By Rhea Wilson
January 14, 2018
Food is a hallmark of ALL of our lives. It also happens to be vital to the quality of our lives. Without a doubt, there is power in eating healthy foods. They are healing and refreshing to our bodies. The issue is WHAT should we eat? Just like any other important decision, it takes time and thought to figure out what is right. Because most of us lead very busy and stressful lives, the idea of spending time to figure out “good food choices” becomes mute and meaningless. It is so much easier to NOT have to think about what we eat. But if we are not careful bad food choices can eventually hinder our health. Unfortunately, without even noticing, food can become a mere addiction…a way to reduce stress….a type of “medication” similar to drugs and alcohol.
To make matters worse, we tend to take our health for granted…to mistakenly think it does not MATTER what we eat, and that our health is not affected by what we put in our mouths. We can so easily become lazy and eat anything marked “food” without giving it a thought. We somehow believe our bodies will magically take care of themselves with no help from us. This is actually partly true. God has designed our bodies with mechanisms set in place to protect us from the unhealthy, many times toxic foods we ingest. Our kidneys are designed to filter out wastes and extra fluid in our bodies. The problem is that as our bodies age, these protective mechanisms such as our kidneys, slow down, and we become more vulnerable to diseases and malfunctioning of all types.
So what do we DO if we want to live healthy lives…AND we are willing to throw our bad eating habits out the door…but have no idea where to start? Here are the BASIC things you must know.
Diets are unnecessary, unless medically prescribed to heal a particular medical condition. HEALTHY EATING IS a “LIFESTYLE”. It is changing the way we look at food, from strictly comfort to nutritional. Sounds like no fun? If you commit to getting healthier and eating healthier, you will be amazed at how great healthy food can taste, in addition to the wide variety to choose from! FIRST and FOREMOST, cut down on all processed, GMO (genetically modified) foods. In other words, foods that have been tampered with…that have high amounts of additives, bad oils, chemicals and preservatives. Think “SIMPLICITY”. …plain old food that actually taste real and delicious. Limit anything that is heavily packaged and has a million “other” ingredients.
Stick with foods such as fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, and oats. Purchase organic meats, preferably chicken, turkey and fish. And of course steer clear of SNACKS that are heavy laden with sugars and fats. Cut way down on cookies, cakes, potato chips, and ice cream. Also stay away from things with artificial sweetners and colorings. These are chemicals our bodies simply don’t need. There are “healthy” alternatives to most of the things you like to snack on in your local health food store.
SECONDLY, there’s a group of foods containing “ANTIOXIDANTS” that are important to our overall health. So what is an antioxidant and why is it so important? First of all, there is “oxidative” damage going on in our bodies at all times, simply caused by our environment…the air we breath… and the toxic medications and foods we injest. Picture an apple left out in the open for an hour. It starts to experience oxidative damage. This type of damage in our bodies opens up doors to vulnerabilities in our immune systems, which is our body’s protection from illness and disease. One of the ways we have control over this inevitable breakdown is to eat foods high in antioxidants, which fight oxidative damage. There are different types of antioxidants. Below is a listing of foods that are highest in antioxidants. It is the wise thing to include these foods in our daily diets.
Foods that contain VITAMIN ‘C”, beta carotene, and vitamin “E” have the highest amounts of antioxidants. What are these foods?
- Brightly colored fruits such as cantaloupe, grapes, apples, and berries of all types (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black berries. These can all be found in combination in the frozen food section of your local health food store. They are especially good in smoothies.
- Vegetables such as carrots, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, broccoli
GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES….contain powerful antioxidants which reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. They are low in fat, high in fiber, rich in folic acid,Vitamin “C” and contain a high amount of phytochemicals which contain disease preventive properties. The top five are:
- Kale
- Mustard greens
- Spinach
- Bok Choy
- Swiss chard
OTHER FOODS HIGH IN ANTIOXIDANTS:
- Red beans/pinto beans
- Salmon
- Green and white tea
- Cocoa
- Cinnamon, oregano, turmeric, rosemary
- Red wine
WHAT ABOUT ORGANIC FOODS?
It makes sense that foods that are grown without chemical pesticides and/or growth hormones would be healthiest. Fortunately, many of the most basic foods we eat such as eggs and milk can easily be found organic in our regular grocery stores. Because eating entirely organic can be pricy, there are certain foods that have been designated as “ok” to eat non organic and others that should be eaten organic.
Generally, fruits and veggies that do not have a thick skin should be eaten organically, such as:
- Strawberries
- Apples
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Celery
- Grapes
- Spinach and other leafy greens
- Meats
- Potatoes
- It helps to have some guidance so you are not tempted to continue to shop for unhealthy items. Don’t be hard on yourself! Rome wasn’t built in a day! Make small changes here and there. Becoming a healthy eater doesn’t have to happen all at once.
Now that you are more educated on what foods to purchase for your optimal health, search the internet for cooking sites that teach HOW to cook healthy food, so that you never will have to feel you are giving up taste as you journey off into better health. One of my favs is the “Cooking Channel” www.cookingchanneltv.com.
Happy Healthy Eating!
Enjoy the journey!