Is Food Your Friend Or Your Foe?
I love food. I love everything about it. I love buying it, learning about it, preparing it, eating it, serving it and sharing it. I think that food is my love language! Creating and sharing food with people that I care for is one of my favourite things to do.
Food is ultimately fuel. Some people see food as an enemy. One of my daughters asked me recently if I thought that eating protein-enriched yogurt was a good idea.
I replied that it depended on her goal - was her goal to be thin or was her goal to be healthy? Thin! She replied!
It’s a question worth asking yourself when you are making food decisions. High-protein yogurt might be a great way to fill up without bulky carbohydrates but in my opinion, the chemicals and additives used to fortify processed dairy products are horrible for creating inflammation and extra toxins for your organs to process.
If we are being a good friend to our bodies, then we would give them the least amount of crap to deal with, assisting them to be efficient and clean. Unfortunately, the diet industry has convinced us that highly processed, multiple-ingredient, low-fat processed products are good for us. They might shrink your arse but what are they doing to your liver and kidneys? There is a huge difference between eating for health and eating for thin. Thin is the goal for so many people. They neglect crucial nutrients and sabotage their organs in an effort to be a smaller pants size. Eating for health is about giving your body what it needs to get the best out of it – the best now in the energy you are able to expend and the best for longevity, to keep your body functioning well for as long as possible!
I am obsessed with the quality of the ingredients that I put into my body. I want a quality life. I want to have amazing energy and I want to assist my body rather than working against it. Whole and pure foods are some of my greatest pleasures. When I buy and eat organic foods, I feel responsible. I feel honourable and I feel conscious. Each ingredient is consciously chosen and I can feel my body delight in my choices. Buying organic means the food was produced without synthetic pesticides and herbicides. Supporting organic shops and suppliers is a win for you, for animals, workers and the environment.
People often eat unconsciously having no idea what they are actually consuming. Eating food with as few ingredients as possible is a great way to nourish yourself. The best example is potato chips. Most ‘ready salted’ versions have three ingredients: potato, oil and salt. Flavoured varieties have as many as 18 ingredients – they are loaded up with powders, flavourings, food acids and enhancers. There are many foods sold today that I think should be labelled ‘contains food-like substances’.
It amazes me that people so often put their bodies last when making food decisions. It’s simple: if you eat rubbish, you will feel like rubbish. I believe that we are what we eat so do not be easy, cheap, fast or fake!
Here are some energy food tips:
Make friends with fat.
Stop avoiding healthy fats. The oils found in olives, avocados, coconuts and nuts are so good for us. Good fats help give us energy, protect our organs, support cell growth, keep cholesterol and blood pressure under control, and help your body absorb vital nutrients.Eat protein at every meal.
There is no need to eat a Fred Flintstone–sized steak, but a portion of protein the size of your palm is perfect. Using your palm as a guide is way easier than weighing and measuring food; one-size-fits-all is no good because we all have different-sized bodies!Enjoy your food.
Food consumed with guilt will be noticed by your body. Your body will contract and make it harder to process. While it’s important for your overall health to eat whole foods as much as possible if you are going to sit down to a piece of cake, relax and enjoy it!Learn about food.
Every single one of us has food in our lives every single day. Learn about where food comes from. Take an interest in what you are putting into your mouth.Get good at cooking.
Start small. Learn one or two dishes. The average human eats around 90,000 meals in a lifetime! If you eat, it makes sense to be able to cook. I have spent the past year teaching my youngest son how to cook. He said, ‘Why are you so keen on cooking?’ I replied, ‘Because I love to eat!’Buy food that is as fresh as possible and grown as close to your door as possible.
The closer to the source your food is, the higher its level of nutrients. Don’t buy vegetables imported from another country that have been sitting in a shipping container for months! Eat seasonal food and buy locally.
LISA LOVES:
A naturally instant and nourishing broth. I always travel with this as a light meal or an afternoon pick me up. An excellent source of collagen, zinc, and B vitamins for immunity, energy, and gut wellbeing.
