Getting To Know Your Food

Food is the basis of life, but eating healthy food doesn’t mean restricting your body from everything nor is it about eating what is seen as healthy food for a fraction of time. Living an everyday life with fresh, organic, natural foods and not only just what you’re consuming but having overall wellness. Integrating adaptogens, natural herbs, spices, and eliminating as many everyday chemicals can help your wellbeing. Why wouldn’t you want to wake up every day feeling good, having more energy, and feeling nourished?

I’ve gathered a list of reasons through a survey I posted because I wanted to know why healthy eating can be seen as a roadblock, other than just choosing not to. Here are a few responses:

-Approachability: I can see why healthy food may seem unapproachable, such foods are seen for a certain type of person. At the end of the day what I want to inform is that food is for everyone especially healthy food.

-Accessibility: This I know first hand if you grow up in a lower-income neighborhood you will see more fast food options and fewer natural markets. The closest market could be a drive which could be a struggle for people that don't have cars or easy access to transportation.

-Affordability: Here’s the main reason for people and it is the cost. Most herbs, supplements, and organic produce are 20 cents to the dollar more than their counterparts. I will also show you how to do your best to shop consciously and what's worth the extra cost.

-Where to Begin: That’s why I’m here, to guide anyone that is seeking knowledge on where to start a healthy transition or just need a little guidance.

-Taste: This is undeniably the hardest one if vegetables aren’t your most favorite food. There are so many varieties and ways we can make healthful food appetizing, that there is something for everyone.

The first place to start is your local market, walking into labels that tell you low carb, free-range, pasture-raised, and conventional where do you go from there? Does anyone know what any of that means at all? Most people don’t and it takes a lot of time to sort through chemical names, labels, and promises. We are exposed to so many options during our grocery store visit where do we even start and the answer is buying foods in their purest form or without any preservatives or fillers. Just because a brand promises things doesn’t mean it's good for you, those products might also be something that won’t even work for your body.

If you don’t know where to start here are a few tips:

• buy in bulk

• try new products in season

• keep it local & seasonal

Below are a few lists to navigate your way through the grocery store, farmer’s markets, or whichever market you come across. Helping you see a larger picture by these easy grocery store pickups and how to make some everyday swaps.

Before you start always look at the Dirty Dozen List, the one for 2021 is located on ewg.org

EWG’s 2021 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce:

1.Strawberries

2.Spinach

3.Kale, Collard, and Mustard Greens

4.Nectarines

5.Apples

6.Grapes

7.Cherries

8.Peaches

9.Pears

10.Bell & Hot Peppers

11. Celery

12. Tomatoes

Why is this dirty dozen list important you ask? The main reason is to educate people on the conventional fruits & veggies that contain the most pesticides and this changes yearly so make sure it’s the most current one. The amount of pesticides we are ingesting can wreck health and hormones without realizing so always stick to organic especially if you are eating skin.

Buy fruits and veggies in the season they will taste better and be better for the environment because tropical fruit doesn’t grow all year round!! Hint those fresh pineapples aren’t the same in the winter and aren’t sourced ecologically like when we get them in the warmer climates.

*Quick Tip: Farmer’s markets have better deals on organic produce and only carry what’s in season. Try not to incorporate too many nightshade veggies because they don’t have the most nutrition, those are the veggies we always pick up out of habit such as bell peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant. I’ve included lists below for the next time you get stuck on what to buy.

~ PRODUCE:

• Broccoli

• Greens: chard, rutabaga, spinach, dandelion greens, kale

• Herbs: parsley, cilantro, rosemary, chives, dill, garlic, and sage

• Berries: raspberries, blueberries, marionberries, blackberries

• Oranges

• Ginger

• Fennel

• Mushrooms: especially medicinal such as king oyster, turkey tail, lions mane

• Cruciferous Veggies: cauliflower, bok choy, brussels sprouts

• Beets

• Celery

• Sweet potato

• Carrots

• Daikon

~ SUPERFOOD STAPLES:

• Goji berries

• Turmeric

• Maca

• Bee pollen

• Cacao nibs

• Hemp hearts

• Lucuma

• Flaxseed

• Flaxseed meal

• Dates

• Chia Seeds

~ BUY BULK: (cheaper and better for you compared to the canned/pre-packaged versions) Canned beans are fine but organic with a BPA-free lining is preferred, we want to limit our toxin level.

• Beans: Pinto, Black, Navy, Garbanzo beans

• Quinoa

• Barley

• Amaranth

• Rice: Basmati, Forbidden, Brown

• Lentils: Green, Red, Beluga

• Steel-cut oats

• Farro

• Mung beans

• Oat Bran

  *If you’re buying pasta make sure it’s organic and sourced from Italy you never want to buy a false alternative that isn’t in its purest form.

Being aware of what you put in your body is the first step and hopefully, this inspires you. It might all seem overwhelming but cooking at home and buying groceries instead of eating out will make all the difference. Eating healthy isn’t for the rich, the hippie, the eco-conscious person it’s for everyone who has an interest in taking care of their health and wellbeing.