Eating healthily does not have to be boring and a lifestyle full of plain salads. Eating clean and healthily is actually what a normal 'diet' should be anyway! Our bodies and how they function are a direct consequence of the foods we eat, the products we use and the environment that surrounds us.
Every bite of food we eat is digested and broken down and used to transport nutrients to every cell in our body. If we eat highly nutritional, fresh and natural foods we are designed to eat, we will be providing our bodies with a healthy variety of vitamins and minerals, keeping illnesses at bay, our skin, hair and nails shining and strong, and our organs functioning to their very best.
Here are 5 simple yet life-changing tips for how you can eat clean:
1) Buy organic foods where possible.
The difference in nutritionally dense foods when bought from sustainable farms is shocking. If you can, buy from local organic market stalls that not only support local farms, but you will also know that they really are fresh and haven't been transported for miles on end to reach your plate.
2) Wash your food.
Modern agricultural methods have meant that tonnes of pesticides have been sprayed on crops so much, that the impact is having detrimental effects on our health without many people realising it. Although some pesticides are waterproof, it is still best to wash fruit and vegetables as much as possible to try and remove any harmful chemicals.
3) Hydrate.
Drink, drink, drink and drink more water. It is essential for your body to function properly and even by underdrinking by a litre a day can be the cause of dry skin, poor memory and added strain on your heart. Aim to get into a daily habit of having slightly boiled water with a slice of lemon each morning, and carry filtered or bottled water everywhere you go to sip at throughout the day. Sometimes when people feel hungry or bloated, this is usually because their body is crying out for water.
4) Eat a rainbow of foods.
The more variety of fruit and vegetables you eat, the more variety of vitamins and minerals you will be eating. They all have a vital part to play in looking after our bodies inside and out, so why not have fun with some tastes and textures in your food?! Salads are great for this as you can chop up some orange and yellow peppers, mix in some homemade courgetti, a slice of lemon and a drizzle of lime, red onion and tomato salsa and parsley sprinkled on top. Delicious! Light, cheap and packed full of flavour and nutrients.
5) Grill, steam or bake
The way that we cook food determines how many nutrients we digest. If we fry, boil or microwave food, the nutrients are essentially lost making the food we have just prepared and cooked, almost nutritionally worthless. Changing the method of cooking will have a huge impact in the amount of vitamins you're digesting (and you won't have to even add to your shopping list!). Try steaming, blanching, grilling or baking to maintain as many nutrients as possible. One great tip, is if you are preparing a stock or gravy, use the water in the pan underneath steamed vegetables as many 'lost' nutrients will have trickled down.
Even if you try just one or two of these tips, I can promise you will feel a lot leaner over the next few weeks. It may seem difficult to adapt at first, but these are easy habits to make that will really change your lifestyle for the better.
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