From Farm To Table ~ 7 Tips For Eating Healthy
You’ve probably heard the term “clean eating” from your friends or maybe you read about it on blogs, magazines, and social media.
Clean eating is really all about eating healthy foods that are sustainably and responsibly grown, without the usual inhumane and chemical processes that occur with the majority of farms and traditional meats foods available in supermarkets.
Clean eating is consuming foods in their natural state of harmony. It’s a “diet” that puts an emphasis on whole foods, and seasonal vegetables from your garden or the grocery store because these foods provide the most nutritional value.
7 Simple Tips For Healthy Eating Habits
1. Eat a Variety of Colorful Fruits and Vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables form the foundation of a clean eating lifestyle because they are whole foods that you can eat in their optimal state. without much preparation. In addition, they’re loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients that are still yet to be discovered.
Nature holds many secrets to our health and well-being.
One thing you can do to get the most nutritional benefit from the plants and fruits you eat is to prepare them in a way to maintain their nutritional value.
This means steaming broccoli vs boiling it, baking nuts for a short period of time to release their healthy fats, and eating foods raw to maximize their benefits.
Purchasing organic is not always necessary. Plants and fruits that have thick skin do not need to be organic. However, I do recommend that you wash all veggies and fruits right before eating them using Basic H and perhaps, peel them as well. No one needs pesticides, herbicides, and chemicals added to their diet.
To find out which fruits and vegetables to buy organic, google the Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen. I use this list when I go grocery shopping and keep it on my phone for easy access. The EWG provides a new list each year. This can also save you money for those other special things you would like to splurge on
2. Choose Clean and Sustainably Raised Protein Options.
In addition to fresh organically grown fruits and vegetables, it’s a good idea to choose your protein sources carefully.
Research shows that it is a good idea to eliminate your consumption of processed meats like hot dogs, nuggets, and patties. As an alternative, choose fresh, sustainably raised meats along with wild fish from the North West Oceans.
In addition, meat from animals raised humanely and on small farms offers more nutritional value.
For example, cows that are fed their natural diet of grass have been shown to have more omega-3 fats and antioxidants than grain-fed beef.
The best eggs are available on small farms, at farmers’ markets, and even your neighbors! I get my eggs from a friend who raises chickens and they are the best-tasting eggs ever! Maybe you’ll want to raise your own chickens?
These eggs are from chickens raised and fed with love and quality foods,so they are healthier eggs for you.
Reducing dairy consumption is a wise idea for your health. Most people have a difficult time digesting the lactose in these products. Many of these foods also contain antibiotics, hormones, and other unnecessary chemicals.
You can find delicious goat cheese and coconut products as a replacement for your standard cheeses as well as coconut yogurt and nut milks.
3. Limit Heavily Processed Foods
While many foods involve at least some processing, heavily processed foods like fast food, snacks, and packaged dinners contain preservatives and chemicals along with an enormous amount of added sugars.
Just read your typical catsup bottle label, cereal box, crackers, and granola. You might be astounded by what you will find.
These types of “foods” are not real foods and offer little to no nutritional value. Quite the opposite.
These nonfoods and drinks contribute to the skyrocketing epidemic of obesity and diabetes, along with heart disease and many cancers.
Say NO to these products. Every buying decision you make makes a difference as to what the manufacturers will produce for sale on the market shelves.
4. Food Labeling 101
Let’s talk about food labels.
Food Labeling 101 is a great place to begin learning about what foods are beneficial for you and which ones are not.
I understand that it can be difficult to break the habit of eating packaged food products, but you may want to ask yourself, at what cost?
It all boils down to your overall health, lifespan, and healthy longevity and what you want that to look like.
Your first step to making empowering decisions around your food choices is to become a label reader.
Check to see how many ingredients are on the label (if you can not pronounce them put them back) and if there are any preservatives, added sugars, or unhealthy fats. It’s best to look for food with all-natural ingredients and as few ingredients as possible.
To improve your health and empower your mind and body, eat foods closest to their source.
5. Avoid Added Sugars
Oh yes, sugar is the enemy, sabotaging our health and energy, stealthily creeping into our diets, and wreaking havoc on our well-being. It's time to reclaim control, embrace wholesome alternatives, and savor the sweetness of a healthier life.
Added sugar is hidden amongst many of the foods that make up the standard American diet of today. It can be found lurking on the labels of sweets, snacks, sauces, dressings, condiments, and even seasonings & spices!
The negative impact of sugar, similar to smoking, has been widely ignored and swept under the rug for decades. Sugar has been linked to endless health issues ranging from fibromyalgia and diabetes to inflammation and chronic gut issues.
When trying to lose weight, it's important to avoid added sugar at all costs and even limit foods that are high in naturally occurring sugars, like bananas and pineapple. When it comes to eating clean, it's important to consume foods in their most natural form.
If you are having difficulty kicking sugar to the curb, try these all-natural sweeteners as a substitute!
Xylitol (Derived from birch) *My personal favorite!
Stevia (Derived from the stevia plant)
Monk fruit (Derived from monk fruit)
Erythritol (Derived from corn/wheat/cornstarch)
6. Limit Alcohol Consumption
When everything from shots to champagne is loaded with sugar, how the heck are you supposed to still live your life on a low-sugar diet?
Most of us love having a social life, right? And that can typically revolve around two things: eating and drinking.
However, we still all love to meet the rest of our tribe where food and drink are the focus. So what can you do to avoid having to “give in” to your commitment to yourself to not drink alcohol, sweet drinks, or eat those foods that look so delectable?
Solution: Prepare your mindset and your body ahead of time. Make a plan and set an intention of what you want to consume.
Then stick to that plan with a YES!
Side note: Certain types of alcohol like wine may have some health benefits, but an excess amount can promote inflammation and lead to other health problems. Drink responsibly and in moderation! And most of all, enjoy your life.
7. Make pure fresh water your “go-to” beverage.
Pure fresh water is the most natural thing you can drink and has no additives, sugars, preservatives, or artificial sweeteners like so many other beverages today.
You probably already know that water is essential to all kinds of bodily functions and your overall health, and it is widely recommended to drink at least 8 cups a day. If you are not much of a water drinker yet, get yourself a 16 oz or bigger, water bottle to drink from throughout the day. (avoid the plastic ones)
This way you can keep track of how much water you consume every day and work on improving that amount until you reach half your body weight in ounces of water.
A quick and simple way to start eating clean is by taking the 7-Day Healthy Cleanse Challenge, which consists of a diet complete with fruits and vegetables. I offer personal coaching with this program as well.
You can also use these principles to modify your existing diet to eat cleaner and become more focused on promoting your health. Give it a try!
Cheers to healthy living!
lots of love, Shelley
