If you have ever eaten something that leaves you feeling like you shouldn't have eaten it; you know your body is telling you something. Our bodies have this amazing way of reminding us what it wants and needs. We can get into eating cycles that are convienent and often times it isn't a healthy habit.
Knowing what fuels our bodies to feel the best doesn't have to be laborious, but it does take an effort to examine what few changes could be made. Knowing what causes inflammation in the body is a HUGE part of this food equation, it is its own TED talk. There is another blog that details those foods.
The first step is to look at the foods you like, gravitate towards ; are they good for you? Moderation is the best measure for the foods that don't make the 'good for you' food list. Chips and Coke ? Let a goal be to limit the coke little by little so soon enough its 2 Cokes a week and not 7. If you eat chips everyday swap out a few days with fresh cut cucumbers and dip. If you love sweets; find a healthy alternative a few times a week, gradually making refined sugar sweets an occasional treat and not a daily habit. White bread and butter at every meal, no greens to be found, fiber intake low and carbohydrate intake high... these are workable intake changes that won't melt your brain trying to figure out. **If you have food allergies or foods you just do not like, seek out what works for your eating style inside the list below.
Realistic food planning and execution is the key here. Fast and quick elimination dieting tends to leave the person wanting what they ' can not' have, which leads to wanting the unhealthy food more and the cycle of unhealthy food choices ensue.
The second step is to know your budget and buy what you will eat. The health industry is a business, it can fare us all well when we are smart consumers. At the grocery store you can find a box of 12 snack cakes for $4, yet a fresh salad from the deli is $8. Ramen noodle packs are 75cents, an organic noodle bowl is $5. Olive and Avocado oil run up to $15, store brand vegetable oil is $3. Buying the the most expensive items do not mean they are the best for you either. When making your shopping list , buy what you need then, and add higher priced items as you want to introduce them. Making a healthy habit takes a few weeks.
Finding what you like and stick with, will empower you to make more healthy choices.
Below is a printable list of Anti-Inflammatory foods - as any food , some of these may cause inflammation if not eaten in moderation - exp. tofu, tomato, and animal protein.
* compiled via Harvard Health, Mayo Clinic, Arthitis.org *20yrs exp. Danalynn is a nutrition coach, LMT, Lymphatic Drainage Specialist, Athletic Rehab Specialist, Childbirth Educator, HypnoBirthing Practitioner
