When we set out at our first Circle of 2018 to share and chat about food as medicine for health, we really bit off more than we could chew---- pun intended! The topic of food for health is so all encompassing, let alone a loaded one! When we think about food, we think about the food we love, the food we're not supposed to eat, the food that comforts us, the memories associated with food, the latest fads, foods for our budgets--yada, yada, yada! It's an emotional, spiritual and physical minefield!
After committing to further investigate the topic in later Circles, we felt it would be helpful to discuss and share some of our most basic and powerful "what you really need to know about what you should be ingesting for optimal health" tips!
For centuries world cultures have grown and used food as medicine. Food is viewed as a revered gift from Mother Nature and treated as such. While the wisdom gained from these cultures continues to trickle down to us in the States, since World War II food is seen as more of a commodity in America. Our country has focused on how to feed the masses cheaply! In doing so, the US food supply has been bastardized---stripped of nutrients, chemically infused and synthetically rich! Add this to the plethora of environmental toxins in the air and the desire for moms to keep our families healthy, you need a PHD to decipher ingredients when you go to the grocery store!
I think it's fair to say we live in an inflammatory world. Stress causes inflammation in our bodies and inflammation is the root cause of all disease! While we can't personally control the environment around us, we can control and be mindful of what we bring into our homes and put in our bodies. There is so much science today linking what we ingest to the quality of our health! You can't feed yourself junk and expect your health to be anything but junk!
Here is what the ladies in our Circle recommend:
* Try and eat/buy ORGANIC when you can to avoid pesticides, chemicals and hormones in our food supply
* AVOID GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS (GMO's) as they too are full of pesticides and toxic chemicals
*Understand that maintaining a balanced microbiome in your gut is of paramount importance as the gut is your largest immune system. Take probiotics daily! Eat fermented foods like Kombucha or sauerkraut!
*Get rid of all the processed foods in your pantry and switch to eating fresh food
*Load up on vegetables and fruits
*Cut out all processed sugar from your diet--a substance scientifically known as poison for good health
*Consider cutting out dairy and gluten from your diet if you're having health issues as both can cause sensitivities and issues for many
*Use healthy fats and oils in your diet as they're brain fuel! Remember to buy unrefined and unfiltered oils (minimally processed)and when cooking with oils such as olive oil, keep heat levels low so the oil doesn't turn rancid and release free radicals from being too highly heated. Preferred oils include extra virgin unrefined olive oil, avocado oil, organic grass fed butter and ghee (clarified butter without the lactose), coconut and MCT oils.
*Use lots of tummeric/curcumin in your food as the spice has one of the highest anti-inflammatory properties of any spice. Remember tummeric must be used with pepper to ignite its healing properties
*Drink organic green tea as it's loaded with antioxidants and powerful nutrients for the body
*Familiarize yourself with the acid/alkaline balance in your body and endeavor to move towards a proper balance between the two.
* Use more cinnamon--another powerful spice full of antioxidants
* Consider switching to Manuka honey from New Zealand--used for thousands of years medicinally (antimicrobial and natural antibiotic)
*Replace your processed salt with Himalayan or Celtic Sea Salts as they are full of important minerals and trace elements and should not effect one's blood pressure
*Add cilantro to your diet as the herb helps to flush heavy metals from the body
*Add green sea vegetables to your diet such as Arame, Nori, Kombu as they are an excellent source of iodine (Americans are depleted in iodine) as well as other vitamins
*Use chia, hemp and flaxseeds in your diet daily to promote digestive health
*Consider adding superfoods chlorella and spirulina to your daily diet
What are some of your healthy food tips? Do you have luck getting your family on board with healthy eating? We'd love to hear your suggestions below!
HELPFUL BOOKS
1. Life-Changing Foods, Save Yourself and the Ones You Love With the Hidden Powers of Fruits and Vegetables by Anthony William, https://www.amazon.com/Medical-Medium-Life-Changing-Foods-Vegetables-ebook/dp/B01IRU0URC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1516732102&sr=8-1&keywords=life+changing+foods+anthony+william
2. Fat for Fuel by Dr. Joseph Mercola, https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Fuel-Revolutionary-Combat-Increase-ebook/dp/B06W2KVK1P/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1516732364&sr=1-1&keywords=fat+for+fuel+by+dr.+joseph+mercola
3. The Plant Paradox, The Hidden Dangers in "Healthy" Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain, by Steven R. Gundry, MD, https://www.amazon.com/Plant-Paradox-Dangers-Healthy-Disease-ebook/dp/B01IMYGX8S/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1516732542&sr=1-1&keywords=the+plant+paradox+steven+gundry
4. Eat Dirt by Dr. Josh Axe, https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Dirt-Health-Problems-Surprising-ebook/dp/B00YNCZ45M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1516732717&sr=1-1&keywords=eat+dirt+book+by+dr.+josh+axe
HELPFUL WEBSITES
1. EWG.org, https://www.ewg.org/
2. NutritionFacts.org, https://nutritionfacts.org/
3. GetOffYourAcid.com, http://www.getoffyouracid.com/
HELPFUL SHOPPING SITES
1. Thrive Market.com https://thrivemarket.com/landing/home6/
2. Vitacost.com, https://www.vitacost.com/