Steer Clear of Refined OilsThrow away your vegetable oil, corn oil, and crisco. Most oils, unless it says “unrefined,” have turned into trans fat because they have been processed at such high temps, changing the chemical composition of the oil. Extra virgin olive oil is unrefined and great for salads, but not so good for cooking, unless using low temps. And fats and oils are good!
The best oils to use for cooking:
Unrefined Coconut Oil
Unrefined Sesame Oil
Animal Fat (like bacon grease leftovers- you heard me right!)
Grass Fed Butter or Ghee
Get Your Vitamins From Whole FoodsGetting your much needed nutrients from fruits and veggies is so important. Yes, we can supplement with vitamin pills, but they are called “supplements” for a reason. Our body doesn’t assimilate the vitamins and minerals taken from pills as well as it does a whole food. A good practice is to eat dark greens (especially kale or collards) at least one meal a day, and try to eat lots of different colored veggies. The different colored veggies are high in different vitamins and minerals.
Purchase Good MeatStudies show that grass fed beef contains 2-4 times more omega 3s than grain-fed beef. Not to mention, they are not given antibiotics to be kept alive. A cow’s digestive system cannot handle corn, so a cow fed on corn is like a human eating mainly candy their whole life- imagine surviving on that! Purchase meat without antibiotics or growth hormones, and if it doesn’t say on the package, don’t trust it. Talk to your butcher if you have any questions.
Sugar is linked to Heart Disease, Diabetes, & CancerCut down on sugar, especially the refined white sugar we so often use in baking and adding to our coffee. And use your agave syrup sparingly or not at all. Better sugars to use are:
Sucanat (unrefined sugar)- great for baking and adding to coffee
Honey- not for baking/cooking, but ok to add after cooking
Maple Syrup- good for baking
Stevia powder- contains no sugar, but is a healthy sweetener and can be used anytime
Cut Down On Wheat (Or Avoid Altogether)The wheat plant has been hybridized, genetically modified, and is a very different plant than it was 50 years ago (even in the form of organic whole wheat). A number of issues are caused by eating wheat. For one, wheat products raise your blood sugar level higher than nearly all other known foods. For more info, check out “Wheat Belly” by William Davis, a preventative cardiologist. Cutting out wheat has improved issues like acid reflux, asthma, IBS, rashes, fatigue, etc.
Feel free to engage in your own research or shoot me an email if you have any questions.
– Leah Nelson, Massage Therapy Salt Lake City
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