In these times of social media and societal pressures, there is always someone telling you what you are eating or not eating, is wrong. The good news is that they are wrong. They never really tell you how to truly start eating healthy. But, the only person that knows what best for you, isn’t a person at all. It’s your body. And while everyone of us are human with similar needs, we are unique in our mind, body, and soul.
So when the recent trend is to tell people to follow their own dreams and their own path, why aren’t you following your own mind and body for what to eat? Of course there is so much confusion in what to eat too. And then there are the diets.
One day it’s the Cabbage Soup Diet of the 80s, then the Atkins Diet of the 90s, and omg the South Beach Diet. And more recently, the Keto diet. Most diets had good intentions in they approach. But it was not until you tried them did you realize that it was one more diet that didn’t work for long.
The goal here is not to lose weight, but to start eating healthy. And to not let it be a diet or a fad. You want to protect the only physical carrier of your mind and soul. So let’s start with what worked for me and hopefully this becomes a lifestyle of good healthy eating.
1. Processed Foods
Cut out processed foods as much as possible. I mean anything from those Pepperidge Farms Milano Cookies, to canned beans. Yes, I said it. The amount of preservatives and sodium that exists in any processed food is insane. And while you should cut these as much as possible, it is okay to grab that cookie (just one) or that can of beans to your soup. But just once in a blue moon. And I say this because you don’t want to start getting annoyed or resentful for trying to keep it healthy. In a dire situation, feel free to break the rule.
2. Sugar
I cannot stress this enough and I learned the hard way about how sugar is such a baddie. If you are interested in learning about how sugar can be the root of evils such as debilitating migraines – read my post here.
Sugar is found in almost everything. So if you are cutting out #1 above, you will surely get rid of a ton of sugar from your food already. However, another sure way of removing sugar is to cut out all sodas. Read the labels on everything you buy. Look for the sugar content and try to stick to the daily-recommended limit of sugar intake. As noted by heart.org the daily limit is 36 grams for men, and 25g for women. If you start looking at labels, this number quickly adds up. Make sure you look at breads, sausage, salad dressings, chips, and basically anything.
3. Fruit
How many times have you seen ads or even doctors tell you to eat as much fruit as you can? Fruit is definitely good for you. However, the amount you consume may not be. This piggybacks off of my previous thoughts about sugar. There is way too much sugar in fruit. And while sugar breaks down differently because it contains appropriate amounts of fiber and other properties, it can be a source for too much blood sugar. Eat your fruit but count the sugar content (not the calories) in your fruit.
4. Organic Foods
If you are at the liberty of sparing a few extra $$, spend it on organic products. In another post I share why organic is better than non-organic and how to know the difference. But if you are eating clean and know where your produce comes from, you will subconsciously feel better about what you’re eating. And a stress free, non-GMO’d product does good for your body. You body can process the real food without having to process the extra modifications, pesticides, and who knows what else.
Again, if you can’t find a certain organic product/produce you wanted, then reach for what is closest, but if you have the choice, do better and go organic. I truly believe that if our produce, chickens, cows and everything were happy while alive, then our consumption of them will prove happy and healthy for our own bodies. Also, eating organic reduces inflammation and other issues that you could end up with from consuming pesticides, and wax from that shiny luring apple.
In Conclusion
Having said this, I know some people think this can’t be it. There has to be more to eating healthy. The problem with our society is that we have been trained to believe what we see everywhere – different foods, different fads, and different diets. Try out the above pointers for a couple of months and see if you can feel the difference. While nothing in life is guaranteed, if you do follow this pattern of healthy consumption, not only will this help you navigate away from the numerous foods that draw you in, but your body will experience the different and thank you in multiple ways than one.
What diets if any have worked for you?
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Last updated: February 10, 2021
