The 10 ACTION COMMANDMENTS 4 WELLNESS NUTRITION – by Dr. Nick Araza

 

Yep, Its This Serious

WHO’S (bon)FIRED UP  TO MAKE SOME POSITIVE CHANGE?

Dr. Stephen’s Well People Eat was fantastic, and I wanted to use the positive energy (and heat) we all generated last night to give people some  ACTION STEPS to make it simple getting started or refocused.

1. Add, don’t take away.  People often associate change with terrible loss, and that doesn’t have to be the case.  First things first –  let’s focus on being sufficient in getting enough pure foods, and not focus on what bad stuff is in your diet.  You can’t get to a positive by running from a negative…you must run toward a positive (for example, you won’t ever be rich by trying not to be poor)!  Create the life you deserve!
2. Fruits and veggies first:  Eat a fruit or a veggie before every meal.  This ensures that you will get the nutrients your innate genetics need to produce health and homeostasis in your body!  Plus, it will take up some of the room in your stomach, so hopefully you won’t be able to fit as much of the bad stuff in.
3. Always shop on a full stomach:  The battle is won or lost at the point of purchase.  It is much easier to make logical decisions about what to purchase at the grocery store when we are not hungry.  We all know that if a food makes its way into the basket, it is going to be eaten.
4. Stay on the periphery of the store: That is where the live and healthy foods reside.
5. Real food goes bad; if it doesn’t go bad, it isn’t good for you:
   1. The more nutrients and health in a food, the more organisms want it.  If bacteria doesn’t want your food, chances are, it isn’t food, and you should toss it.
   2. Store food has been created to be stored, not to give you health, so try and avoid foods with labels or packaging.
6. Understand the ingredients:  Real food has real, natural ingredients like blueberries and almonds.  Fake food has “natural flavorings” to trick our tongues, and chemicals to preserve them.  Usually these ingredients read something like “monosodiumdiaoxylglutamicfuranicmethylwhattheheck???”   By the way - what the heck is a “natural flavoring??”  Last time I checked, “natural” isn’t a flavor.
7. Keep the ingredients list to 5 or fewer:  The more ingredients, the more man/woman has messed with the food, and therefore, the less likely it is a real food.
8. If it has a health claim, it probably is NOT healthy: Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food, explains that the loudest foods in the store (cereal boxes, dairy and juices) are often the most toxic, and the quietest foods in the store (fruits and veggies) are often the healthiest.
9. Evaluate food choices by thinking about how you will feel post-consumption:  It is absurd when you think about the 23 hours 57 minutes of pain, suffering and guilt you get when eating a donut/Big Mac/pizza, etc. for the 3 min of joy you get while eating it.  Think about what you would want to eat post-workout (for example, after you’ve just finished a really great workout, would you rather have a Big Mac or a smoothie?).
10. There are NO failures - only feedback!  Do not waste time or stress hormones on feeling guilty – look at what you eat in terms of choices, with a goal of becoming healthier.  This is not a diet (destination), it is a way of life (journey).

YOU CAN DO IT  - CREATE THE HEALTH (LIFE) THAT YOU WANT!

Know that we are in your corner; your success is our success.  Please keep us informed of your successes and ask for help if you are struggling and/or need direction.  Remember we are a team, and we are proud and grateful to be your health coaches.

Fight 4 Health,

Dr. Nicholas Araza DC