Posted by Georgianne Holland on Oct 29, 2015 in Healthy Eating, Mindfulness, Nourishment
How would you like to live with deliberate joy in a world where self-care is the primary care and health care is helpful?
I believe that this is kind of nourishment is possible, and to that end, I begin today a series of blog posts that include eight menu options I’d like to share with you in the next two-months of Thursdays!
Let’s arrive at mid-December using nourishment to build health, relaxation, and a loving balance. When we are in a joyful balance, our need for medical care is reduced and our feelings of empowerment are uplifted!
What do I mean by Primary Nourishment? It’s easy to overlook all of the things that contribute to our sense of nourishment and fulfillment. It’s not just the food we eat, but all of the other factors present in our daily lives. Healthy relationships, a fulfilling career, regular physical activity and a spiritual awareness are essential forms of nourishment. When these “primary foods” are balanced, what you eat becomes secondary.
That being said, food does have an important role to play in our thriving lifestyle, and knowing the best way to help our bodies feel vibrant is a life skill that is vitally important.
PRIMARY NOURISHMENT MENU OPTION ONE: Healthy Eating
Healthy eating is talked about more now than ever before. Consumers are beginning to understand that the food we’ve been sold by the Food Industry may not be the kind of food that is in our best interest. The popular press has also determined that they can sell lots of magazines and advertisements by providing Healthy Eating information across all media platforms. Does all of this consumer interest and media coverage equal a healthier population?
In the popular book, A Bone to Pick, one of my favorite authors, Mark Bittman, provides us with thought-provoking information and observations about how the food industry in America is truly and sadly broken. He goes on to help us feel hopeful as he describes growing trends like the slow-food movement, better school-lunch program initiatives, and even “healthy fast food” that is now in many communities.
As I add my voice to the narrative about improving our eating habits and choosing Real Food as our daily food, I would like to share with you the Holland Health Coaching protocol for Healthy Eating. When you are coached by me, this is the nuts and bolts of eating…and yes…nuts are on the menu, as are broccoli and apples!
NEW HABIT: Avoid junk food. Clean out your pantry, cupboards and refrigerator. Stock your kitchen with Real Food in easy-to-grab storage containers. Make the ideal food the easy choice.
NEW HABIT: Avoid mindless eating. During every meal you eat at home, take a moment before the meal to truly appreciate the food you are about to consume. Hold your warm bowl of food in your hands and notice its color and aroma. Enjoy your food in a relaxed manner, using all of your senses.
NEW HABIT: Chew your food well. When we slow down to savor our food, it also means that eating in a rush needs to be released. When you chew your food thoroughly, your digestive process will better capture the nourishment you have prepared! Try to sit quietly for 10 minutes after each meal and honor your body as it creates vibrant cell regeneration from the food you have provided.
Here are my Vibrant Life/Healthy Eating Recommendations!
Legumes: 1 serving per day
Garbanzo, pinto, kidney, black, lima, navy, mung, canned fat-free refried beans, green soy beans, bean soup, hummus, split peas, lentils
Plentiful Vegetables, preferably organic: 50% of what you eat
You can choose vegetables from artichokes to zucchini to enjoy, and my best tip is to plan ahead to have delicious vegetable options at every meal.
Starchy Vegetables: Two servings per week
Beets, winter squash, carrots, sweet potatoes or yams, white potatoes
Oil/Fat: Include a serving of healthy fat in every meal
Avocado, flaxseed, chia seeds, walnut oil, extra virgin olive oil at room temperature, ghee and coconut oil for cooking, raw nuts and seeds
Protein: 1 serving (three-six ounces) at each of three daily meals
I choose to eat organic, humanely-raised, free-range products and I focus on lean meat, poultry, fish, vegan protein powder, or two eggs as my go-to proteins. I sometimes eat dairy as my protein.
- Meat: lean beef, lamb or pork
- Chicken or Turkey: white meat in 6 oz. portions and dark meat in 3 oz. portions
- Tofu: fresh or baked
- Cheese: Cottage Cheese or Full Fat Yogurt without added sugar or fruit, Ricotta, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Goat
Whole Grains: 1-2 servings per day
Amaranth, teff, quinoa, basmati rice, brown rice, barley [if you are not gluten intolerant or sensitive], buckwheat groats, millet, whole oats for baking and steel cut oats for oatmeal, whole wheat bread products [if you eat wheat].
Liquids: Water is your friend. Drink half your body weight in ounces every day.
One of my successful new habits has been to properly hydrate myself. Instead of basing my water needs on thirst, I built a habit around drinking water at specific times EVERY day. Now that it is a habit, I do this easily. It has made a big difference in my digestion and energy! This is a good use of the smart phones many of us have in hand all day: set a water timer to chime as a reminder to enjoy a refreshing glass.
FINAL TIP: Be aware of all the liquid calories you consume like milk, juice, alcohol, and coffee concoctions. If you have met your water needs, then you can add other liquids to your day.
Liquid Calories Add Up
Do you know how many grams of sugar are in one sports drink? The Sad Truth: 35 grams of sugar or almost 9 teaspoons!
How many grams of sugar are in one energy drink? The Sad Truth: 54 grams of sugar or over 11 teaspoons!
How many grams of sugar are in a can of coke? The Sad Truth: 39 grams of sugar or over 10 teaspoons!
Each person has unique food and lifestyle needs. One person’s food is another person’s poison, and that’s why fad diets tend to fail in the long run. Working on the principle of bio-individuality, I’ll support you to make positive changes that are based on your unique needs, lifestyle, preferences and ancestral background.