Good Food, Good Health
Today we will be talking about the wonders of a natural diet to maintain, sustain, and regain health.
The modern diet is filled with pre-packaged, processed foods that are offered to us to fit our crazy schedules. These convenient foods sadly lack nutrients because of the processes involved in creating them.
An this is only the start, when we buy vegetables and ingredients with the hopes of cooking meals from scratch, chances are we will have easy access to genetically modified produce with traces of pesticides, fertilizers and sometimes cultivated in lands that lack the basic nutrients to fuel our bodies.
We need a balanced intake of macronutrients: Fats, Carbs, and Proteins, but we also need vitamins and minerals or micronutrients in order to be healthy. Sugar, refined flours, dairy products, and eating large amounts of red meat, create swelling, and even though inflammation is the natural response of the body to start repairing and protecting itself, in excess and when it is chronic, it develops in illness.
When we lack nutrition, our immune system gets weak, and we can not react against external pathogens, viruses, and bacteria. That means that autoimmune diseases can arise, our body starts attacking itself because the chemical signals inside of us are out of order, for example, some cells that are malfunctioning may start reproducing creating tumors, like the cancerous ones, or we can develop rashes, start having headaches, we can feel tired regardless of how many hours of sleep we had… can you relate?
Every day, more and more doctors and health practitioners are realizing the importance of teaching their patients about nutrition, and I bet that you are here because you are aware of the impact of foods in your day to day life. The general population is starting to understand what to do in order to avoid getting sick.
I have good news for you: we can reverse inflammation, replenish our bodies, and improve our health by eating the best food possible: fresh, natural, organic fruits, legumes, and vegetables have all the micro and macronutrients we need to thrive, so here you have some pointers to achieve better health:
Including ginger and turmeric in your food or drinks is a great way to support your immune system.
Starting your day with room temperature water is also crucial to awakening and moisture your internal organs.
Drinking alkalized drinks, like warm water with lemon or apple cider vinegar, a shot of wheatgrass or warm water with sodium bicarbonate, can help your digestion and reduce acid reflux.
Avoiding charred meats is also a great way to keep swelling at bay and avoid creating an acidic environment in your body.
Avoid sweeteners and colorants, additives, added starches and chemicals, they may enhance flavors or increase the shelf life of foods, but they are enemies of your body and your health.
Having juices and smoothies made with high-quality ingredients (no syrups or sweeteners) is a great way to make sure that we consume portions of fruits and vegetables we need.
Including salads, with a wide variety of colors and textures, at least in two meals every day will help you make sure you are receiving all the micronutrients you need and will support regularity! Detoxifying your body correctly is crucial to have a functional digestive system and a robust immune system. Eat the rainbow; make your meals appealing.
Avoid trans fats, mainly if they have been used to fry several times are highly acidic and affect not only your digestion but also create inflammation.
Stress is also highly oxidative, so try to sleep 8 hours a day and rest whenever you need to. Learn to manage your anxiety and energy; look for support when you need it. Primary foods, or those things that we can do to nurture our spirit, play an essential role in our health.
If you want to know more about my journey to bounce back after cancer treatment, please feel free to contact me, or to look at my book: A pink ribbon in our hearts. And for more tips and tricks or for guidance in your journey to reclaim your perfect health, please contact me: www.tnlnutrition.com or follow @tnlnutrition on Instagram.
This Blog entrance is based on a talk I gave at a local Juice Bar, The owners of this place called Juice Vibes are committed to making our community healthier! I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Robin Eisenbeis, who talked about the benefits of supplementing your daily healthy habits with Juice Plus, a company dedicated to formulating nutritional solutions based on the properties and benefits of real fruits and vegetables.
I also have the chance to enjoy the culinary expertise and skills of Julia Strickland, head chef of Juice vibes, and plant-based cook, she shared with us nutritious, delicious and easy recipes that you will find below:
The Green Juice we tasted had a lightly sweet and refreshing taste, Julia combined ingredients offering a low glycemic, anti-inflammatory and delicious drink that was well received by kids and adults! If you want to try it at home, combine in your juicer:
6 Celery sticks
1 Lemon
1 Pear without seeds
1 inch of fresh Ginger
Colorful and nutritious tossed quinoa salad:
1 cup of cooked quinoa (rinse thoroughly and prepare as per cooking instructions, or using two parts of water to 1 part of quinoa, salt to taste and simmer for 15 minutes, medium heat)
6 to 8 cherry tomatoes cut in half
Two tablespoons of chopped parsley
½ an avocado cut into small cubes
One small cucumber cut into small cubes
½ a cup of chopped nuts
Extra virgin, cold-pressed Olive Oil
Mineralized salt like pink Himalayan salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
A touch of apple cider vinegar (Optional)
½ a cup of cooked garbanzo beans or chickpeas (optional)
Mix in a bowl and enjoy!