Nutrition is the science of how the body uses food. The quality of those substances makes up the quality of our mental perspective and functioning of the body. We are what we eat, but even more importantly we are what we digest. The seat of our health begins with a strong digestive system. Here are some healthy habits to build upon.
Healthy Habits
eat organic when possible
eat 3 meals per day, avoid snacking between meals, and when you do have a piece of fruit
make breakfast a small meal (primarily made of protein and fat), make your largest meal lunch (you have the strongest digestive fire) dinner small meal (best as a starch meal or soup)
at dinner make enough food for lunch the next day
balance your plate with 20% healthy fats, 30% proteins, and 50% veggies/and starches, this looks like 1/2 of plate as veggies/starches, 1/4 as protein, and 1/4 as fat.
eat at home more often than eating out, when eating out be a vegetarian
choose from organic, free range, grass fed, local, meats + raw cheeses
eat half raw half cooked when you don’t know what to eat
add spices and ocean salt on everything you eat--to taste
add 1 tbsp of raw mono-unsaturated or poly-unsaturated fat to the top of each plate of food you make ie. olive oil, sesame oil, walnut oil, borage oil, flax oil, hemp oil, 'UDO's oil' choice blend.
only cook with saturated fats ie. coconut oil, lard, duck fat, palm oil, ghee, butter, etc.
avoid any refined, processed, hydrogenated or cooked/fried vegetable oils.
eat a piece of fruit instead of fruit juice mostly alone or paired with a protein or fat
eat dairy and sugars in raw form
add 1 tbsp of raw sauerkraut to lunch and dinner
make your own salad dressings, marinades, and sauces
have a cup of miso, bone broth or veggie broth with one meal per day
chew chew chew, rest and digest, especially for lunch your biggest meal
combine your meals properly ie. protein+fat=yes, starch*+fat=yes, protein+starch=no fat+all meals=yes, fruit mostly alone or with a little protein or fat *starch is considered a grain or bean. Root veggie, veggies, or squash is ok
eat primarily low in starches (grains + beans) but when choosing a starch choose from the non-processed starches ie. root veggies, squashes, soaked beans, soaked grains. Avoid refined flours, packaged foods, breads, pastries, pastas, and added sugars + sweeteners + artificial sweeteners
soak sprout or ferment your grains, and legumes
soak or sprout your nuts and seeds
eat seasonally
eat for your body type (Vata, Pitta, Kapha)
drink water! (half your body weight in ounces per day, i.e 150 lbs = 75 oz of H2O)
start the day with 16 oz of electrolyte water (1/4 tsp of celtic grey salt, or concentrace mineral drops, squeeze of lemon or lime, and 2 drops of stevia or splash of maple syrup)
discard food that has been in the fridge for more than 3 days
intermittent fast 2 days a week i.e. stop eating after 6:00pm, and skip breakfast the next morning, or stop eating after lunch and go till Lunch the next day
juice cleanse in the spring, and Kitchari cleanse in the fall include enema's
Fat as Fuel:: Fat is an important source of fuel, when utilized by the body it is stable, long lasting, calming, non-emergency fuel. Fat is mood-stabilizing, detoxifying, and also rejuvenating to the body.
good fats are the best source of energy for the heart, esp. fish oil
the appropriate mix of omega's (3-6-9) is critical for the management of inflammation
acting as building blocks for cell membranes, and hormones
the liver metabolizes fats into their usable forms for the body, and the bile is built of healthy fat, proper ingestion, and digestion of fat causes less liver and gallbladder stress
fats aid the absorption of fat soluble vitamins ADEK
types of fat:: duck fat, lamb fat, ghee, beef lard, pork lard, raw hemp oil, avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado’s, soaked nuts and seeds and their butters, raw dairy, please know to avoid refined oils, expeller pressed oils, hydrogenated fats, and trans fats.
Protein for Power:: The body needs proteins to build new cells, maintain tissue health, and so much more.
enzymes are proteins, and they act as managers and catalysts for all biochemical processes
antibodies are proteins that help fight infection and destroy foreign invaders
hemoglobin are specialized proteins that deliver oxygen around the body
hormones are proteins that regulate metabolism and almost every key function in the body
types of proteins:: grain and bean combo (highest protein grains are quinoa, amaranth, teft, millet) land animals, nuts, seeds, eggs, yogurts, kefirs, raw dairy and cheeses, sea animals, etc.
Vital Vegetables: seasonal vegetables are the most vital and nutrient filled, especially from the farmers market. Eat the rainbow!
vegetables are very high in fiber, vit. C, folate, and the minerals in vegetables help prevent osteoporosis and act as important enzyme cofactors
eating adequate fiber can help normalize cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and bowel transit times, which reduces bowel toxicity and prevents irritation of the GI lining.
vegetables help to regulate protein and fat metabolism
the fiber in vegetables nourishes beneficial gut bacteria, which in turn nourish the lining of the GI tract, produce vitamins, and inhibit the overgrowth of yeast and other undesirable organisms
vegetables contain folate, which increases energy, helps reduce the chances for a heart attack, and allows the body to produce serotonin (critical in preventing depression and overeating).
EAT PLENTY OF VEGETABLES!
Plenty means that at least half of your plate is covered with low-glycemic vegetables like leafy greens.
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