Hi everyone!
I hope that you have all had a good week! Today I am going to touch on the wonders of nutrition and eating healthy:). Eating healthy is a struggle for a great deal of us. We are constantly bombarded with information about what foods and diets are currently “good” for us only for them to be deemed “detrimental” to our health the next week! How confusing. The government does not do a great job at educating us as well. Honestly, I think that they even add to the confusion. However, it is important that we take our health into our own hands. The most important part is: PREVENTION! Preventive health can help to prevent common affluent diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer but it can also slow down the process of these diseases and even reverse them! Pretty cool, right?! I think so anyway. It all starts with you taking measures into your own hands.
Where to start anyway? There are so many “experts” out there now-a-days with the health and wellness industry skyrocketing into a billion-dollar business. Everyone is saying that “their way” is “the way” and will cure all of your problems; quickly too. Watch out for this…good health takes time. As does anything worthwhile. Sorry to say, but we cannot just take another pill and reverse chronic illness. We have to work at it.
What tools do we use? Nature of course! Nature gave us exactly what we need in order to be healthy and whole. Things like fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts are wonderful substitutes for things like processed sugars, dairy, white grains, and meat. Wait a minute? No dairy and meat? Where will I get my protein? Never fear! Things like spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and beans have all of the protein that you need. Some have even more than meat! Pretty wild. In fact, too much meat and dairy protein can actually be terrible for your health. The main protein in milk called casein has been shown in multiple studies to have a higher correlation to cancer rates than that of those that consumed lower rates of the caesin protein or dairy products.
The most important thing when starting to incorporate more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains into your diet is to buy organic! This is very important. I know that it is more expensive but food that is non-organic is probably contaminated with harmful toxins from pesticides and sprays. Try as best as you can to buy organic, but if you cannot I recommend buying at least these foods from the dirty dozen list organic: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php.
If you do not normally eat a lot of plants and whole grains try to start slowly. You could incorporate meatless mondays or try to have meal a day that is plant-based! It can be daunting at first which I totally get. I used to be the biggest meat-eater out of my family! When I first started, I had no idea what I was doing. I was shopping at my local grocery store in our very small “natural foods” section attempting to turn my health around one meal at a time! Honestly, the meals I made at first were very limited and simple. And that is perfectly fine, the more you dive into it, the more fun and easy it gets. Now I love trying new recipes and learning about different types of food and their many combinations.
It is also important to take care of your emotional and spiritual self as well during this time of transition. Food is an addiction (which continues to plague my life in the present haha) and it is important to show yourself some love. Try not to be too rigid when you first start out. Have fun and be gentle with yourself and others.
I also want to say that everyone is different. That what works for me may not work for you. So I encourage you to do your own research and use critical thinking as well as tune into your body’s wants and needs. You shouldn’t feel super tired and feel like you are wasting away. The cool thing with plant-based is that you can eat as much as you want (as long as its not processed) so make sure that you do! Do not limit yourself here. Also, I am not a doctor and this is not a prescription or something that you should be following strictly. I am a concerned person that has seen the health struggles not only within herself and those around her but also within the United States as a whole. I believe that eating a more plant-based diet is better for us and the planet.
With that being said, make sure you are honoring yourself and you body’s needs first. Think for yourself here and do what is best for you at all times! You can do it! Do not be afraid if you “fail” to start again! It happens to me all the time. Life is a practice, and we are always starting again and again.
If you have any questions or concerns feel free to reach out! I’ll put some links below to some website and good books to read to get started on this!
Peace,
Rylee
Links:
Books: https://www.amazon.com/Whole-Rethinking-Nutrition-Colin-Campbell/dp/1939529840
https://www.amazon.com/China-Study-Comprehensive-Nutrition-Implications/dp/1941631568/ref=pd_lpo_14_t_1/138-7628167-3705644?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1941631568&pd_rd_r=f58ba04f-ab2a-414b-8217-66d8797432a4&pd_rd_w=DRKnj&pd_rd_wg=iWIeQ&pf_rd_p=a0d6e967-6561-454c-84f8-2ce2c92b79a6&pf_rd_r=448MKYZ1E17YASRG1R1F&psc=1&refRID=448MKYZ1E17YASRG1R1F
Websites:
https://www.earthyandy.com
https://minimalistbaker.com: They have a lot of good recipe ideas for plant-based, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, minimal-ingredients, etc.
Documentaries:
-What the Health
-Cowspiracy
-Forks Over Knives
