Eating a healthy diet can be challenging. Let’s face it the internet is full of suggestions which can be very helpful but can also leave you feeling more confused and overwhelmed. In this article we get back to basics of what a healthy diet looks like.
Healthy Eating General Guidelines
The Essentials to a Healthy Diet
- Eat regularly with 3 meals a day & snacks if needed. This helps metabolism, energy production and maintaining blood sugar levels. Avoid skipping meals.
- Drink 6-8 glasses of filtered water daily.
- Eat as much fresh food as possible (read food labels carefully and try to eat foods in season).
- Have a good balance of foods consisting of all the colours in the rainbow. This means a high plant based diet.
- Vary your diet and enjoy your food
FOODS TO ENJOY
Proteins
Protein are the building blocks of life, and are used to make muscles, nerves and hormones. Antibodies and enzymes are specialized proteins. Animal source are ‘complete’ proteins, for example; fish, chicken, eggs, cheese and red meat. Plant source are ‘incomplete’ proteins meaning they do not carry all essential amino acids that we need to stay healthy. The good news is that with food combining you can ensure that you are getting a complete protein with vegetarian foods.
By combining TWO of the plant food groups below you will have a complete protein source.
- NUTS/SEEDS (Cashews, almonds, sunflower, walnut, chia)
- WHOLE GRAINS (Wheat, barley, rice, corn, oats, millet, quinoa, amaranth)
- LEGUMES/PULSES (Peas, beans, soya, lentils, tofu, tempeh)
Fruit and vegetables
Fruit & vegetables are packed with phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, fibre and healthy fats. Eating fresh fruit and vegetables is far more beneficial to the body than a pill. Freeze, bottle or preserve into jams, pickles, sauces and chutneys. *Sea vegetables such as kombu, arame, dulse, nori or wakame are rich in protein, vitamins A,B,C & E, calcium, zinc, iron and iodine.
Grains
Unprocessed whole grains are an excellent source of many valuable nutrients as none of the goodness has been removed or oxidized. Making your own bread or
buying bread that is made from flour, water, salt and rising agent (Baker’s yeast or sourdough). If buying bread reach for spelt, rye, sourdough, sprouted grain.
Fats
Fats are essential for the use of fat-soluble vitamins A,D,E & K, they boost immune function, allow proper use of omega 3 EFA, hold our organs in place, give integrity to cell walls & aid absorption of calcium – plus so much more! Saturated fats are meat, ghee, butter, dripping and coconut oil. Unsaturated fats – olive oil (extra virgin, cold pressed), almond oil, linseed (flaxseed) oil, sesame oil. Coconut oil is a vegetable source of saturated fat but unlike animal fats does not contain cholesterol.
FOODS TO LIMIT
- Saturated fats – heated fats and animal fats. Margarine, peanut butter and saturated fats. Bacon, hamburgers, hot dogs, luncheon/
deli/processed meats, sausage rolls, fried foods. - Sugar – White sugar, raw sugar, sugar substitutes. Chocolate, sweets, lollies, jams and spreads, refined carbohydrates – most packaged foods have been refined.
- Salt and salty foods – Chips, peanuts, salted & roasted nuts (replace salt with miso, tamari or celtic sea salt.
- Drinks – Coffee, alcohol, caffeine drinks (Cola), Tap water, soft drinks and cordials.
Check for food intolerance to avoid
The most common are gluten, dairy, yeasts, chemical additives and histamine containing or liberating foods.
- Gluten – wheat, rye, farina, semolina, oats, barley, malt,, triticale, bulgaar, durum.
- Dairy – Cow’s milk , cream, flavoured yoghurt, sour cream.
- Yeasts – Extracts (vegemite, stock cubes); fermented drinks (alcohol) and fermented vinegars/sauces; dried fruits; medications; tomato sauce, puree, paste and tinned; left overs; fermented & smoked meats; cheese.
- Chemical additives and preservatives – food dyes, flavourings and preservatives. (check food labels)
- Histamines in food typically increase with age and fermentation. Fermented foods (vinegars, 24-hour yogurt, wine/beer/cider, sauerkraut, kombucha, kimchi), aged meats (bacon, sausage, ham, canned meats/fish, smoked salmon, bone broths) as well as tomatoes, spinach, eggplant, spicy foods and chocolate are typically the most problematic for those with histamine intolerance.
Note – limit healthy foods for a set period of time and reintroduce to test if your body has changed tolerance level. Long term avoidance or restrictive diets can result in more damage than good. Always follow a special diet under the guidance of a qualified health practitioner.
Eat a Rainbow Everyday
A rainbow of super immune boosting foods will put a smile on your face and a spring in your step.
- Green foods – cabbage, spinach, kale are cleansing, reduce acidity, arthritis and promote healthy nerve function.
- Orange, yellow & bright red foods – Tomato, carrot, sweet potato, pumpkin are antioxidants which reduce inflammation, improve circulation, fight infection and improve vision.
- Dark red & purple foods – Purple cabbage, grapes, prunes, blueberries, beetroot are powerful antioxidants to reduce inflammation, protect the brain and are anti-ageing.
- White foods – Garlic, leek, cauliflower, radish are natural antibiotics against many infections, liver healing, lower cholesterol and prevent plaques in the arteries.
Healthy Eating Habits
A healthy diet is so much more than just the food on your plate. It’s also important to eat mindfully or with awareness – take time to enjoy your food and taste it! Chewing your food is the beginning of digestion & the secretion of enzymes. Diets that are predominantly liquid such as shakes and soups avoid the chewing process. Be Prepared – plan your meals, shop regularly, keep the pantry stocked.
If your finding that you have a lot of rules around food try following the 90% for the body 10% for the soul rule.
Eat positively – prepare and eat your food with joy!
We hope you these healthy eating guidelines has been helpful for you. If you need extra help, whether for a digestive complaint, hormonal imbalance or persistent pain our naturopath Sasha Wray can help.
