-Michael Pollan, Author, In Defense of Food
I don’t know about you, but it’s been a crazy summer filled with social gatherings, travel, sick pets, and crazy weather. And for some of us, we’ve started cutting corners when it comes to healthy choices. Sometimes convenience wins out. But sometimes all it takes is a little reminder and some inspiration to get right back into healthier eating.
As the season starts to change and some of us are settling into a new school year, now is the perfect time to reset those healthy habits that can keep us going strong all winter long.
Sometimes, the idea of healthy eating feels overwhelming and seem to quickly become complicated with too many ingredients or specialty items. We’re here to reassure you that great food is available almost everywhere. In this article we’ll explore and show you some ideas of what you could buy at the grocery store to easily eat healthy.
In fact, it’s this very approach that helped me reverse my type 2 diabetes as a teenager. I didn’t have much money or support, but I took a simplistic approach to eating which made all the difference for me. I reversed the progression of the disease. I’m 65 now, and I’ve been healthy ever since I turned my health around.
“Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Michael Pollan, author of the book In Defense of Food, An Eater’s Manifesto gives us the perfect, simple statement to keep ourselves on the path of healthy eating. (This is a really great book about reconnecting to where our food comes from and what kind of role food should play in our lives. Check it out on Amazon or wherever you get your books.)
Keep Food Simple
Step 1: Eat food. Choose things that are as close to their natural state as possible. A package of rice should contain only rice – no added flavorings or salt or other ingredients. Don’t pick “food” created by food scientists. Don’t eat chemicals, additives and preservatives. Eat food.
Sometimes it takes a week or so to get our tastebuds reacquainted with wholesome, home cooked food. Too much sodium, sugar, fat and artificial flavoring can hijack our tastebuds and make natural food taste bland. But our palates can adjust, and whole foods can taste delicious and make us feel better. Food plays a huge role in how we feel physically and emotionally. Crappy food can make you feel, well, crappy.
Introduce Flavor to the Basics:
Basic doesn’t have to mean bland! Add flavors naturally, with herbs, spices, onions, garlic, citrus, sesame seeds, sea salt, maple syrup and more.
Remember to put plants in the starring role: We’re talking vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains seeds, and nuts. These should make up the bulk of your diet. Protein sources are important but can easily play a supporting role.
A Good Reminder: Simple choices are the way to go. A great list of basics:
Whole grains: Brown rice, quinoa, millet, barley, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta and breads.
Beans: black, pinto, kidney, cannelloni, garbanzo, lentils, white beans.
Meats: Grass fed, organic and pasture raised animals when you can. Eating meat that has been properly raised and fed makes a quality difference. Farmers shouldn’t need to add flavoring into chicken, or coloring into salmon to make it look and taste normal. The bottom line is conventionally raised meat isn’t as healthy for you. Recently published studies have confirmed this: See how conventionally raised animals produce lower quality food.
Eggs: Free range or pasture raised. Fun fact: Chickens shouldn’t have vegetarian feed – chickens aren’t vegetarians- But they ALSO shouldn’t be eating animal by products either. They should be eating bugs and foraging outside.
Fruits and Vegetables: Find out what’s in season in your area. Pick organic when you can.
Apples, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, pears, grapes. Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, chard, spinach, bell peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes, zucchini, onions avocadoes.. Sweet potatoes, white potatoes, too.
Find the lettuces you love- some people love the crunch of romaine, others prefer a softer baby lettuce mix. Get to know the produce section of your food store. Learn about produce, and find what works for you.
Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, macadamias, pistachios, pecans, cashews. Preferably raw or dry roasted without added oils. Nuts are often roasted with unhealthy, processed oils.
Herbs and spices: cilantro, basil, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme. Pick your favorite!
Olives, pickled peppers, pickles, kimchi, sauerkraut are all good ways to add flavor, too.
The freezer section at your favorite store has vegetables and fruits too. Canned tomatoes are great and can be used year-round.
Vegetables should be a big part of every meal. Meat and grains should come second.
Dairy: If you are having dairy, choose un-homogenized, avoid ultra-pasteurized, and buy organic when you can. Find grass fed butter.
Sea salt: skip conventional salt. It’s been stripped of trace minerals and it often has iodine added as well as anti-caking agents. Your body doesn’t need anti-caking agents, so why eat them?
The little changes we make in the way we eat every day can have a giant ripple effect in our health and how we feel, physically and emotionally.
Make some swaps:
Salad dressing? Skip the bottle at the store. Homemade dressing is healthier and tastes better. Fresh healthy extra virgin olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice, a little salt and a little garlic tastes amazing!
The boxed meals and snacks in the grocery store? If it has more than 5 ingredients, or you can’t pronounce them, you can make it better. Leave them on the shelf.
Sugary drinks: Soda and sports drinks: Skip the sugar, and skip the artificial versions,too. Artificial sweeteners aren’t healthy. They may have less calories, but that doesn’t make them healthy. A better option? Water with a squeeze of citrus. Or unsweetened tea.
Eating is a lifelong task. We get to do it multiple times, every day. And each time we choose a healthy meal or snack, we’re one step closer to good health in the long term. How we eat over the course of our life supports healthy functioning of our bodies. How we treat our bodies on a daily basis nurtures the best version of ourselves. Please take care of yourself and your loved ones.
Healthy Inspiration
Here are some of our favorite online recipe sources. All these sites have healthy recipes and special occasion ideas, too:
Do you have a great resource for recipes for healthy eating? Share yours with us in the comments below- Thanks for reading!!
