As you probably know, there is no one size fits all when it comes to food and diet. And by diet, I don’t mean dieting in order to lose weight. I mean diet as in what you consume. This includes what you allow in mentally too, by the way, not just what you put in your mouth, but that’s a topic for another post.
When I was studying my nutrition certification through the Food Matters Institute, they taught us that there are 10 Nutritional Principles we should aim to abide by. I think they’re really useful, and something we would all find useful, and so I’m going to be running through them here. And then I’ll let you know what I believe number 11 should be. So do watch for that one at the end.
Most of us are not completely nourished. We have vitamin and mineral deficiencies. We run ourselves into the ground. Not getting enough hydration, enough sleep, enough relaxation and enough downtime.
In order to promote wellbeing and bring health back to our bodies, we need to follow the foundations of healthy eating. Each of these 10 principles [1] are supported by scientific research.
1. Eat as Nature Intended
Eat more living and less dead food. Nature didn’t create us to eat ready-made meals choc full of artificial preservatives and chemicals. Our ancestors lived in tune with nature and we are designed to eat natural food. So eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. And always try to go for those fruits and vegetables which are in season and which have a wide range of colours. Shop locally to avoid eating fruits and veggies which have travelled miles to get from the farm to the store. Besides fruit and veg, you could also look to eat herbs, seaweeds, mushrooms, sprouted nuts and seeds, live yoghurts, cultured vegetables, free-range eggs, and wild fish and game.[2] [3] [4]
2. Choose Organic Wherever Possible
Organic fruit and vegetables contain a lot more vitamins and minerals than non-organic fruit and vegetables do. Especially if picked when ripe and grown locally. Did you know that in order for fresh produce to stay fresh, it is picked before it is ripe and then gassed with a chemical to ‘ripen’ it after it has been transported. Common chemicals used include calcium carbide, acetylene, ethylene, propylene, glycol, and ethanol.[5] Fancy eating any of these? No? Me neither.
Due to current farming practices, the microbiome of the soil worldwide has been depleted and you now need to eat 3 apples just to get the same nutrients you would have received if eating one apple from 1940. Another reason to choose organic is, organic fruit and veg are safer to eat than their non-organic counterparts as they are grown without the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) all of which have harmful effects on your reproductive health and hormones and in overloading your liver..
3. Invest in a Juicer or Blender
Using a juicer allows you to get so much more fruit and veg into your day. And by eating more fruit and vegetables every day, you will naturally crowd out other foods which are not as good for you. Or worse, are harmful to your health. A lot of the cravings you have are not supportive cravings, but rather cravings from being tired and run down. By eating nutrient-dense foods, you will fuel your body and remove the depletion of nutritional deficiencies and so you'll actually start craving the things that are good for you. So when you get home at night, or have that dreaded mid afternoon slump, instead of reaching for a pack of crisps, make yourself a juice or smoothie which is full of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fibre. THIS is what your body is asking you for.
4. Cut Down on Gluten-Containing Grains
Gluten is a protein found in a number of grains including wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten intolerance and Celiac Disease is becoming more and more prevalent and even if you’re not someone diagnosed with gluten sensitivity, you will probably find that reducing your intake of gluten-containing grains will benefit you. Gluten irritates and damages your intestinal lining, causing inflammation, immune reactions and contributes to ‘leaky gut’. If your body is intolerant to gluten, it can cause your gut cells to release zonulin which is a protein that can break cells apart, leading to ‘leaky gut’ which then wreaks havoc on your body as toxins and undigested food particles are now escaping your intestines and getting into your bloodstream!
5. Avoid Processed Sugary Products
Consuming too much sugar and other refined, simple carbohydrates leads to blood sugar highs and lows. And this can cause mood swings and food cravings if not balanced out by fats and proteins. Additionally, if you are trying to lose weight, you might be consuming large amounts of added sweeteners. These sweeteners are associated with a risk of fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. So rather select foods that naturally have a lower Glycemic Load or have a Low Glycemic Index (Low GI). But if you are going to eat sugars and carbohydrate-rich foods, then combine these with healthy fats so you steady the uptake of glucose into your bloodstream. And steer away from sweetened packaged foods, especially if sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), corn, and glucose syrups, and artificial sweeteners.
