Don't Label Your Food

Here we are! Almost to the end of our "Back to the Basics" series. Let's wrap it up by talking about recommendation 7 & 8.

First, take a multi-vitamin. I know people who spend hundreds of dollars on fancy vitamins. I personally like Melaluca's vitamins when I am not taking prenatals. I don't sell them, but my wonderful Grandma does, and she doesn't pay me to say that either. :)

However, keep in mind, something is better than nothing, and more expensive does not always equal better quality. Right now, I am still working my way through the bottles of prenatal vitamins I got while I was pregnant and nursing my youngest. Many of you know that I battle seasonal depression (S.A.D.) so my supplementation is geared towards that. You'll get a whole post on that subject. For now, DO THE BASICS and take a multivitamin.

Last, avoid chemicals or substances that are harmful to your body. A good motto to live by when it comes to food, if God didn't make it, don't take it. Alcohol, tobacco, drugs (pharmaceutical & illegal), caffeine, aspartame, artificial flavorings & coloring, nitrates, phosphates, msg, the list goes on. These things should be limited and or avoided entirely. Alcohol and drugs are big obvious no-no's. The other additives are sneaky and inconspicuous.

Are you overwhelmed yet? Don't be! An easy way to avoid all the additives and unnatural chemicals is to follow the 5 ingredient rule as much as possible. The more ingredients a product has, the more likely it is to have additives in it that aren't good for you. For example, how many ingredients do you think peanut butter has? Two, maybe three, tops? Skippy has 6 ingredients; 3 of which are different types hydrogenated oils, SUGAR and salt. Seriously, do we need sugar in everything? Natural peanut butter has 2 ingredients. Peanuts and less than 1% salt. Not bad. See, you're learning already. The fewer the ingredients the better.

The ultimate food, "God's Food" is the food that is so special it doesn't even need a label. Apples, broccoli, eggs, honey, water...you get the point. If you really want a challenge, see if you can make an entire shopping trip buying only label-free superheros. It's easier than you think.

Here's a simple day worth of examples:

1. Breakfast: Scrambled egg whites, cooked steel cut oats with chopped walnuts and berries
2. Snack: Apple, handful of almonds, lemon water
3. Lunch: Large salad with greens, grilled chicken, olive oil vinaigrette
4. Snack: Celery with natural peanut butter, lemon water
5. Dinner: Grilled salmon, asparagus, roasted sweet potatoes drizzled with olive oil and cinnamon
6. Dessert: Sliced peaches

Yum! Can you imagine how wonderful you would feel after eating this healthy for a day, for a week, for a year, for the rest of your life? Start today. Why not take advantage of "God's food" and start feeling better today?