Healthy eating is all about making the right choices.
Critical to healthy eating is having knowledge about the
foods you are having, engaging in activity, and supporting your diet with premium nutritional products that ideally follow a rigorous ingredient policy that is gluten-free, vegan, and formulated with non-GMO ingredients.
Having more energy and vitality, feeling more engaged in life, and being happier can start with making a few small changes in your daily habits and engaging in self- education. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated.
Additional Considerations
DIGESTIBILITY
Digestibility of products consumed can be important, as
the ability to easily breakdown foods can result in the body using the nutrients more efficiently and potentially even more of the beneficial nutrients being used. Good digestibility
can also help ensure that there are no side effects of poor digestion such as gas, bloating or constipation.
ABSORPTION/BIOAVAILABILITY
Bioavailability is the extent to which an ingested
substance becomes available to the desired tissue. The bioavailability of a nutrient is critical because if a nutrient
is not bioavailable, it can pass through the body without contributing any positive benefit to the individual. When a nutrient is highly bioavailable, the body can then utilize much more of it, which is crucial to support health and wellness.
ALKALINITY
Certain foods and beverages can be acidic. While the body has a system in place to help support a balanced pH, a diet high in fruits and vegetables supports a more alkaline pH.
STRESS
Science has shown that stress can cause the release of a hormone called cortisol, which can have detrimental effects, even in a very healthy person. Eating healthy, exercising, managing stress, and supplementing your diet with the nutrients you need to support optimal health and wellness may help support stress relief.
My 30 Days to Healthy Eating programme is a tool that you can use to help you on your journey.
Before you start……
Establish your “Why?” and write it down:
If you just want to feel healthier or have more energy each day for work or recreation, write that down. If you simply feel that you want to improve your lifestyle, eat better and start making healthier choices, then write that down. The more specific you can be about your goals now the better you will be able to track your progress during the next 30 days.
FILLING YOUR PLATE
Veggies: 1/2 of your plate with greens like kale, chard, mustard greens, spinach, broccoli, asparagus
Lean Protein: 1/4 of your plate with legumes, lentils and if you eat meat, wild fish, chicken or turkey
Complex Carbs: 1/8 of your plate with brown rice, quinoa, beets, sweet potatoes, carrots or millet
Good Fats: 1/8 of your plate with seeds, nuts, nut butters, nut oils, olive oil, avocado, flax, grape seed oil, coconut oil.
WHEAT / GLUTEN
Remove:
• Pasta
• White rice • Bread
• Cereal
Replace with:
• Brown rice
• Quinoa
• Amaranth
• Brown rice pasta • Spaghetti squash
DAIRY
Remove:
• Milk
• Cheese • Yogurt • Butter
Replace with: • Almond milk
• Rice milk
• Coconut milk
• Nutritional yeast
PROCESSED FOOD
Remove:
• Boxed and packaged food
• Pre-manufactured food
• Fast food
• Frozen dinners
Replace with:
• Locally grown, seasonally available
fruits and veggies
• If you eat meat:
Free-range, grass-fed, hormone-free meats
Veggies
Helpful Hints
1. Stay Hydrated — Water is critical for optimal physiologic function and healthy living. Dehydration can have many negative side effects and leave you feeling less than ideal. Drinking plenty of water is also essential for processing nutrients and maintaining a proper fluid balance. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in water per day. For example, if you weigh 120 pounds, you should drink at least 60 ounces of water per day.
2. Slow Down — It takes time for the brain to tell the body that it’s full, so when you eat quickly you may overeat and not even realize it. Slow down and listen to when your body says it’s full. Listening to this will help you reduce your caloric intake and will help support weight management. Additionally, eating food slower will help support proper digestion.
3. Avoid Refined Sugar — Sodas and sweetened beverages can have anywhere from 17–50+ grams of sugar per can/bottle. This can have a negative impact on blood sugar levels, can lead to a sugar crash, and sugars when over consumed can be converted to fat and stored in the body. Many health professionals lay some of the blame for the high incidence of diabetes and obesity to over consumption of sodas and sugary snacks. Also look for natural sweeteners like stevia, and unrefined sugar cane. Stay away from high fructose corn syrup, and high sugar foods and beverages.
4. Snack Healthy — While we recommend avoiding snacking in the first 30 days, we know it can be difficult to avoid at times, so when snacking it’s important
to make healthy decisions. Foods with no nutrient value only deliver sodium, fats, carbohydrates and empty calories. Get used to choosing fruits, nuts and vegetables for snacks.
5. Exercise — Light activity is good for you. Just
30 minutes of raising your heart rate even a little will support your weight management goals, give you more energy, and help you enjoy life a little more. Exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous; it just has to elevate your heart rate for a sustained period of time, so choose an exercise that fits your activity level. Take a walk around your neighborhood or jog at a local park. Either way, you’re supporting a healthier lifestyle, and your efforts will be rewarded.
6. Get Some Rest — Sleeping is a time when the body repairs and restores itself; many different processes are at work during sleep that are not happening when you are awake. Not enough sleep can result in low energy and a less positive outlook when it comes to everyday life. Be sure you get the right amount of sleep to help you feel rested, energetic and clear-headed. Remember, this is not a plan of perfection; this is a way to support healthy living.
7. Track Your Work — Many individuals benefit from being more engaged in their fitness goals. This manual delivers the tools you need to track your progress. Changes can happen slowly and may not even be noticed because of the gradual progression. Track day-to-day efforts so you can see how you are building toward your goal. Many find it helpful to find a friend or a coach to help keep them on track.
Healthy Food
The foods you eat are one of the most important aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Whole plant foods are more nutrient-dense than processed and fast foods, which are typically high in fats, calories, sugars and sodium, and low in beneficial nutrients like vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber and antioxidants. By eliminating processed foods and removing many of the known major allergens and incorporating high amounts of nutrient-rich vegetables, fruits and legumes, you can start to live a healthier, happier lifestyle.
POWERFUL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Some of the most important nutrients our bodies require come from fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are a source of vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, antioxidants and many other unique and powerful nutrients that support a broad range of bodily functions.
COLORFUL VEGETABLES
The bright colors you see in vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, and red, yellow and green peppers are due to beneficial antioxidant nutrients called carotenoids. Specific carotenoids like beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin and astaxanthin can have a variety of benefits like supporting vision, improving skin resistance to UV light, and also helping fight free radical damage.
CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES
Cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower. These types of vegetables
contain vitamins, minerals and unique phytonutrients like sulforaphane, a powerful antioxidant. These vegetables can also be a source of the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-Linolenic acid (ALA).
DARK LEAFY GREENS
Deep green leafy vegetables include kale, spinach and collard greens. These are rich in vitamins and minerals including vitamin K, which supports bone health, and iron to help support blood production.
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