10 Foundational Food Guidelines

It’s important to eradicate the old mindset that unhealthy foods taste better than healthy ones. When you shift your mindset to believe foods that are healthy are also delicious, choices become easier and fun and don’t seem like deprivation or work.

It’s also helpful to recognize that food is fuel to help your body function and recover and also acts as medicine to help prevent illness and disease. This is so empowering as you can make choices that benefit your health.

When thinking about your diet, focus on how you are feeling rather than how you look. Questions to think about: Do you have energy? Are you sleeping well? How is your mood? Have you been getting sick often? What about your poop?!

Use the below 10 Guidelines to help you make good choices.

1. Eat Real Food. Reduce and eliminate processed foods from your diet. Processed foods are foods not in their natural state. An example is a potato [unprocessed] and potato chips [processed]. How many ingredients are listed on a food label and do you know what they are?! Know what you are putting in to your body!

2. Eat foods low in sugar. Be aware of how much sugar is in something by simply reading the label! Sugar is everywhere, even in products we consider healthy like yogurt. Learn about the Glycemic Index (GI) which measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar levels. Foods with a high GI cause blood sugar levels to rise more rapidly. High GI= 70 + higher. Medium = 56-59. Low 55 or lower. Obvious foods like a candy bar will have a high GI but there are also fruits + veggies, which are healthy, that possess a high GI. This doesn’t mean don’t eat them as they have many benefits, it just means eat them in moderation. High GI fruits and veggies include: bananas, pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, dried fruits, carrots, potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, parsnips, pumpkin, beets, sweet corn.

3. Eat foods free of chemicals. Organic when possible. Shop the Farmer’s Markets and know where your food came from- Ocean and microplastics, free range, what it was eating. Animal protein- know what they are eating and the conditions they are living in.

4. Drink Clean Water and not from a plastic container.

5. Eat nutrient-dense meals and snacks comprised of Vegetable + Fruits, Clean Protein, Smart Carbohydrates, Quality Fats, Fiber and Fermented Foods.

Best Veggies + Fruits- Broccoli Sprouts, Broccoli, Swiss Chard, Kale, Spinach, Leeks, Onions, Mushrooms, Bell Peppers, Cauliflower, Asparagus, Celery. Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Strawberries.

Clean Proteins- Seafood, Chicken, Turkey, Eggs, Tofu, Beans.

Smart Carbohydrates- Lentils, Beans, Black Rice, Brown Rice.

Quality Fats- Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Avocado, Walnuts, Almonds, Other Nuts.

Fiber- Avocado, Beans, Lentils, Chia Seeds, Rasberries, Apples.

Fermented Foods- Kombucha with no added sugars and with live active cultures, Greek Yogurt with no added sugars and with live active cultures, Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Tempeh.

6. Be mindful of Portions and eating order. Choose the right portion size for your body: Protein- size of palm, Fat- size of thumb, Carbs- size of fist. Close the kitchen after dinner until breakfast- approximately 12 hours. When you are eating, try to eat in this order: Some Veggies first, Protein, Veggies, Carbs last.

7. When baking, try Alternate Flours like Almond and Coconut [lowest glycemic] as well as Oat, Spelt and Cassava. Use olive oil, butter-infused olive oil and coconut oil as binding fats. Swap in sweeteners such as coconut sugar, monkfruit-allulose, no-sugar added applesauce, bananas and dates. In moderation- honey and syrup.

8. Spice it up with spices like: Basil, Cardamom, Cumin, Chives, Cilantro, Cinnamon, Fennel, Garlic, Ginger, Miso, Oregano, Parsley and Turmeric.

9. Supplement daily to fill the gaps not met by your food intake with: Omega 3, Vitamin B, Vitamin D and Magnesium. Later in life add in turmeric, creatine and collagen. Probiotic for digestive issues or following an antibiotic. When sick- Zinc. To help with stress management- adaptogens.

10. Feel good about the knowledge you now have and practice Active Learning- put what you have learned in to action! If you notice others not eating healthy, don’t judge, rather share your knowledge if and when appropriate. Be part of the a much-needed paradigm shift! And a final note….be careful not to obsess over nutrition as it can be a slippery slope. Eating well should expand your life and not constrict it.