Trini's Rules for Eating for Optimal Health!
2) Digestion starts in the mouth, not the stomach. Chew your food thoroughly. You will encounter less digestive problems this way. An added benefit of chewing very thoroughly is that you get the full flavor, and thus the full pleasure, out of each bite. 3) Eat 5X or 6X a day, instead of 3X a day. But don’t eat the typical combination meal (protein, veggie, and starch). Instead, cut the starch out (protein/fat and veggie are a good combination because the veggies prevent constipation from the meat, and the fat in meat helps the body absorb the vegetables better). You want to try not to mix carbohydrates with either protein or fat, so when you eat fruit, just eat it by itself (sometimes I eat it with peanut butter though. A heavenly combination!). Aim for roughly about 1 or 2 servings of fruit, 2 servings of vegetables, and 2 servings of *protein per day, depending on your own metabolism, whether you live an athletic or sedentary lifestyle (probably somewhere in between), and whatever else may apply to your situation. Here is a general guideline: Early morning: **fruit (can be eaten with plain unflavored yogurt or peanut butter) Why try to avoid mixing protein and carbohydrates (without going to extremes)? Your body digests each food type differently. Carbohydrates and protein are not digested the same way. By eating the fruit alone, the meat alone, etc., you enable your body to fully digest (break down and absorb) those specific foods. Research has shown, though, that in order for our bodies to fully process vegetables, they need to be combined with fat-soluble vitamins, so I eat my veggies with real butter (no fake stuff - remember, the fat is beneficial), and when I eat meat I'll often wrap it with lettuce (green leaf, red leaf, or romaine are good choices. Avoid the nutrient-defunct iceberg)). If you need a snack or refreshment between meals, or as a substitute for sports drinks during exercise, buy a good power juicer and drink juice you make yourself. You can get really creative! Mix carrot juice with apple juice, for example. Do not rely on bottled juice you buy at the store. This is not real juice! All of it, even the orange juice in the refrigerators, has been pasteurized. This means they have been cooked to eliminate bacteria and other harmful things, but it also means all of the vital vitamins and enzymes are destroyed. The natural sugars of the fruit (fructose) are changed into a more harmful sugar (sucrose) by the cooking process. All of the juice you buy at the store has been pasteurized… which means it is not real juice! You must make it yourself! The same goes for milk. It’s all pasteurized, cooked, fake. By eating as outlined above, you get maximum absorption as you are eating only one kind of food at a time. Just do not stuff yourself each time you eat. Eat only until you are satisfied, not full. This may be difficult at first for those of you who are used to eating large plates of food at each meal (usually a protein/starch/veggie combination), but remember that you are now eating more often during your waking hours, so eating less at each meal makes sense. 4) Drink enough water without going overboard. Going deep on this topic is not necessary, as we all often hear that we need to drink water. I don't personally believe you need to drink gallons of water a day, unless you’re chronically dehydrated. Even then that approach is somewhat excessive. If you are on a natural foods diet, you are getting more fluid in your diet than the average American, because of the large portion of vegetables and fruit (that contain fluid) you consume. Sip water throughout the day--more during and after a workout. Keep yourself hydrated, without trying to drown yourself, and you’ll be fine. As with food above, less more often is better than more less often. 5) Listen to your appetite. If you are eating natural foods, your body isn't being saturated with sugar (carbohydrates and starch), so your sensitivity to food will be higher than the average population. This is a great opportunity to develop mind-body awareness, by listening to your appetite. We are fearfully and wonderfully designed creatures. When your body needs protein, it will tell you. You will crave a steak or fish or something. When it needs fiber or vitamins, it will crave fruit or vegetables. By developing a sensitivity to your appetite, you will have a better understanding of how to eat right. * I do not believe in, nor will I ever advocate, a strictly vegan or vegetarian diet. Eating naturally does not mean eating vegetarian. Human beings are omnivores, which means our bodies require nutrients taken from both plant and animal sources. This website is about fitness, and the building blocks of protein are absolutely essential for developing strong muscles. Plant-based protein sources are not as readily digested and utilized by our bodies as the animal-based, which is why tofu is no substitute for the real thing. Treat yourself to a marvelous steak tonight! ExoticMeats.Com - All Natural Farm Raised Game and Specialty Meats delivered Straight to Your Door! ** A good way to eat fruit in the morning is to take several fruits, like a banana, an orange, and a cup of strawberries, peel and chop, then mix into a fruit bowl. Be creative with fruit combinations, but avoid overeating, as it is much easier to consume a large bowl of fruit salad than a few pieces of fruit eaten sequentially (speaking from experience!). The Amazing Smoothies Site has a great ebook full of information and recipes on creating delicious fruit smoothies. An excellent way to get your breakfast on-the-go, or as a cold refresher after a hard workout. *** Avoid cow’s milk and consume goat’s milk whenever possible, because the large proteins of cow’s milk were not designed for human digestion, which is why so many people are lactose intolerant. Goat’s milk, on the other hand, is much more human-compatible. Also, avoid pasteurized milk, and drink certified raw milk whenever possible.
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