Welcome! This page is full of more information and resources for each point in the Eat Smart Printable. Enjoy learning more about simple ways you can eat well today!
1. Butter It Up!
Fat is essential to our body’s make up and functions. Fats have gotten a bad rap because of the increase in over-processed vegetable oils that are actually toxic to our systems. We can enjoy fat again when we go back to old fashioned, natural forms of fat, like butter and minimally processed coconut and olive oils. Adding good fats into your diet can help regulate your hormone system, balance blood sugar levels, and even help you lose weight!
Further Reading:
- Good Fats vs. Bad Fats: Myths and Facts on Fat (with a great infographic to help you choose good fats!)
- The Skinny on Fats–get the low-down on why saturated fat is actually our friend (news flash: butter ain’t the cause of heart disease!)
Recipes
- Make Your Own Mayonnaise Video–a tasty source of good fats!
- Switch to good fats by making your own salad dressings–Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe
- More info and full-fat recipes in the Your Real Food Journey cookbook!
2. If it Crunches, Cook it!
Cellulose is form fiber, and thus helpful for cleaning out the digestive tract. But it is also difficult to digest, so gentle cooking is a good choice for many vegetables. If you’re concerned about getting your vitamins in, focus on nutrient dense vegetables (look for organic produce in bright colors like broccoli, sweet potatoes, and beets) and consider learning how to make cultured vegetables (like sauerkraut). Culturing foods can increase the bio-available nutrients by as much as 200%!
Further Reading:
- Simple explanation of why most of us benefit from lightly cooking our vegetables from…from Healing Our Children
- Another great reason to cook your vegetables…from The Healthy Home Econimist
Recipes:
- My kid’s favorite ways to eat carrots, broccoli, and beans…are all in this book!
3. Chew Your Food!
Chewing your food, or mastication, is the first step in digesting your food. Most of us need all the help we can get in the area of digestion, so it’s silly not to learn more about this free, easy digestive aid!
4. Get Cultured!
Before refrigerators were invented many foods could only be preserved by culturing, a process that assists the good bacteria to multiply and keep the food from rotting and to extend shelf life. The loss of most of these cultured foods from our diet has left our intestines dangerously deficient in good bacteria and enzymes crucial to digestion. We can turn our digestive issues around, as well as boost our immune systems by making cultured foods a regular part of our menu.
Further Reading:
- 10 Reasons to Eat More Cultured and Fermented Foods…from Nourishing Joy
- How I Get My Kids to Eat Cultured Foods
- How to Make Sauerkraut–and eat it too!
Recipes To Make Your Own Cultured Foods:
- How to Make Kefir {The Simplest Cultured Dairy}
- How to Make Yogurt {Easiest Recipe Ever!}
- My cookbook contains simple instructions for 8 different cultured vegetables!
5. Light A Candle
Getting dinner on the table is challenge enough, but actually sitting down and savoring it seems nearly impossible sometimes. Yet a reducing stress and hurry at meal times can be one of the most important things we do for our digestive health. Light that candle to remind you that .
Further Reading:
- How Stress Wreaks Havoc on Your Gut–And What To Do About It…from Dr. Mercola
- Flexible Meal Planning–a great way to reduce stress at dinnertime!
- How to Actually Enjoy Learning to Eat Well
Recipes
- 7 Real Food Breakfast Champions
- Real Food Lunch Ideas {My 3 Top Strategies}
- 30 Real Food Dinners {Our Family Favorites}
Now, I know that all that is a LOT of information, but I want you to know that there is a way you can begin to make steady progress in your health without getting overwhelmed. I lay out simple steps and a stress-free approach to eating well in my book, Your Real Food Journey.
Get your guide for the journey here.