Written by Dawn Berthelette
One of the most basic and fundamental skills that almost all animals teach their offspring is how, when and what to eat. This knowledge is passed on to the younger generations, ensuring that they survive into adulthood to have children of their own. It’s natures way. As important as it is, in most modern cultures humans seem to have stopped passing this valuable information on to their children, resulting in multiple generations of people without the practical knowledge and skills necessary to find and or produce our own nourishment. As a direct result of this the current state of physical and mental health here in the US (and many other places around the world) is alarming. Diseases that historically developed later in life are showing up more and more in children. The rates of chronic preventable disease are such that some project, if we continue down the path that we are on, the US will be bankrupt due to health care costs by the year 2030. Currently only a small percentage of people follow a way of eating that would be considered a biologically appropriate diet for humans, but the numbers are growing as more and more information is available to us. We all need to educate ourselves about food…and preferably to pass that knowledge on to someone else.
Taking control over what we put into our body is the ultimate form of freedom. Just like horses or fish, we humans have a biologically appropriate diet that supports our health…you wouldn’t feed hay to your goldfish, would you?
Every cell in our body is directly affected by what we consume on a regular basis. Proper nutrition can provide us with everything that we need to grow strong, resilient and adaptable. Unfortunately the conventional food system does not provide us with the nutrients that we need to be well.
Clean eating means eating in accord with nature. It isn’t complicated or really that expensive, but it is different from the Standard American Diet. Modern dietary recommendations are often contradictory and can be very confusing, which is part of what is creating our population of overfed, undernourished and very sick people. Stick to the foods that are provided by nature, in their whole form (or as close to it as possible), and consume seasonal, fresh and local foods most often. To simplify things even further, Eat Mostly Plants. Focus on quality and variety. When choosing animal products, be sure to select those that have been fed and raised well so that you get the most nutrition possible. Avoid foods that have been sprayed with toxic persistent pesticides (conventionally grown produce) and know your sources. It takes more effort to change things at first, but the benefits are many an dit quickly becomes second nature. Progress before perfection. Since food influences your hormones, your brain chemistry, your immune system and even your gut flora, you have the power to create a better you with every bite.
Simple Tips For Eating Clean In 2018
- Shop For Real Food – eat mostly plants
- Read Food Labels – choose smarter brands
- Plan Ahead – if you fail to plan, you plan to fail
- Batch Cook – cook once, eat multiple times
- Keep It Simple – simple recipes, few ingredients
- Educate Yourself – learn about Our food system
- Vote With Your Fork – purchase from ethical sources
- Progress Before Perfection – one thing at a time, create sustainable habits
- Reach Out For Help – utilize the help of a professional
About Dawn
Dawn is a real food junkie with a passion for inspiring positive dietary change in others. As a Natural Foods Chef and Integrative Health Coach Dawn has developed a passion and skill for helping others to create balanced wellness in their own lives by using real food as one of the foundations to good health. After her culinary training, in her quest to reverse the effects of a poor diet and a sickly childhood, Dawn received her certificate training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and quickly realized her innate skill as an educator, speaker, presenter and cooking instructor. Dawn enjoys helping people of all ages to see how very simple and rewarding it can be to live and eat in harmony with the cyclical rhythms of the earth and is grateful for the opportunity to provide culinary nutrition education and support in her community. www.sustainableharmonyandwellness.com