In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to fall into the trap of convenience foods laden with trans fats, artificial flavors, and preservatives. These quick-fix options might save time, but they can wreak havoc on our health in the long run. As a health practitioner, I see firsthand the impact of poor dietary choices on physical and emotional well-being. The good news is that with a few mindful adjustments, we can significantly improve our health. Simple dietary changes supercharged with natural flavoring ingredients are at the heart of this rescue plan.
Simple basics to improve your health
Some simple basics to improve your health are:
1. Incorporate Good Oils: Include more good oils in your diet to help your heart and circulation function, lubricate joints, maintain healthy skin, provide brain food, and improve sugar control.
2. Plant-Based Fiber and Antioxidants: These are the basic fuel for improving energy and healthy bowel function. Antioxidants, found abundantly in fruits, vegetables, and whole foods, protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals, reducing the risk of chronic diseases and promoting longevity.
3. Adequate Filtered Water: Ensure you drink enough filtered water to aid liver and kidney function and to keep your blood circulating efficiently throughout the body.
Throughout this blog, I will share insights and practical tips to help you understand the critical role these elements play in your health. By the end of this read, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to make informed choices that can transform your diet and, ultimately, your life.
Good Oils: The past and present
I remember my mother-in-law saying that the milkman with his horse and cart delivered olive oil with the milk. The oil was pressed out of the olives without heat, ensuring it retained its medicinal properties. The olive oil was a vibrant green color with a few small leaves floating in the bottle. This pure oil needed to be used quickly, adding rich flavor and health benefits to salads and bread because it contained no chemicals or preservatives.
Today, refined and adulterated cooking oils dominate the market. These oils are designed to withstand high heat and repeated use without going rancid, making them convenient but harmful. Fast food, often mistaken for a proper meal, is high in bad oils that clog arteries and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, fatty liver, and other chronic diseases.
The impact of poor dietary choices
Cardiovascular disease causes the death of one in every four Australians, according to the Australian Heart Foundation. Additionally, 37% of Australians are estimated to have fatty liver disease, which can present symptoms such as a dull ache in the upper right abdomen, morning nausea, fluid retention, poor sleep, or irritable bowel. Incorporating a high-fiber, antioxidant-rich, low-saturated fat, high plant-based diet can help prevent these conditions.
Good oils were never meant to be deep-fried or battered, nor should they be packed with artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. Oxidized bad fats contribute to inflammation, obesity, diabetes, fatty liver, immune deficiency, and heart disease. Remember that fish don’t have fingers, and in Australia, nuggets mean gold, not chicken! So don’t be fooled—let’s aim for the gold standard, or green for foods that come in nature’s original packaging. Be mindful of food addictions and how they're manufactured to keep you coming back for more. Always read the ingredient list on the packet and check what the additives do to your physical and mental health.
Making healthier choices
Now is the ideal time to swap deep-fried and snack foods for better options. The choices on children's menus can be particularly alarming, contributing to rising ADHD symptoms due to a lack of essential omega 3, 6, and 9 fats. These essential nutrients are missing in both children's and adults' diets.
It can be a family tradition to eat too quickly, not drink sufficient clean water, suffer from depression, have excess belly gas, or experience constipation. These behaviors can be inherited and learned, but they don't have to be your destiny. Small ears have long memories, but we can change unsatisfactory thinking and behaviors with mindful practices.
Good oils can be found in olive oil and other cold-pressed oils such as macadamia, walnut, pumpkin, hemp seed, flaxseed, poppy seed, avocado, and coconut oil.
And let’s not forget to enjoy nature’s unprocessed seeds and nuts that are high in good oils. While cold-pressed oils cost a little more, you need less, and they are highly nutritious. Remember to keep cold-pressed oils in the fridge and enjoy their natural flavor in salads, pesto, hummus, on whole grain crackers and bread, or add to food after cooking.
The power of antioxidants
Antioxidants play a vital role in protecting our cells from damage caused by free radicals. You can increase your antioxidant intake by using fresh, natural ingredients and cooking methods that preserve their nutritional value.
Aim to include a wide range of colorful fruits and vegetables in your meals. Opt for whole grains, nuts, and seeds that are packed with antioxidants and healthy fats. They’re perfect for a nutritious snack. Dark chocolate (with at least 70% cocoa) contains flavonoids, which are potent antioxidants. Drink green tea. Use herbs and spices such as turmeric, cinnamon, oregano, and ginger, which are excellent sources of antioxidants.
Take in more legumes such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas. These are not only high in antioxidants but also provide fiber and protein.
Putting a simple meal together can be easier than you think. Start with natural ingredients to make a simple home-cooked meal. Students in our Nutrition and You cooking classes and many dinner guests have asked what I use to flavor the vegetables. Nothing special—I start with a little water, keeping the lid on the cooking pot to retain valuable antioxidants and minerals in the meal. This enhances the natural flavor of the veggies. Adding a little flavorsome cold-pressed olive oil to the veggies at the end of cooking is magical, nourishing your arteries and veins and helping to reduce oxidized cholesterol buildup.
My motto: start the cooking process with a little water and end with a little good oil. I do this with most of my cooking: stir fry, casseroles, a pot of mixed veggies, Nutrition and You Dahl, wild and brown saffron rice, etc.
Cold-pressed oils will lose their flavor, antioxidants, and nutritional benefits when exposed to high heat, so use them in salads, homemade pesto, or protein shakes. For our furry friends, we add some organic hemp oil to their lunch for good omega 3, 6, and 9 to help reduce the risk of illness and heart disease. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, or good oils as we’ve been calling them, like omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, have been shown to enhance the body's antioxidant defenses.
Good oils strengthen and lubricate the endothelium lining in arteries, veins, the gastrointestinal tract, and the lungs. They also assist vasodilation (expansion and contraction of arteries) for good blood flow in the preventative management of cardiovascular diseases such as elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol, and blocked arteries.
Conclusion
Incorporating a high-fiber, low-saturated fat diet alongside good oils and antioxidants can dramatically enhance your health and well-being. Embracing natural, minimally processed foods helps to break free from the cycle of unhealthy eating habits. By making conscious dietary choices, you not only reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and fatty liver but also promote overall vitality and longevity.
Remember, it’s never too late to make positive changes. The journey to better health begins with small, manageable steps, and each choice you make brings you closer to a healthier, happier life.
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