Eat a nutritional diet – The Third Step to a Happier Life

Eat a nutritional diet – The Third Step to a Happier Life

Following a healthy diet is a key element in longevity. I’m not one who believes in a ‘one-size-fits-all” eating plan, so I’d advise you to follow a plan that resonates personally with you.

We are all unique and different for a reason. So, become intimate with your body and the signals it sends to you, then forge forward on whatever diet suites your personal needs!

Anything made from scratch with your hands in your kitchen is wholesome. Obviously baking and eating cake all the time is not what I mean.

After all is said and done, your life is made from your choices and decisions. If you choose to eat ice-cream every day and potentially get diagnosed with diabetes a decade or so later, then acknowledge that the original choice of consuming too much sugar was yours.

I’m by no means saying that you can never ever have these treats. If you make ice-cream or cake at home, there are healthier substitutes for sugar. Have a look at any Banting, Dietetic or LCHF (low carb high fat) cookbook and you’ll find many, many options that are available to you!

In our modern day culture, we often wait until something has gone very wrong with the body before we look at our health under the microscope. However, learning to observe your body’s feedback should happen far before dis-ease has surfaced.

Self-care means you take steps every day to support your health and wellness and have an understanding of your physical state and any beginnings of “dis-ease” that may be brewing. It means you are aware of when you are in balance, when you are out of balance, and you practice ways of maintaining balance in your mind and body every day.

When you don’t practice self-care regularly, you can end up in a state of “dis-ease” which can show up in a variety of ways.

• Physical Risks: From stomach issues and trouble sleeping to diseases like cancer, diabetes, and more.
• Psychological Risks: Overwhelm, restlessness, depression, and anxiety.
• Emotional Risks: Anger, apathy, sadness, and more.

At the heart of it, all dis-eases come from stress, inflammation, and a lack of balance within the body and mind. To prevent and overcome these dis-eases, you must learn to tune into the body, receive its messages, and move forward with awareness, making small changes based on the feedback your body gives you. This creates a mutual respect and understanding in the relationship you have with your body. You listen to your body’s needs, and you’ll find that your body gives you the balance you need to be healthy and happy.

Design a Colourful Diet

The famous saying “You are what you eat” rings true, therefore, it’s important to be mindful of everything you put in your body each and every day to best support your health.

There is a reason for seasonal foods in your region. Make an effort to eat them because this naturally offers your body a variety of nutrients.

Become aware of your cravings and eating habits. Educate yourself on where your food is coming from and notice how colourful your menu is each day. Eat the rainbow!

Include plenty of fruits and veggies in your diet to ensure your body is getting the right mix of nutrients every single day.

The key is to not be repeating the same menu and ingredients over and over again because you’re restricting your nutrients. Variety is very important here.

Avoid Processed Foods! Minimise sugars, processed meat, trans fats, and salt.

Take out’s and dining out should not be the norm. Home cooking from scratch is the correct medication for your body and should be done almost daily. And this doesn’t mean cooking from a box, bottle, carton etc! Those are all jam-packed with salt and sugar to make them so tasty that you get hooked into buying them continuously.

Any time you put calories into your mouth, you are spiking your blood sugar. Whether it is food or drink. So, become aware of what you are putting into your body and it’s calorie / sugar content.

Also, educate yourself of the 60+ names sugar has that you can find under the ingredients and understand that sweeteners actually have the exact same impact on your body’s blood sugar that sugar does.

Your body is designed to be its own pharmacy. It is natural and normal for it to renew itself.

The problem is that we fill it with poison and then can’t understand why we have illness pandemic’s.

Here are some ideas to elevate and rejuvenate your diet

• Practice some form of gratitude for your food and drink. Saying, grace, a prayer or simple acknowledgement to the plant / animal for sustaining you will do.
• Eat mindfully. Don’t sit in front of any screen and just mindlessly shove food into your mouth. Savour ever bite!
• Eat consciously. Make home-made nutritional meals from scratch filled with love. What you put in is what you’ll get out!
• Make time for peace and quiet. Let’s face it, life can be busy and chaotic. If you take a 10 to 20 minute break during your mealtimes away from devices etc and connect with your family; you’ll find the incentive  to cook that meal every night.
• Look up healthy restaurants around your home, office, or workplace and try them instead of greasy fast food when you want a treat.
• If you are accustomed to going out to lunch, coffee, or happy hour with friends or family, why not take a turn each week to rather cook something from scratch at home and have everyone over?
• Stay hydrated throughout the day. Keep a reusable water bottle in your purse, backpack, or at your desk to remind you to stay hydrated. Put a reminder to go off hourly on your phone during the day to drink a glass of water, and hey-presto there you have 2 litres of water in at the end of each day!
• Commit to cooking at least five or six nights per week. At the end of a busy day, it’s really challenging to muster up the brainpower to think about what to cook for dinner. Take 10 to 15 minutes on the weekend to think about a menu for the week ahead and add the ingredient list to your grocery list. If you have the ingredients in your fridge and you know what you want to make, you will be more likely to eat a home-cooked meal instead of grabbing something on your way home.
• If you enjoy stews and curries, you can cook in bulk on the weekends and freeze for the week or month ahead! I personally know some-one who makes the base of her curry for a month and freezes it. All she does is defrost and add whatever meat etc she has to it.
• Make your dinner routine light, relaxing, and early. This gives you plenty of time to digest before you go to sleep, supporting you in a healthy night’s sleep.
• Remember that portion size is especially important. Your stomach is about the size of your fist in it’s naturally healthy state. Overeating is one of the biggest factors is an unhealthy weight situation so always stop eating before you are full.

Finally, remember it shouldn’t be a struggle to find your ideal balanced state. Your mind-body system is automatically drawn to renewal, harmony, and balance. All you need to do is remove the obstacles on your path, and your destination is assured.

Make sure to read all 8 posts in this series and view our offerings if you’re interested in coaching.

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