hamburger or macaroni and hamburg in a caserole. This goes a very long way!You can add veggies for more nutriton to the sauce.

There are great ideas using beans that are cheap and peanut butter is a good staple on whole wheat bread
Hope you get some more ideas!!! Its really easy to cook cheap..We get used to going out to McDonalds and prepared foods but you can still eat real cheap and have a very healthy diet. Do some research also on the internet!!
Hugs to you!

If you need advice on good nutrition, my advice is to avoid instant ramen noodles. Do you know why they cook so quickly when you add boiling water? It's because they have been pre-cooked, namely, deep-fried in oil! Ramen noodles are VERY high in saturated fat and calories. Add the soup mix that comes with them - which is VERY high in salt - and you don't have food; you have poison. I worked with a young woman in her early 20's who was going to college at night. She ate ramen noodles all the time because they were so convenient and tasty. She went to the doctor and was shocked to learn that she had high blood pressure, high cholesterol and protein deficiency.

How to eat healthy on a limited budget? Sources of protein: eggs (I like them scrambed with tomatoes), canned beans (a high fiber food; thoroughly rinse the salt off them before adding to rice, tomato sauce, canned soups, salads, etc.), rotisserie or boiled chicken (don't eat the skin; avoid fried chicken/foods), lean small steaks (trim off the solid fat; better for you than burgers and they cook in minutes), canned tuna or salmon. Convenient fruit and veggies: fresh fruit (apples and oranges are affordable - slice an apply and spread the slice with peanut butter for snacks) is better than store bought juices which are much higher in sugar; frozen bags of veggies can be added to canned soups (buy low salt) and cooked with rice and pasta. Avoid packaged foods - most are very high in salt, e.g., boxes of mac and cheese.

Even if you are on a tight budget, it does not pay to skimp when it comes to the food that you eat because it directly affects your health.

[(JD)]

I think being on a limited budget is an okay thing when you are trying to eat healthy. I say this because it removes most of the pre-packed foods which are more expensive than fresh foods!

I, personally, am about to go down the total health path I think, as more and more regular products have sugar additives and such that also cause hunger, cancer etc. But that's me.

Eat plainer foods. Don't have the other stuff in the house! But 3x as much of fresh veggies and fruits. A bag of apples is maybe $5 and gives you 10-15 snacks. Bags of carrots or/and celery also give good health benefits and several snacks and meal support.

Oatmeal is a great healthy food in many ways, and buying the large round container provides many breakfast's.

There are high protein bars that might cost $1 each on sale, but the high protein will help keep the hunger at bay especially at night when snacking might be highest.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4472952_eat-cheap-healthy.html

Good wishes! oh...drink 8 glasses of water each day! The stomach doesn't know the difference between thirst and hunger and often someone is thirsty, not hungry. Plus the water helps flush the toxins out of your body, helping to prevent sickness.

[embracinglife]

Thanks guys...I've been healthy before, but lately for some reason i'm just not. I think one of my meds is also contributing to me wanting to eat a lot at night. But anyways...I hope that if I start eating healthier I will be better off in general.