Though I am not a doctor or a nutritionist, I am a common-sense-ist when it comes to how we nourish and support our bodies with food. And given that the nuttiest time of year for food has arrived? I thought that some common-sense reminders would be welcome.
What to Eat
In order to truly nourish your body, you have to pay attention. If you are lactose intolerant or intolerant of ANY type of food, this is going to make digesting uncomfortable (even painful). Get tested or just pay attention, but commit to stop eating foods that don’t agree with your body. If you eat foods that are irritating your digestive tract, that means you are creating inflammation in your body which research shows is the pre-cursor to many diseases.
Other than that, common-sense rules the day:
-Focus on locally produced, organic fruits and veggies (shoot for 7-9 servings a day).
-Think variety with fruits and veggies.
-Eat seasonally- warm foods in winter (soup, root veggies), cooling foods in summer (salads).
-Eat whole grains like millet, brown rice, quinoa, barley, polenta, oats, etc. There are so many delicious options besides bread!
-Enjoy nuts, seeds, and olive oil. Yum!
-Drink lots of fresh water
-Minimize (or eliminate) soda, juice, alcohol, and coffee.
-Eliminate (or minimize) artifical sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup.
-Minimize processed foods. Look at the ingredient list. Do you recognize the ingredients as food??
-Focus on a plant-based diet. I personally limit meat consumption to a few times per week, but if you eat meat, eat grass fed, free-range meats in moderation.
-If you eat fish, buy wild-caught, being mindful to avoid fish with high mercury levels.
-If you or your children eat dairy, buy organic, hormone-free dairy products.
How to Eat
Eat when you are a little bit hungry and stop when you are a little bit full. By not waiting until you are starving, you will prevent the mad, pig-out that naturally ensues when you are too hungry to eat like a sane person. By stopping before you are stuffed, you will feel light and energized by your food.
Again, common-sense:
-Sit down to eat.
-Let go of your rules about food. Enjoy what you put in your mouth. If it doesn’t taste good, don’t bother. Really.
-Chew your food. This leads to eating at a normal pace, which leads to recognition about hunger/fullness.
-Breathe and let your belly be soft. Allow your body to do it’s job by staying relaxed.
-And, what is really important is to play by the 90/10 rule. Make 90% of your food healthful and nourishing and yummy for your body and your life and 10% of your food is for pure pleasure and fun.
Finally, approach your relationship to food and eating with compassion, kindness, and flexibility. After all, eating is something you will do three times a day (at least) for the rest of your life. It will serve you well to take the long-view with your choices.
May your Thanksgiving and your holiday season be a wonderful celebration of gratitude! Enjoy!
Photo courtesy of e-walk via Flickr under a creative commons license.
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