It Starts with the diet: 5 ways to health
I am here to nourish this body. I am here to take care of this body. I am here to live a HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE, ORGANIC LIFE.
And SO ARE YOU. Say those words to yourself!
Having been a nurse going on 10 years, (4 years as an LPN, 6 years as RN), I’ve noticed that healthy living is a journey not just a destination, and everyone’s journey is unique and personal to them. I’ve worked in critical care, long-term care, rehab, integrative medicine, pediatrics, you may it, I’ve more than likely done it.
With this plethora of experience, I realized not everyone truly understands what it means to be healthy or how to be healthy, or what’s even considered healthy. Through this, I’ve discovered my passion and purpose in educating others on their journey to wellness. Hence the creation of WELLNESS WITH AARON.
In this post, I hope to educate you on living a Sustainable, Organic, Healthy life. I’ll share my journey of healthy living and I’ll share pointers from credible easy to digest sources about health & wellness.
Living a healthy life is not, nor should you believe, is hard to live or difficult to attain. The Universe has given us everything we need to live organic, sustainable, and healthy. When I say everything, I mean everything.
I believe the key to living healthy is living in tune with nature, by being more mindful, more present, calming the sympathetic flight-or-fight mind, and living more in the parasympathetic, rest-and-digest mind (a topic I’ll expound on later). Unfortunately, the food we eat today is far removed from nature; it is laden with pesticides, herbicides, it’s genetically modified, highly processed, and refined leaving it nutritionally sparse.
The United States diet is termed the “Standard American Diet” SAD! Now that’s just sad! (read here)
Unfortunately, a typical American diet does not contain the key nutrients to support a healthy disease-free human body. The food standard American eats is what I believe is the culprit to the many health diseases in developed, “1st World Nations” experience. Such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, strokes, heart attacks, atrial fibrillation, cancer, just to name a few.
I don’t want to scare you but I’m letting you know that you don’t have to choose that path and since you’re reading this post I’m going to assume that you DO NOT want to go that route. So, let’s dig in.
What’s A “healthy diet”?
A healthy diet is one in which you are consuming nutrient-dense foods in the right quantities from all the food groups.
There are many healthy diets available; search and find which one works for you, remember your journey to wellness is unique and personal. I prefer the Mediterranean diet.
I understand that this may be a bit daunting because there’s so much to chose from. So to lessen that here are 5 key things to look for when wanting to eat a healthy diet.
Learn how to read nutritional labels. Reading nutritional labels is so darn important. When reading nutritional labels read the ingredients and if there is anything that you cannot pronounce or is made in a lab-PUT IT BACK! The American Heart Association does a great job explaining how to read nutritional labels. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/understanding-food-nutrition-labels
Eat organic or visit your local farmers' market. Here are some (links on eating organic on a budget). Also, begin to grow your own veggies and/or some herbs at home. I personally enjoy walking up to my windowsill and clipping some fresh herbs to put in my dishes. Homegrown fresh herbs are AMAZING.
Begin to eat whole grains, the recommended consumption is 2 to 3 servings per day (~45 g). A study by Marc P. McRae, MSc, DC, FACN, DACBN, on Dietary Whole grains concluded that Whole grains show some evidence in preventing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and gastric cancers. What are considered whole grains? Whole grains are Why are whole grains important? They’re important because they are packed with key micronutrients and fiber.
Eat more fruits and vegetables. I cannot stress this enough. Fruits and veggies are packed with antioxidants, fiber, and micronutrients. All of which are essential for a properly functioning body. The fiber in fruits and vegetables helps to regulate bowel movements as well as feed beneficial gut bacteria. The antioxidants in foods are beneficial to help clear the body of toxins and free radicals. Also, always buy organic fruits and veggies to limit your exposure to pesticides and herbicides.
DITCH HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP. If you read this on a nutritional label, I’d suggest you stay clear of it. Studies have shown a link between HFCS and inflammation in humans. HFCS is an artificial sweetener made from corn syrup. So basically the regular sugar in corn, glucose, was changed to yield high fructose levels thus HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP. The problem is that glucose is readily absorbed and used by all cells but fructose, on the other hand, must be turned into fat then broken down to provide glucose. HFCS is causation of obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
I’ve recently begun listening to “The Doctor’s Farmacy with Mark Hyman M.D.”, he offers some great tips on eating healthy.
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Also, don’t hesitate to message me if you have any questions.
I love educating and sharing my knowledge on health.
Check out the Wellness With Aaron Podcast and Instagram
Until next time, Stay Healthy, Happy, and Wealthy, and remember Health is your Greatest Wealth.
“Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thine food” -Hippocrates
