Creating a Healthy Environment
Did you know that how you feel on the inside affects how you act on the outside ? Of course you do ! When you’re upset, your body feels and looks different. You may get hot, become stiff, adopt certain facial expressions - sometimes in an instant.
How does this relate to health? In a nutshell, it’s called “emotional eating.” When one is in a great mood, one is more likely to reach for a quality, nutritious plate of food. When one is in a bad mood, one is more likely to reach for an unhealthy plate of food.
In aiding ourselves and our families transition to & thrive in a healthy food environment, here are four great tools:
Take a Break from Emotional Eating. How? First, cultivate awareness. Emotional eating is incredibly common. Yet stuffing our emotions down our throat will actually make them physically heavier. If you want a break from this type of eating, I suggest beginning with stating to yourself: “I know this is emotional eating. I am aware that this is emotional eating. And I’m going to do it anyway.” And now - ENJOY what you’re eating ! Instead of disconnecting from emotions and the food you’re inviting into your body-temple, choose to embrace the situation. Focus on the taste, on the nostalgia that food triggers. Note the ingredients in what you’re eating - which your body was craving. That is the first important step. Eventually, it is a great exercise to refrain from emotional eating sometimes, saying: ‘I’m going to refrain from emotional eating. I’m going to choose to think about this situation. I’m going to talk to someone about this situation. Or write. Or Draw. I’m going to deal more directly with this situation. I am not going to push this deep down inside of my physical body. I do not want to do that. I want to face this.’
No Need to Rush. On the go? Feel like you need to grab a bite, a drink? To sip as you walk? Bite as you drive?! You may be doing yourself a disservice, ultimately. In our relatively Speedy Lifestyles, this type of ingestion can be quite common. And when you’re “On The Go”, you may be likely to grab something all-too-’convenient’, ‘easy’, ‘available’. You might walk into a fast-food shop you know isn’t good for you because you believe that you need it - to start your day ! To be able to keep going… I can relate. And it’s not the end of the world. If we recall the main thing I stressed in my first article, it was: Be Kind to Yourself. Or as my Grandma always advises: Take Good Care of Yourself ! Tip: Buy a good thermos and prepare delicious healthy drinks to take with you; tea, shakes, soup ! Pack healthy snacks, like trail mixes & produce. You’ll be doing yourself and the environment a great service.
Let’s Get Real about the Ingredients In Our Food. It’s summer season. It’s hot outside! We want something cold. Great! But before we bring something into our sacred homes, let’s get real. The choice comes down to natural or not. Yet the word “natural” on a product means very little today. Whole foods, especially produce, are the essence of “natural”. So here’s my wholehearted recommendation: Freeze grapes. Freeze pieces of banana, or your chosen favorite fruit. Blend them if you wish. Add spices or nut/seed butters if you like. Let’s stay away from refined white sugar in our homes. Let’s stay away from overly processed, overly sweetened, overly-preserved foods/ ‘treats’. Let’s invest in our health and in the health of our loved ones. It’s simple !
Going Healthy Means Going Organic. Conventional produce contains pesticides and herbicides. It has also been shown to contain significantly less nutrients than Organic produce. Sprayed throughout the growing process, washing or peeling conventional produce doesn’t help much. And the peel is supposed to be the most nutritious part anyway ! Where to start? First things first. Check out the “Dirty Dozen” list, which lists the produce that you should buy strictly organic. For the best prices, focus on the produce that is in season and therefore in abundance & in-budget. You’ll feel better. Your body will be better nourished. You’ll be aiding your overall detoxification process... And you’ll be paving a revolutionary, more vibrant culture for your family and community.
Creating a healthy food environment is a worthwhile effort. Watch & see: The world will thank you