3 Secrets to Start Eating Clean
Now that I’m a mom it is so important to me to make sure my son eats a clean diet. Toxins in food are linked to so many health issues and I want to do everything in my power to protect him from eczema, ADHD, asthma and all the things. Even for myself I’ve seen huge improvements in my life after switching to clean foods. I used to get headaches and migraines on the regular until I switched my diet.
I know there is no way to protect ourselves from everything but I find peace and happiness in knowing there are some things I can control. To me, this is just a part of taking responsibility for my health and the health of my family. By choosing the highest quality clean ingredients, I know I am doing the best that I can to treat their bodies like a temple and keep them healthy for life.
Another think that beings me happiness is sharing what I have learned with others. I don’t want to keep any of this information to myself because I know it can be helpful for you too, so let’s get to it!
3 Ways to Start Eating Clean
Limit processed foods. This will limit the toxic load on your body and give it space to heal and give you more energy.
Processed foods are full of all kinds of junk. They are full of synthetic and artificial ingredients that aren’t truly food. Most fillers, preservatives, colorings, and flavorings in processed foods are chemically made or derived from things that shouldn’t be eaten. They aren’t natural and are hard for our bodies to digest and filter. Take food colorings, for example, If you eat any candy or sweet treat that is red, you may be consuming red dye 40. Red dye 40 is made from petroleum and other chemicals. Doesn’t sound like something you would actually want to eat, right? I know it may sound like a huge feat to cut out your favorite candy or packaged food but it’s actually a lot easier than you think. When you start removing toxins and eating real foods, fake foods aren’t appealing to you anymore. I used to live on candy, I loved all of it but I haven’t had a piece of candy in years because the last time I did all I could taste was chemicals. The taste wasn’t appealing to me anymore. In no way do I share this to say “Look at me, I did it”, I only share as encouragement to you. So that you know it is possible because I have been where you are and I’m on the other side, enjoying all kinds of yummy foods.
Start reading labels. Instead of just looking at the front of the package, flip it over and look for the ingredients.
Have you ever heard of the term “greenwashing”? In my own definition it’s an advertising claim that is made that’s vague or misleading to make you want to buy something. This happens in food packaging all the time. Recently I bought a new brand of chips because they said avocado oil on the front. When I got home with them (and had eaten half the bag) I realized that they weren’t just made with avocado oil, they also contained seed oils. That’s why it’s so important to flip a package around and read the ingredients list, you can’t trust the front claims. In my opinion, the ingredients are even more important than calories and the nutrition facts. If you start reading labels and put everything back that includes artificial flavors, synthetic fillers, processed sugars, trans fats, and anything you can’t pronounce then you will start to automatically see a huge shift in your health.
Get to know a local farmer. Buying organic is great but many local farmers use organic practices and their produce will be much fresher.
This one is definitely a secret! Just because a farm isn’t certified organic doesn’t mean that they aren’t producing amazing veggies and meats using organic practices. Ok, so it may not be a secret to you but it took me a couple of years to realize that there are good local options if you just get to know your farmer. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and even ask to visit their farm. I have found that if a farmer is into clean eating and wants to produce good quality items they will love to share how they handle things with you. This is also a great option if you want to eat more nutrient-dense foods. Local food will have more nutrients because it doesn’t have to be picked early and travel across the country or globe.
Looking for More Info?
I know it can seem like so many changes at first, but take it one small step at a time and don’t be afraid to ask for help. I’ve made a free guide to help you start to reduce your toxic exposure. It gives you three simple steps to take and if you are needing more help from there my Nourished Living course gives you all the information you need to start eating clean, nourishing foods. It explains more in depth why it is important, gives you clean brand recommendations and a shopping list to take to the grocery store.
My goal is to help you see how choosing real, quality foods can change your health. For me, it helped me to get off of my meds and gave my body the space to create life but for you it could be more energy, fewer headaches, mental clarity, healing from PCOS or thyroid disease, there are so many endless possibilities!