The idea of achieving a healthier lifestyle has become ambiguous with endless social media posts being thrown at us, expecting us to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
This article will provide you with 5 fundamental practical changes that will instantly steer and gear you towards a healthier eating lifestyle. What would that entail?
Avoiding foods that cause and trigger systemic inflammation that would either cause or be a maintaining factor of chronic diseases such as cancer, conditions that cause insulin resistance, autoimmune disease, hormone disruptors, etc.
1) Completely remove refined sugar from your diet. Examples of refined sugar are white bleached cane sugar (this is commonly used as sugar), HFCS (high fructose corn syrup), corn syrup, etc., that cause blood sugar to skyrocket in addition to the many other unhealthy side effects.
Sugar Alternatives: Raw local honey, raw monk fruit (without erythritol), date sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup, etc. which are all low glycemic sweeteners and loaded with health benefits.
2) Completely remove bleached processed flour/bread.
Flour alternatives:
- Ancient grains (like Einkorn and Spelt) have withstood the test of time, most of them existing THOUSANDS of years in human diets.
- Sprouting grains is a process that sprouts whole-grains to make them more nutrient-dense and better for digestion. Authentic sprouted bread (like Ezekiel Food For Life bread) is usually kept in a freezer at supermarkets because it doesn’t contain any preservatives.
Although ancient/sprouted grains contain gluten, the amount is minimal and is easily digested because the grain is in its natural form (no synthetic gluten added for consistency like white bread).
- If you are completely allergic to gluten, then get gluten free flour/bread that does not contain additives or preservatives.
3) Do NOT eat fried foods. No exceptions. Opt for baked or air fried food items. Make sure to get air fryers that do not have the non-stick interior that exposes you to toxic hormone-disruptors.
4) Discontinue use of refined table salt. Table salt is highly processed and stripped of most of its minerals. Iodine is added but with a health-hazardous anti-clumping agent like yellow prussiate of soda. Many people are concerned about the low amounts of iodine in healthier salt options, here is a link to iodine-rich foods: Top 15 Iodine-Rich Foods and Key Health Benefits They Provide - Dr. Axe.
- Salt alternatives: Great alternatives to table salt are authentic pink Himalayan salt, ancient sea salt (Redmond Real Salt), and Celtic salt, which are all natural forms of salt and not processed in a lab.
5) Stay away from white processed rice and pasta.
- Alternatives for rice: The best source of rice are wild, black, brown and red rice. If you don’t have access to these, buy organic white rice in moderation (brown rice contains arsenic due to polluted soil).
- Alternatives for pasta: opt for sprouted or ancient grain pasta (Jovial brand). But if you’re allergic to gluten, then get gluten free options made of vegetables, legumes, etc. that do not have additives or preservatives. If you’re not allergic to gluten and you’re not a fan of the texture of the sprouted and gluten free pastas, then use the organic semolina pasta imported from Italy in moderation.
The main focus is alteration not deprivation. These food changes can occur one step at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Slowly eliminate these unhealthy food items and use the alternatives, while evaluating the progress in your health and state of mind. See for yourselves. 💜
✨A Lifestyle of Wisdom✨
**Please make sure you do not have any food sensitivities or allergies to any of the food items listed above.**
Disclaimer: Our experience, knowledge, and this blog reflect a daily healthy lifestyle, but are not intended to be used for medical advice. For medical advice, please contact a health professional.