How to eat Real Food?
Let's make this a year of small changes and big results, okay?
The term "eating clean" has been hyped up and thrown around quite a bit in the past year. However, I am truly not a big fan of it.
To me it sounds like a word, that puts judgement on food and pressure on us. When there is "clean" food, then there must be "dirty" food. How do you determine which is which?
Oftentimes, entire food groups are being demonized. Carbs, high fat, meat....you name it. It seems like each century brings a different culprit to the forefront - only to be reversed in the next one. It is kind of comical, isn't it?
That is why I really like the term "Real Food". As a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, I learned so much about the detrimental effect of non-nutrient foods and processed foods and when you think about it: There is never a mindset or shift towards promoting to eat more fries and donuts for better health, right?
However, that is what is promoted in the media and this is what we are exposed to in our daily lives: Processed Foods and simple sugars.
When I was first diagnosed with my autoimmune Hashimoto's, it never really looked at food labels to see what type of ingredients I was consuming, I sort of trusted that whatever is in the grocery stores must have been proved and tested and must have been defined as fit for human consumption. I mean - I wasn't eating from Fast Food Restaurants.
But I felt horrific and my antibodies were sky high. I intuitively knew that I had to look into making food changes as a way of bettering my symptoms and health. I mean, I was diagnosed with a chronic health condition, which scared the heck out of me.
So, if you are at the cusp of trying to figure out, how to really nourish your body and mind with real foods, follow these three basic and easy to incorporate first steps.
1. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store
This is where you find the produce. Real food that has actually grown naturally and was not produced and stripped of its molecules and nutrients in a lab or factory, Avoid the middle aisles for the most part. Make sure that your grocery cart is filled with 80% fresh produce to take home and to be prepared by you
2. Have a Meal Plan lined up and have a meal before you go shopping
this is two-fold. You are very likely to shop for the wrong items, when you do your grocery shopping on the fly, possibly being hungry with your blood sugar at the bottom which sends you over to the snack aisles almost immediately
Make a Plan! Know the meals that you will be preparing, know what ingredients to shop for and then go in there in a confident manner, knowing exactly what to get. This alone will probably save you a good amount of money and will help you stay on track
3. Organic Food / Seasonal Food
I hate to break it, but buying organic is going to be a deal breaker. It was for me for sure. Especially if you are dealing with chronic inflammation, such as in an autoimmune condition, it is very likely that your liver is a bit bogged down and not detoxifying properly on the daily. If you are eating produce, that is doused in pesticides and grew on heavily fertilized soil, you body will naturally absorb residues of it and therefor, your toxic load will increase along with it.
But organic food is so expensive and I can't really afford it.
Well, there are ways. You know what, I will explain how in my next newsletter and I will give you a glimpse into what my family does, having 2 young girls to feed and look after.
Please stay in touch, let me know what small changes you are hoping to implement this year for yourself. I would love to hear from you.If you have any questions, please also reach out. I am very happy to help!
In the meantime, eat well and try to eat real food.
Holistically Yours,
Cordula, R.H.N.