Connect with your Mind, Body, and Food Spirit

One important focus at Fit to Recover, and during the recovery process as a whole, is to get in touch with your mind, body and spirit. Food and eating should be no exception to this journey.

Due to our money-driven food industry, fast-paced lifestyle, and time-crunched days, we are faced with many obstacles to healthy eating on a daily basis. Our society has become very disconnected from the food we eat, and I want to help us all improve that connection we have to our food and eating habits to ultimately make “clean eating” a lifestyle, not a “diet.” I’ll say it right from the beginning: diets don’t work. You must embrace healthy eating as a way of life and as something to celebrate, not something that restricts you and makes you unhappy. And while "eating clean" is all the buzz today, try not to think of it as "eating clean." Rather, just think of it as, well, "eating."

 To embrace this lifestyle, try to remember to, “eat as close to the earth as possible.” This means choosing and creating products with minimal ingredients and processed foods, as many plants and fruits as you can, protein-packed nuts, seeds, and legumes, and lean meats that have been responsibly raised. As a general rule of thumb, think twice about ingredient lists with more than 5-10 ingredients. If you can’t pronounce the ingredient, perhaps it doesn’t belong in your body. As Michael Pollan (journalist and author of timely food and nutrition books) simply put it, “Eat (real) food. Mostly plants. Not too much.” It really is all about going back to simplicity, back to what your body was built to consume. A few of his other rules include,

●      “eat all the junk food you please, as long as you cook it yourself,” (chances are we all won’t be installing a deep fryer in our kitchen to make french fries)

●      “ Shop the perimeters of the grocery store and stay out of the middle” (where all the processed foods are)

●      “Limit your snacks to unprocessed plant foods”

●      “Avoid foods that have some form of sugar or sweetener in the first 3 ingredients”

And it doesn’t have to cost a lot to do this! Check out this woman’s story of cutting out processed foods on a budget!

Or, the free downloadable recipe book “Good and Cheap” gives you healthy, budget-friendly recipe ideas!

Getting back to the Earth

A common example of foods that have become unrecognizable by our bodies is cereal. Sure, it may be “made with whole grains,” but often those grains have been stripped of their natural nutrients to be shelf-stable with added sugar for flavor. To get “closer to the earth” try a homemade granola, like this one:

Low fat/ high protein granola

3 cups organic old fashioned oatmeal

1 cup each almonds, walnuts and pecans

1/2 cup roasted or raw pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup whole flax seed

1/2 cup raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries or combination (optional)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup coconut  or canola oil

2-4 tbsps pure maple syrup (or sub in honey after baking)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Combine all dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. Combine oil, syrup and vanilla in a microwave safe container or on stove top and heat slightly just to thin and mix. Thoroughly coat the granola mixture with the oil/syrup/vanilla and spread on cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes, stirring with a spatula once to bake evenly. Cool and store in airtight container or in freezer for longer periods.

Another processed food that can be mistaken as “clean” are crackers and bread. Again, these can come “back to the earth” by creating your own, or looking for minimally processed products with simple and few ingredients. Try kale chips for a nice crunch, roasted chickpeas, or homemade fresh baked bread (it’s easier than you think!). Even homemade tortillas for tacos or wraps can cut out unnecessary additives and are cheaper too!

If you aren’t into making your own, always be sure to opt for the 100% whole wheat bread that does not have “enriched” wheat flour- this indicates unnecessary processing.

Bottom line, before you eat it, think about how close it is to the earth and how your body will break it down. Grass-fed meats and free range chicken help to ensure we are eating meat that was raised in a more natural and nurturing environment, without added hormones and chemicals that are not meant for animal--or human-- consumption. 

Here are 5 tips for sustainable eating.