Next on a wellness program after exercise, water and sleep is real, whole food…not not be confused with hole food…in one hole and out the…oh, never mind. Eating real, whole food means doing your best to eat food that is minimally processed, if at all.
The more food is altered, the more nutrition is lost. Oftentimes vital parts are tossed aside, sometimes to be added back later in synthetic form (that makes a bunch of sense, huh?). Nature has well perfected the design of food and the more humans tamper with that design, the less natural – and the less healthful – it becomes.
Raw Food
Oftentimes the advice is given to shop just the perimeter of a grocery store. This is mostly sound advice, depending on the layout of your store. Items from the produce, fresh meat, and dairy sections should dominate your shopping cart. Throw in there some dark starches (bread, rice, pasta), cold-pressed olive oil, beans, pulses, nuts and legumes. Shop organic as much as possible.
Become a label reader! Avoid any foods with amazingly long lists of mysterious ingredients and anything that contains partially hydrogenated oil of any type (cotton, palm, etc.), MSG, high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweetener. Stay away from low-fat, no-fat, low-sugar, and sugar-free products as much as possible. We’re aiming for real food here. It is only real, whole food that satisfies and nourishes.
What’s all this hype about raw diets? Foods in their natural state have all the enzymes needed for that food to break down in your body. No enzymes need to be pulled from your system to do the digesting. Habitually pulling enzymes from your body can compromise your immune system. It’s like having a house guest that arrives with his own toiletries, clothing, entertainment and a food source. What a pleasant house guest! On the other hand, nothing is more of a drain than a house guest who arrives with no supplies and depends upon you for all his hygiene needs, change of clothing, food and entertainment. What an absolute drag! And dragging is what you’ll be doing if you eat only processed food and nothing raw! Try to make much, if not most, of your diet from raw foods in their natural state (and most of your friends raw, not processed!).
Remember, you are what you eat. Choose to be real and whole…and ohhh, so delicious!
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Happy, healthy, and whole are three interconnected concepts that are essential for achieving a balanced and fulfilling life. When we are happy, we feel a sense of joy, contentment, and well-being that positively affects our mental and emotional states. When we are healthy, we are physically strong, resilient, and free from illness, allowing us to engage in the activities and experiences that bring us happiness. When we are whole, we are in a state of balance and alignment, with all aspects of our being – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual – working in harmony.