6. Eat Good Fats
If you’re trying to lose weight, you might think that the best way to do this is to restrict fats in your diet. As of course, fats contain more calories per gram than either protein or carbohydrates. However, good fats are very important and assist with the absorption of most nutrients as well as the production of hormones. So enjoy the healthy saturated fats found in wild-caught fish, organic dairy, grass-fed meats, and coconut oil. As well as the monounsaturated fats found in extra virgin cold pressed olive oil, macadamia nuts and avocados. The fats you should be avoiding are the oxidised, free radical creating trans fats, those found in margarine spreads, cookies and chips, along with refined, processed vegetable oils containing safflower, sunflower and canola oil.
7. Be Smart In Your Kitchen
Eat home-cooked meals rather than eating out or ordering in[6]. When frying food, don’t fry too hot. Rather sauté in heat-stable coconut oil, ghee or butter on a low to a medium heat. Try learning to slow cook. Slow cooked meals in an old-fashioned cast-iron pot are delicious and warming on a cold winter's night. Eat more raw foods. And investigate nutrient preserving and nutrient enhancing techniques such as fermenting, soaking and activating as these will ensure you’re getting the maximum nutrition from your food.
8. Look for Ethical & Sustainable Sources
The foods that you eat make up the cells in your body. You literally are what you eat. So when buying eggs, dairy, and meat, it’s so important to know where your food comes from. Animals store toxins and chemicals in their fat cells, so choosing organically grown and raised is the best option. When you choose organic and free-range products, you will know that no antibiotics were used, no GMO feed was given, and no growth hormones were injected into the animals you are now eating. And that they were raised naturally and in an environment of much lower stress. Don't be afraid to ask your supplier where your food is coming from. And if you don't like the answer, shop somewhere else if you can.
9. Avoid Food Additives
Read your food labels. Yes, all of them. And if you don't know what it is, you probably shouldn't be eating it. Chemical food additives can cause havoc with your body, specifically your hormones. Avoid anything with an E number and stay away from the flavour enhancer MSG. MSG tricks your brain into thinking you need to overeat and is disguised under the following names: E621, monosodium glutamate, glutamic acid, hydrolysed vegetable oil, yeast extract, and mono-calcium glutamate. You will often find it in ready-made sauces, soups, chips, and cookies.
10. Eat In A Relaxed State
Your stomach and digestive systems are very sensitive. When you eat on the run, shovelling food into your mouth, it puts your body into a state of fight or flight which slows down or even halts your digestive processes and any nutrient uptake. What you don’t digest turns into bacterial fermentation, bloating, or is stored for later. So practice eating mindfully. Slow the pace at which you eat. And relax. And I don’t mean eat in front of the telly. I mean take some time for yourself. Slow down. And enjoy every mouthful.
BONUS: Everything In Moderation
Now I know that you’re going to think that this one totally negates everything I’ve just written above. However, I believe that this is the one which will help you follow the 10 principles above. If you are depriving yourself of the things you love most, it won’t be sustainable and you will just fall back into old habits. However, allowing yourself everything in moderation, will allow you to move to a healthier diet and who knows, you might love the new ways so much you no longer need your burger and fries, or chocolate cake. But I’m here to say, that if you do still eat those, it’s totally ok. Just enjoy them consciously, eating mindfully and perhaps don’t have them every single day.
References:
[1] The Food Matters Nutrition Certification Program Workbook. Food Matters Institute. First Edition. p18-19
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23674808/
[3] Heiman, M.L. and Greenway, F.L. (2016). A healthy gastrointestinal microbiome is dependent on dietary diversity. Molecular Metabolism, 5(5), pp317-320.
[4] https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6682904/
[5] The Food Matters Nutrition Certification Program Workbook. Food Matters Institute. First Edition. p58
[6] https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5561571/
