1) Add two handfuls of fruit to your breakfast bowl. Enzymes, phytonutrients, vits, minerals, colour and general fun to the start of your day!
How to make it even better? Ditch the breakfast cereal, try chia seed pudding, porridge or overnight oats or even a green smoothie!
2) Add an extra portion of veggies to your plate at every meal. This could be raw salad or cooked veggies. The extra nutrients and fibre will make every cell in your body sing and keep that tum happy!
How to make it even better? Make sure that at least half of your plate (2/3 if you want to lose weight or have health conditions) is full of veggies
3) Reduce or eliminate processed foods. So that’s anything with a label. Eek! Many nutrients are processed out of these foods, dodgy oils & sickly sugar added and then artificial vits added to make you think it’s all ok. It ain’t. If it doesn’t grow in its natural state it shouldn’t form a large part of your diet.
How to make it even better? Eat at least 80% whole unprocessed plant foods and 20% or less processed and animal foods.
4) Get rid of dairy. This has no place in the human diet. It causes allergies, inflammation and cancer. The protein in milk is too high for us, which through a chain of curious events can encourage the body to lose calcium from its bones. So nope don’t drink it for the calcium either. It also contains pus. I know. So wrong. Oh and the dairy industry is exceptionally cruel and plays a hefty part in global warming.
How to make it even better? Check labels for dairy products, ask for food to be cooked in olive or coconut oil at restaurants. Look for plant based milks, cheeses, yogurts and ice cream (of which there are plenty these days) to replace dairy.
5)Reduce or eliminate animal produce. The protein from animal produce (meat, fish, dairy and eggs) is a ‘dirty’ source. Cholesterol, saturated fat, endotoxins, carcinogens, heavy metals. Meat often putrefies in the gut. If it’s not organic it will also have antibiotics and hormones as a nice little garnish….Mmmm…For optimal health, a plant based approach is the way to go. If you’re not ready to give up meat, eggs or fish yet, that’s ok, just reduce to a small portion 3-4 times per week max of organic produce. Oh and if the dirtiness doesn't put you off, maybe the fact that animal agriculture contributes to 55% of climate change, soil erosion and deforestation and the hideous conditions and cruelty that is the farming industry will.
How to Make it Even Better? Make veggie dishes the star of the show, get inventive, add pulses, nuts and seeds to your meals.
Make these changes and you will feel better and look better. Need more help to work this into your life? Drop me a line!
Ally van de Pol is a holistic nutritionist, healing diets coach (graduating 2020) and Naturopath in training (graduating 2022).