By Gloria Agugua
As we celebrate our sweet mothers and amazing ladies, I want us to get inspired. Whether you’re a mama with a million things on your plate, or just an over-achiever who keeps self-care on the side lines …. why make wellness wait when there are simple ways to fit it in on the fly?
WE NEED TO TALK and keep talking about conscious eating – what it means, how it looks and why it’s important. We get inspired, then we get busy – it’s a cycle as old as time. It is so easy to get wrapped up in our busy lives and lose sight of our wellness resolutions. These tips offer easy ways to sneak some healthy into your daily routine:
ON EMOTIONAL EATING: Our motivation for eating often has nothing to do with hunger. It is important to get to the root issues behind our emotional eating habits, both for holistic health and to balance our body’s systems. It is also important to keep our emotional states balanced. You can find healthier ways to deal with your emotions, learn to eat mindfully instead of mindlessly, regain control of your weight, and finally put a stop to emotional eating. Stop feeding your emotions!!!
ON THE VALUE OF FATS: Not all fats are created equal, but the ones that are best for us offer benefits that range from weight maintenance to hormone balance. Processed fats such as vegetable oil, cotton-seed oil, and corn oil should be avoided, especially for high heat cooking.
ON COOKING THE RIGHT WAY: Most vegetable oils are actually industrial seed oils that release unhealthy compounds when heated. Coconut oil and genuine olive oil are the best options for cooking.
ON DAIRY + MEAT: It’s important to be aware of the source of proteins like dairy, meat and eggs. Often times, they carry antibiotics and pesticides absorbed from contaminated food sources, all of which is transported to our systems upon consumption. We should eat grass-fed meats, free-range eggs, and raw, organic dairy whenever possible.
ON AVOIDING SUGAR: Cutting out sugar is key, especially processed versions like high fructose corn syrup, including those found in non-obvious sources. Most people don’t realize how simple and complex carbs shift into sugar when our bodies process it, and this causes as many issues as plain sugar.
ON LABEL LIBERATION: We should aim to eat foods without labels. When eating food that does come with a label, look for ones that list as few ingredients as possible and read the nutrition facts to find the most nutrient-dense options.
ON CONDIMENTS: Condiments are an easy way to make whole-foods as delicious as their less healthy, processed counterparts. My preferred condiments include turmeric, kelp, and garlic.
ON BARGAIN BUYING: Buying food that is less complex and less processed is automatically less expensive. Buying from local farmers is
another way to save cost especially during the recession.
The essential Gloria! Buy from local farmers? Where are the farmers? We will try to do it your way; after all, it could be a way of managing the recession. Thanks for the tips.