When we are helping our body to heal and rebalance after too much sugar and processed carbohydrates there are four keys 'add-ins' to try and incorporate into each meal, see how you get on!
Good fats
These are omega 3 fatty acids > fish oils, flax/linseed, chia seeds, nuts and seeds. These are the super good fats which speed up our metabolism, are anti-inflammatory, provide the ingredients that create healthy cell membranes, provide the building blocks for all our hormones and are essential for every process that goes on in the body. Adding-in fat also slows down the digestion of food and evens out the blood sugar, it helps you feel more full and satisfied and adds yummy flavour!
You can do this by;
- Making salad dressings with flax oil
- Have-ing oily fish 2x a week
- Seeking out local food stuff from farmer's markets
- Snacking on nut and seed mixes
Good protein
This includes vegetable protein from pulses and beans, nuts and seeds, good quality meat for example from pasture-fed animals, eggs from grass-fed hens. Protein is another blood sugar stabiliser it is also essential for repair and growth within our body. When we have been in the sugar cycle for a while our bodies will need some healing and repair, particularly our gut. You can do this by;
- Adding lentils into one-pot stew and soup recipes
- Stirring nut butters/tahini into porridge, muesli
- Topping a meal with a poached egg
- Sprinkling a seed mix onto a salad or soup
- Having a snack pot of nuts and seeds
Hydration (yes drinking water IS nourishing!)
We need approximately 2 litres of plain water depending on how much exercise you are doing and fruit and vegetables you are eating. Being fully hydrated makes everything flow more easily. If we look at things from an holistic perspective change and healing can only occur when we are hydrated. When we are dehydrated this creates a stagnant environment where change and healing is difficult. If you feel you don't drink enough plain water, try adding in one extra cup every few days so your body has a chance to catch up and be ready to receive the extra water. We can also hydrate by;
- Soaking wholegrains before we cook them
- Soaking nuts and seeds so they are easier to digest
- Having more herbal teas and less tea and coffee
- making natural fruit waters
Live food
By this I mean nutrient rich raw food including salads and smoothies and juices (if these don’t trigger you), soaked nuts and seeds. Live food is full of enzymes that support digestion and healthy functioning within the cells. You can add extra live food in the following ways;
- Adding a large salad to every meal
- Eating sprouted seeds and sprinkling them on everything!
- Adding soaked nuts and seeds to your meals
- Adding fresh herbs as sprinkles
- Add fruits and veggies of different colours to a salad
Preparation
Get organised! Batch cook, make a meal plan before you go to bed for the next day, keep a list of snack ideas handy