One of the most important basics for health and wellbeing is a healthy, energetic physical body and a life affirming belief system.
How to eat for optimal health
Here it is in a nutshell
Good physical health is a super important pillar for vibrant life expression, overall well being and optimal functioning in all areas of life. There is enough genetic variation in how we metabolize anything, that is it safe to say there is no one size fits all. However, there are general principles which put you on a path to health.
With the nutritional posts (category: nutrition) I am addressing everyday people in regular life situations (as in not pregnant, not infant, no metabolic inborn errors of metabolism, no training to off the chart athletic fitness etc, in short, regular people)
Nutrition is anything that we take in, ingest, that sustains and nourishes us physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually and leads to or maintains optimal health.
My approach is based on common sense and experience, self knowledge and observation of others, learning from others, studying and sometimes actual western medicine conducted science.
So how do we nourish ourselves for optimum health?
Foods for optimal physical health
The highest vibrational diet is largely plant based, pesticide free and sustainably grown.
It also contains sun, clean water and fresh air. Other ingredients for health include restful sleep, moving our bodies and connection.
This post addresses the physical food we eat.
Good basic, simple common sense rules of thumb for eating:
Taste the food you eat, actually taste it.
Stop when you had enough.
Digestion and nutrient assimilation will be a lot better when you eat with true pleasure, not just because you “have” to eat, or because your emotional body has unmet needs and so you are just stuffing yourself, usually with sugar loaded “food’ substitutes.. Sometimes it is better to just drink a glass of ice water.
Eat lots of fruits, non-starchy vegetables and other plants in season in all the colors that they come. Given that the foods to eat are in season, there will naturally be variety over the year. Eat as much as you want and your body asks for. Fermented veggies are okay too.
Some herbs and spices
Some starchy foods like sweet potatoes and quinoa are okay, and really, an occasional dish with some rice or pasta is okay too.
A few nuts and seeds okay, but in season. and as long as they naturally would store.
If you have to have animal protein, know your sources, whether it is eggs, meat or dairy. You want grassfed/pasture raised, organic, soy free, free range. In general, stick to fish or chicken, eggs, avoid beef and dairy.
Fish: regarding that fish – where can you still buy commercially available fish that is raised in clean waters, not trawler fished and not taking taking away from the wildlife?
answer: you can’t.
But best choices are small, oily cold water fish sustainable fished.
if you do not eat animal products, careful attention needs to be paid to essential amino acids and fats and supplementation with Vitamin B12 is necessary.
Practice the kind of intermittent fasting that suits your style best.
many times periods of not eating are as important as eating
Eat when you are hungry, not for emotional reasons.
This requires self awareness and honesty.
If you need cake, make it special occasion foods and bake it yourself.
Just as important is what NOT to ingest:
processed food
deep fried commercial foods
heck, pretty much anything commercially packaged.
anything with added sugar (read labels)
Stay away from foods grown with pesticides, hormones or antibiotics, which means buy only organic feeds, or, since it is pricey, start growing your own.
Stay away from soft drinks of all kinds. PERIOD, no discussion.
There is so much sugar in them, it is killing many people.
Coffee? Yes, 3-5 cups, organic, medium roast might be best, if you wish. But do you really need energy from stimulants on a daily basis?
Tea, yes, green and herbal (know the effects) is best, but there are special uses for other teas.
Can you have gluten?…you can have anything – be aware of the effects on your body and mental state when you do eat gluten containing products.
No refined sugar at all?
That would be best, but if you must, limit it to 20-30 grams a day. (about 4-6 teaspoons)
What about chocolate: 85% dark, couple of pieces.
proof? try it out for 3 months.
There is nothing like personal experience personally experienced.
You can also read up on research and trials and accounts of using food to heal complex illnesses.
Food that is obtained by abusing anything or anyone is not something to eat, at least it is not karmically neutral. You may go through a transition period, but eventually, you want clean, alive, high vibrationl foods that is produced ethically all around.
If you are able to trans-substantiate food, do it.
Always remember gratitude…and enjoy everything you eat. Again, if you don’t ‘enjoy it, stop, give it away.
If you are an “all processed food and doughnuts” kind of person, make up your mind about what it is you actually want for your body. Health? Energy? Weight loss? Less pain?
Remember, eating with true pleasure will help you digest better.
While not changing anything in your diet yet, just study. Don’t fall for any fads, supplements or famous diets. Use common sense – observe: what types of food did humans traditionally eat while evolving on this planet?
One thing for sure: none of it was processed, none of it included added refined sugar and none of it contained pesticides, none of the animals consumed were raised on soy food and the like.
You might start by switching to organic food, or cook more, or shop at the farmer’s market once a week or stop eating certain foods. You might decide that if you grow your own food, that would lead to you eating healthier (hint; it will)
After you study some, just start somewhere, make a change.
You might find that being creative or reading a book or drinking sparkling water handles the emotional eating. Find out.
To maintain a healthy nutrition long term requires self awareness, like the effects of food on our body, becoming aware of your beliefs, especially about food, and a healthy connection to nature and other humans.
I’ll be offering tip and hints in the Nutrition posts.
See you on the way there