What to eat??!

Deciding what to eat can be a stressful and confusing process! With so many different grocery stores, items and foods, trying to remember your bag, what your partner likes, what your kids like, what you like, thinking of what to eat throughout the week, it's a lot to take into consideration. To help lighten your decision making load, I thought I'd explain the healthiest foods for you and your family to choose from.

The first thing to do before you leave the house is to make a list and plan out your meals for the week. Write your meals out on a sheet of paper to determine what you'll need to prepare them. Start making this a habit as it will help you to go in with a plan and will reduce the time and stress that grocery shopping can cause some people. Also, it will save you money as you won't just go in and grab what looks good and get home only to find you didn't really buy anything that goes together.

Foods to consider for your list:

Grains: Look for gluten free grains such as rice, rice crackers, rice bread, rice noodles, red or white quinoa, millet, oats, amaranth and teff. I like to eat grains more so for lunch and/or dinner and eat more foods with healthy fats for breakfast to keep me satiated and my blood sugars stable until lunch.

Protein: We have a misconception that we are lacking in protein. Better rephrased as we are lacking in healthy protein and we overindulge in animal protein. The general rule is if you've been a carnivore for most of your life, then it is wise to seek vegetarianism for a good year at least, depending on your body type, weight and health. When I say vegetarianism I mean no meat-chicken, turkey, beef etc. But I do encourage fatty fish such as sockeye salmon during this cleanse.
Another rule of thumb is if you've been a vegetarian and definitely if you've been vegan for 4+ years, it is wise to transition into eating animal protein. The body begins to lose it's reserves and precious nutrients that only animal protein can offer us after 4-5 years. This is especially important for menstruating women and pregnant or post-pregnancy to help rebuild lost blood and regain vitality. We have a negative connotation with meat because our nation abuses animals and raises them inhumanely. But, if you can purchase organic, and/or free range meat, local when possible, you will be doing your body and the environment a great favor.

IMPORTANT: In regards to meat, we have to be more conscious of our portions. Every other country besides the U.S. eats meat as a condiment, not as a main course! It is wise to eat meat as a condiment and to allow vegetables and soups to dominate your plate!

Healthy Proteins (animal): Bison, beef, lamb, turkey, (all meats should be grass fed, organic and local when possible), wild salmon (pacific ocean fish only), anchovies, trout, cod, herring, mackerel. Free range organic local eggs (make sure you know your source, find a farmer buy their eggs, don't buy corporate eggs these are very detrimental to health)
Healthy Proteins (Plant): Hemp seeds, hemp milk, flax-seeds (golden has higher omega-3 content than brown and they must be ground to get the omega-3's from them), almonds and almond butter, cashews and cashew butter, sesame seeds, tahini.

Healthy Fats: Coconut oil, coconut milk, extra virgin olive oil, fish oil, flax oil (use quickly within a month as oil goes rancid quickly), nut butters (see above), sesame oil (do not heat to high temperature), raw chocolate


Vegetables: You really can't go wrong here. The best thing to keep in mind is try to stay as local and organic as possible. Also, try to stay as seasonal as possible. This means no zucchini or asparagus in winter! Cooked leafy greens such as kale, chard, spinach should be eaten daily.Vegetables should dominate your plate!

Fruits: Look for seasonal fruits and eat 1-3 servings per day. Fruit consumption shouldn't reign over veggies!

Dairy: Yes, dairy is a protein source but it get's its own category because it is an extremely overused product!! Dairy should be used minimally in the diet. This includes yogurt, as it is very phlegm producing and leads to poor digestion; excess dairy is also associated with a number of health conditions such as arthritis, cancer, any type of pain, menstrual issues, the common cold, and constipation to name a few. When choosing dairy try to buy goat or sheep products instead of cow, if you have a healthy immune system look for raw dairy products. In general, it is best to avoid milk (unless you have a raw milk source), minimize yogurt consumption, cheese 1-3x per week in small servings. It is best to avoid dairy if you have a serious health condition. If you're looking for an alternate milk source, look for nut milks such as hemp, almond or cashew and learn to make your own, it's so simple!

Other: There are some other foods that should be incorporated into the diet. A couple of these include miso and seaweed. These are excellent removers of chemicals and heavy metals, they are great for both cancer patients and cancer prevention. Post Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings, the individuals who suffered the least from radiation exposure were the less wealthy individuals who could only afford simple foods such as miso and seaweed. With our soils becoming less and less depleted, our bodies are starving for micronutrients. Seaweed is by far the highest source of micronutrients available to us. Seaweed only should be eaten in small amounts as it has powerful detoxifying properties. 2-5grams in pill for per day is sufficient for healthy individuals, if you buy the dried seaweed look for red and brown such as kelp and dulse. A small handful a day of the dried seaweed is all you need in a day.
Microgreens- Check your co-op shelves for microgreens and add them to smoothies, soups, salads, eggs etc

Example of a healthy breakfast:
Smoothie:
1/2 Pear chopped
1/2 cup coconut milk
Small handful of hemp seeds (can add ground flax also)
Hemp Milk-just covering other contents
2-3 Dashes of cinnamon
Blend!
(you can also add spirulina or chlorella for additional micronutrients, 1/4 tsp is all that is needed!)
I like to eat this with millet or rice toast with almond butter and jelly

Reforming Western Exercise

We are a nation that takes great pride in the material world; we crave material goods that look appealing to the eye-fancy clothing, nice hotels, big name jobs, fancy cars and lots of money to buy all these things. We are obsessed with our material objects as much as we are with our appearance. We spend more money on gym memberships than on healthy food and yet we are still the most obese nation in the world. Something isn't adding up here...

In fact working out more will not ultimately lead to improved health. We have the capacity to work out long and hard starting at a young age up until about young adulthood and for few individuals, into adulthood as well. But this prolonged exertion throughout life is not sustainable and is actually extremely depleting rather than nourishing and strengthening to one's being. In the eyes of Chinese medicine, excess and prolonged exertion leads to a depletion of yang qi, our energy source, and to a depletion of blood and fluids as well.

Of course we don't want to be stationary individuals as that leads to poor health as well. Yet, it is crucial for desired health, to engage in activities such as walking, gardening, participating in household chores and to develop a yoga, qi gong and/or tai ji practice and a daily meditation routine. The missing link in the western exercise routine is the implementation of the body-MIND connection. Many of us work our minds incessantly all day at work and many of us continue with this same push, go-go-go mentality when we leave work and go to the gym or go for a run. The body needs a rest, the mind needs peace and we can cultivate this through a moving meditative practice.

Here are some options for choosing the best routine for you:

• Look for information on mind-body classes such as yoga, qi gong, tai ji and meditation at your local co-op. They often offer such classes for a very reasonable price, if not free or on a sliding scale
• Google search for such practices and classes offered in your town
• Local acupuncturists and Naturopathic Doctors often offer classes or would be more than happy to put you in touch with someone in the area who does so. Look-up the local practitioners in your area and call to inquire
• Don't have time to go to a class right now, don't sweat it. Start a daily walking routine and begin and/or end the walk with a quiet sitting meditation and maybe even stretching if time permits. Also, you can make your walk more meditative by focusing on your surroundings, nature and by trying to focus your mind-body on filling yourself with positive energy rather than re-playing the negative experiences that may have happened during your day

*I am required to tell you not to start a new exercise routine until you have been approved to do so by your medical doctor. The above information is only suggestive and I am not reliable for your health.