Our health pillars are our values, the things you would most likely notice if you came over and spent some time at our house. If you want to learn about the other two pillars, read about CLEAN HOME and CLEAN PERSONAL CARE.
The first pillar for our family is: CLEAN DIET
What does that mean?
When my kids were little and we were trying to teach them about eating healthy foods, we would explain that healthy foods are "foods that God made". Healthy foods are foods that you could pick or harvest from your backyard if you had a garden or raised cattle, for example. They are foods that are minimally processed and come from the earth or animals raised as they were created to live.
You could say that picking a carrot, washing it and cooking is "processing" it. And that's true. So, when we talk about avoiding processed food, we are talking about ultra-processed foods. These are foods that have been processed so heavily in factories that they no longer resemble their natural form, have been stripped of their nutrients and/or are combined with harmful ingredients.
The reason we avoid ultra-processed foods is because God designed our bodies to eat certain foods to be healthy. Just like a cow should eat grass or a chicken should eat bugs. As humans, we were designed to eat real food close to its natural form.
Ultra-processed food is like a foreign object in our bodies and that's why they can cause severe inflammation leading to all kinds of diseases.
I don't subscribe to labeling any "real food" off limits for everyone. Some people say you shouldn't eat grain, for example, because of phytic acid that makes it hard to digest. However, when grain is properly prepared (sprouting, soaking, fermenting) it becomes much more digestible and nutrient bio-available. It's a matter of proper preparation.
Also, everyone is unique and will have their own food sensitivities, food preferences or health goals that will determine what they do or don't include in their diet. I prefer not to eat wheat, because I've learned that I feel better when I don't. That's just my preference. Over time, you will learn what foods your body best operates on. The main thing is to eat REAL, WHOLE foods 85+% of the time.
If food is medicine, then everyone will have their own prescription!
How do you know what's real food?
Well, you need to listen to my podcast on "How to shop at the grocery store as a health conscience shopper". Where I teach you how to know! Always, always read the INGREDIENT LIST and remember real food doesn't usually need an ingredient list!
I also have an episode on "5 Foods I AVOID!" - You guessed it, they are ultra-processed.
Is It Worth It?
I understand it's not always easy to make changes to your diet. So, start small if you need to. But - YES! - clean eating is absolutely worth it.
A clean diet is essential to you and your children's health. You can't make up for a bad diet with more exercise or supplements. You need real, nutritious food to optimize health.
A book I love for info on food and nutrition is Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions.
I love food and it makes me so happy to set a nutritious meal in front of my family. (Like my Lydia when she was younger eating beef curry for dinner in the above pic.) I know there's so much more I could say! Send me your questions!
Wishing you abundant health,
Melisha
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