Ever worry how “Dirty” our dietary world is. We hear daily of new products we shouldn’t be using because of toxicity and new links to cancer. Oceans are contaminated, air is polluted and many foods are poisoned. So, what can we do to minimize our exposure and take care of our precious bodies? Well, one of the best steps is “Clean Eating.”
Clean eating can mean eating whole foods without any artificial ingredients. Think of foods your great grandmother would recognize and eat (no hard to pronounce, long names!).
Some of the easy ways to do this is to:
- Eat more fresh vegetables and low carb fruits
- Avoid or limit processed foods
- Always read the labels (but try to stick to things with no labels at all)
- Avoid carbs & sugars in any form (even a low carb diet can have these)
- Avoid vegetable oils and spreads, especially hydrogenated ones
- Choose foods high in protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals not empty calories
- Make water your drink of choice
- Substitute with vegetables, stevia or spices in recipes that require sugar or salts
- Organic Foods are your best & safest bet for minimal toxins
- Enjoy your food, savour it. It’s ok to have a dessert, but make sure you are choosing quality clean ingredients as well (do not worry, we can help!).
Let’s say you have been good with your main meals but your sweet tooth is leading you into temptation. You can still choose wisely and have a delicious but clean dessert. Avoid unsafe sweeteners like Maltitol, Aspartame, Saccharin, and excessive sugars like high fructose corn syrup. And don’t forget to look out for dangerous chemical preservatives, colours and additives (including extra gluten).
So, in this Dirty World, treat your Precious Body well by Eating clean!
See you next time for another “A Healthy Nugget” blog by our guest blogger Dr. Sandra Daoud, O.D.
