Kerry McClure – Practical Wellness
May 18, 2015
What does wellness mean to you?
I feel extremely fortunate to work with individual clients, teach classes, write educational material, lead workshops, speaking engagements and retreats on information and tools to help people find “well-being” and “vibrancy” in their life and define what wellness means to them.
Working in the Wellness industry I’m continually asked “What should I eat?” “How do I lose weight?” “Should I eat vegan, paleo, gluten free, etc.?” “How much exercise should I do each week?” “How can I eat healthy on my budget?” “How can I reduce stress?” “How can I sleep better?”
Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet or single answer. To complicate matters further, there are so many conflicting theories, thoughts and ideas on nutrition. It’s confusing to say the least? No wonder the most asked question I get is “What should I eat?”
Personally, I don’t believe in “demonizing” foods, “dieting” exclusively to lose weight, or “depriving” people of foods they love. I do, however, believe that food is a highly individualized choice. Choice should be doable and sustainable. And, the choices we make are emotional, cultural, social, political and health related. In considering all of these entities, you make the best possible decision for your body and your life for where you are today, knowing that choices will shift as you move through your life journey.
That said, having lived (and continue to live) my own life shifts, studied the various dietary theories and working with clients every day, there are a few thoughts that seem to be consistent…
1. Choose foods that are closest to their original form and source. Eat real, whole food. Eating a variety of foods in moderation provides the opportunity to get a full range of vitamins and minerals in your body.
Here are a few guidelines that can help you stick to a whole-food eating plan:
Minimize consuming processed foods.
When choosing a processed food, read the label and pass on anything with ingredients you don’t recognize. Look for non-GMO or organic labels as much as possible – what your budget, time, and availability will allow for. In our home we use the rule of 5 – no more than 5 ingredients and no more than 5 grams of sugar.
Skip trans fats, which are hydrogenated oils that can be found in everything from margarine to fried foods to crackers. Basically your refined/processed foods. They can clog arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Minimize sugars and refined carbohydrates, which are inflammatory. Sugar can also cause a craving cycle of exhaustion, hunger and moodiness.
Eat S.O.U.L. foods as much as possible:
Seasonal, Organic, Unprocessed/Unrefined, Local.
Think the 80/20 rule. Eating whole-foods 80% of the time can make a big difference in your health and well-being.
2. Increase food quality – pass on pesticides & antibiotics.
Look for pesticide-free vegetables and fruit.
Check out the EWG’S Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 to help you make informed choices about the produce you buy:
Dirty Dozen 2015: http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty_dozen_list.php
Clean Fifteen 2015:
http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean_fifteen_list.php
Shop your local farmer’s markets. Local farm produce usually has fewer pesticides, is fresher, more flavorful and more environmental. Some farms do use pesticides, so ask.
Focus on high-quality proteins that are high in omega-3s, such as beans, legumes, walnuts and salmon.
When eating animal proteins, focus on hormone-free, antibiotic-free, humanely raised meat. Most factory-farmed livestock are raised in not-so-healthy conditions, and as a consequence are fed antibiotics to keep them healthy. They are also fed hormones to help them grow faster and bigger. When eating meat, look for antibiotic-free, hormone-free labels on meat and eggs. If you are unsure, ask. These foods can be more expensive so make allowances for budget and availability.
3. Know which foods positively and negatively affect your body. Tune in to what makes you feel energized and what makes you feel tired. Keep a food journal to help you.
Keeping a food journal is a great tool to discover unknown food sensitivities that cause symptoms not typically associated with food, such as moodiness, exhaustion, brain fog, pain in your body, inflammation or headaches.
Another tool to help you determine if you have any food sensitivities is to try a six-week elimination diet, removing the major allergens: dairy, gluten (including wheat), soy, eggs and corn. Then, add each back individually for 3 days per food. Notice how your body responds.
What ways are you working with to help you continue to be healthy, active and vibrant in you life?
Eat Well. Sleep Well. Stress Well. Move Well.
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