Thursday 11 June 2015

Health Over Your Life- Food and Drink


One of the most frequent questions I get asked is how do I start with my health-over? What are the small changes I can make? I am on a mission to get rid of all harmful chemicals from my life from processed foods and drinks to the beauty products I use and household cleaning products. However many people want to just make a few easy changes in their life to help them reach their optimum health, but let's be honest it can be daunting and difficult to know where to start with all the difference of opinion out there! I am going to do a few health-over posts to do with beauty, home, lifestyle etc in the next few weeks but let's start with the main topic everyone always wants to discuss.....food and drink!

Here are some of my main daily health hacks:

- Hot water and lemon, first thing in the morning, it's an oldie but a goody and a great start to the day. Hot lemon water acts as a digestive aid and sets up the digestive system for the day.

-Drink drink drink, no sorry I don't mean alcohol! Water -you should aim to be drinking about 2litres of the good stuff each day. Your kidneys will thank you for it, and as your kidneys are in charge of cleaning out your system (more on this later) your skin, nails, hair, mood will benefit too!

-Preparation is key, I always try to meal plan each week and if I am at work the next day I will make my lunch that evening to make sure I am not caught short trying to run around finding a fresh food lunch (so much harder than it should be!)

-Healthy snacking, it's so easy if you are prepared. I always carry a banana and almonds or some raw protein balls in my handbag for on the go snacking. So no need to pick up a shop bought "health" bar : read- if it comes in a packet, has more than 6 ingredients and you can't pronounce or know what most of them are chances are it's not good for you!

And now for some quick health swaps:


Breakfast

No breakfast- Green Juice Please please please try to give your body some nutrients at the start of the day, if you are someone that really can't stomach food until lunchtime then start of with a green juice packed with antioxidants and nutrients. :)

Cereal/ Granola- Porridge or Smashed Avocado/ Eggs/  Natural Peanut Butter on Rye Bread Unless the granola is homemade or from a reputable health food company (have a quick check at the ingredients list - yeah that healthy looking packaging has disguised the fact it's actually not healthy at all!) Cereal and Granola are packed with sugar - normally more than a pastry - yes even those "healthier" types, special K I am looking at you! Swap for a home made porridge with seeds, nuts or fruit toppings. Alternatively have a source of protein on some toasted rye bread.



Lunch

Sandwich / Wrap - Sushi or Homemade Lettuce Wrap.
Sandwiches and wraps especially shop bought are laden with wheat and gluten, even if you don't have an intolerance to these ingredients they are inflammatory foods, meaning the digestive system and the gut has to work harder to break down these foods and process them through the body. Give your gut some loving and opt for some sushi (not tempura- sorry guys I know I'm so mean) or make your own wrap at home and make a wrap out of big lettuce leaves.

Pasta Salads/ Tinned Soup- Chopped Salads/ Homemade Soup.
Ok so now I am picking on pasta - but as before pasta contains wheat and gluten, unless it is rice or a wheat alternative pasta then by all means stick with this :) Tinned soup- again just take a quick glance at the ingredients list and chances are sugar and emulsifiers or preservatives are in that list! Make salads fun by making chopped salads- throw lots of different salad and vegetables in a blender, whizz until roughly chopped and top with a tahini salad dressing- if you want to look like a pro health nut why not add quinoa into the mix?! Oh and you got it- want soup? Make your own!



Dinner 

Oh the possibilites are endless and mostly self explanatory....here are a few of my favourites:

Chips/ Potatoes- Sweet Potatoes

Pasta- Rice Pasta/ Quinoa/ Courgetti

Noodles- Sweet Potato/ Carrot Noodles
(side note: buy a spiralizer it will change your life- this may be a slight over exaggeration)

Pizza/ Cauliflower Pizza
Go on - try it!

Shop bought Sauce / Homemade Sauce
I'm looking at you pasta/ curry/stir fry sauces- get inventive in the kitchen!


I could go on forever but let's be honest I don't have the time- I am a busy bee at the moment!
 My main rule to eating and drinking healthier is to use wholefood ingredients and avoid where ever possible anything processed with added unnatural ingredients.
I hope this has been helpful to some of you. 
Let me know any of your health hacks!

1 comment:

  1. Yum!! All these healthy food items look so delicious. I would love to have such yummy diet foods. I wonder if you have any yummy recipes for the herbal Green energy drinks then please share here!!

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