Hey there, I am very excited to be writing and sharing with you my first Life be Natural blog.
I first discovered this wonderful platform 14 years ago when my cousin and I volunteered to help the victims of the 2004 Tsunami. We had a heartfelt blog which documented and reflected all the passionate work we did, and whilst -unfortunately- it no longer exists, I have the fondest memories living in a tropical hideaway, staying up late, typing by candle light and getting the occasional electric shock from the dodgy power supply we had over there.
Anyway, onto new things and as I am now a fully fledged holistic nutritionist with a love for everything healthy and wholesome, and I hope to use this platform again to inspire positive life changes and wellness in every sense of the word.
I thought a nice way to start would be to outline some fundamentals when discussing health. When not spending time with my beloved baby girls, hubby, family and friends, I am empowering myself with more knowledge on the world we live in and the ways to achieve a high state of health through diet and lifestyle. Whilst that certainly works for me I am fully aware that not everyone is in this head space and for many people, understanding the right way to eat, drink and to live is confusing and often made worse by the mixed message out there... the fad diets, the vested interest in healthcare, and the over kill of marketing on our food products. So who and what do we believe and when and why did it get so complicated!!??
Firstly the world has certainly changed and very quickly so. Food we ate hundreds, even thousands, of years ago like bread, milk and some meat and fish products are not the same and they resemble very little of the original product. The pressures of our modern society, have also seen social shifts and often the mothers and fathers of today are not cooking the majority of meals, teaching children about nutrition, treating the common cold with home cooked broths, herbal remedies, time at home recuperating and plenty of cuddles. On top of which the toxic load of our industrialised world impacts our health in numerous ways and from multiple angles.
There is also a lot of scepticism and naivety that we are doing just fine as a modern day population. I would say that belief is so removed from looking at the statistics of the chronic western diseases which plague us that 'fine' is relative and in no way a reflection of the real facts. We may have conquered most communicative disease for now, the trade off for the chronic illnesses is hardly worthwhile and the state of most health today is average to poor to shocking.
So what does healthy feel like?
To me there are some simple rules to follow
1. Plenty of spring water
2. Home cooked food is a mainstay - find a way to make it simple and easy, batch cooking or sharing the load with your community but at least 90% of food should be made at home
3. "Shake the hand that feeds you" Michael Pollan is a wonderful source of inspiration and this quote is so simple and to the point. If you don't know who grew your food then don't eat it!
4. Eat organic, there really isn't any other option unless you like a little food with your chemicals
5. Look after your digestive system, not only is it home to a microbiota which has endless benefits, but it is vital to the absorption of all our food and nutrients
6. Look after your liver which means avoiding toxins, chemicals (includes cleaning products and cosmetics), pharmaceuticals and excess caffeine and alcohol and including lots of liver loving foods and drinks like dandelion tea, bitter greens, turmeric and garden herbs like coriander and parsley
7. Be aware that we are not adequately equipped to break down some foods which then go onto cause food sensitivities (often low grade enough to cause damage but go unnoticed) and therefore to your best ability avoid or dramatically reduce wheat, gluten containing foods and most pasteurised dairy which particular focus on cows milk as it has more damaging protein than goats and sheep
8. Include healthy fats in your diet and consider a regular fish oil and/or cod liver oil supplement
9. Choose ethically raised, pastured, organic meats and poultry and wild fish - free from antibiotics and added hormones
10. Keep caffeine consumption on the low and be aware of when it starts to become a habit
12. Enjoy a glass of red wine with family and friends and try and make it natural wine which hasn't been tampered with, that way you get the full advantage of the resveratrol without the nasties
13. Indulge in sweets but choose right, there is certainly plenty of options these days... like choose ice-creams with identifiable ingredient lists, chocolates that are raw and fair trade, and don't forget about good old yummy, seasonal fruit
14. Include a daily self care routine like mediation
15. Help keep your mind active with new interests and a good book
16. Move your body with a regular fitness routine and avoid sitting for long periods, invest in a stand desk if necessary
17. Last but not least, spend quality time with the ones you love and never underestimate the power of relationships
Comentarios