THIS IS NOT AN AI GENERATED ARTICLE
Think about what you do every day.
When you’re trying to be conscientious of holistic choices and options it can feel overwhelming.
When trying to go “back to basics” the first thought that comes to mind is water, and certain food groups you would have to have on a regular basis in order to be somewhat healthy – fruits, veggies, grains and meats.
Let’s take a VERY simple approach to water (and every other topic mentioned).
Drink Filtered Water
Your body requires a certain amount of water. Our bodies lose water every single day through different bodily functions, so whether you sweat it out or pee it out, your job is to replenish it with more water on a regular basis, especially since water keeps each system in our body functioning properly.
20% of our daily water intake comes from food – the other 80% needs to be made up in drinks.
The amount of water you should be drinking varies from person to person, but a good general rule to follow is the 8 glasses a day rule. However, if you’re exercising, spending time outside in the heat, or if you’re pregnant, then you should up that water intake and make sure to get a MINIMUM of 8 glasses a day.
You’ll know when you need to up your daily water intake if you regularly feel thirsty or your urine is a dark color.
Eat Organic Fruits
Fruit is nature’s treat. Most people like to save fruit for dessert, but did you know fruit is best consumed on an empty stomach before eating anything else?
Our body digests fruit faster than any other type of food. If you eat something starchy (like bread) or tough (like meat) first and save fruit for dessert, then that fruit gets held up in your digestive tract and starts to rot, leaving you with either an upset stomach or a bloated stomach because your body’s digestive tract is backed up. So, either eat fruit on its own, or eat it first!
Eat Organic Vegetables
They’re hard to eat sometimes, but you should include vegetables into every meal you eat as often as you can. Vegetables provide essential nutrients to help your body thrive. This is another type of food that should not be eaten after consuming starch or meat or else it could negatively impact the nutrients your body needs and the way your body will absorb those nutrients.
A lot of the benefits that come from fruit also come from eating vegetables, but vegetables are still important to consume on a daily basis.
Eat Whole Grains
There are three parts of a grain. When choosing to eat whole grains that means you’re consuming all three parts of the grain, as opposed to refined, enriched or fortified grains – these types of grains have two parts of the grain removed. Eating whole grains is the most nutritious choice.
Ideally, whole grains should be included in at least 2 meals a day.
Eat & Drink Grass-Fed Dairy
Dairy is a touchy subject. Everyone loves cheese and milk products, but nearly everyone has become lactose intolerant. What if we told you there may still be room for dairy products if you’re smart about the dairy products you shop for?
Greek yogurt is a great replacement for any yogurt products, and plain Greek yogurt can be used instead of sour cream for any recipe. Raw milk and organic cheese is always a better option since it doesn’t include a lot of the added processes that regular milk and cheese have. Even looking for “100% grass-fed” dairy products is better since it contains more fatty acids. Plus, it’s been proven that 100% grass-fed dairy products are creamier.
Eat Pasture-Raised/Grass-Fed Meats
Meat should be the last thing you eat at a meal. This takes the longest to digest and will hold up other foods from being digested if eaten first.
Fun fact: your risk of getting food poisoning is less likely if you eat grass-fed meat instead of conventional meat where cows are fed grains. When choosing a healthier meat option be sure to look for pasture-raised/grass-fed options.
Now that we’ve got the basics covered we’ll dive deeper and go over the benefits of consuming filtered/organic/grass-fed drinks & food in another post.
Stay tuned!
