First Semester Ruminations

It has been several months since my last post, and many apologies for the delay. I started school in September and needed all that time to adjust to my new schedule. The first semester was a great success and I truly love the field of nutrition. It's an interesting, relevant subject matter and for future posts, I will try to write about how it relates to skin health.

So, what did I learn from my first semester? What are the keys to true physical health and general well-being?

#1: Compromised health = compromised you. Be selfish about your health and realize that it's a priority. Without it, you can never really be 100% present for yourself and your loved ones. If I can't sell you on that argument, think about it like this: it's cheaper to be healthier in the long-term.

#2: Eat whole foods. What are whole foods? Foods that are in their most natural state, foods that came straight from the farm to the grocery store shelves. If your diet mostly consists of food that doesn't come out of a box or can, your body will thank you and reward you in time.

#3: Eat a variety of whole foods. That means eating fruits and veggies that are different colors and textures, and also eating different meats. To make sure I get this variety, I employ a simple rotation diet. For dinner on day 1 on the "diet", I'll prepare 1.25 lbs of grass-fed ground beef with 1 red pepper, 1 tomato, 1/2 an onion, 2 cloves of garlic and various spices, and I'll pair it with a simple green salad or sauteed spinach with minced garlic, onion and red pepper flakes. It's simple, fast, delicious. This is enough food for my boyfriend and me to have dinner, breakfast and lunch the next day. The following day I will make some roasted chicken, the next will be pork chops or lean sausage and the fourth day will be some sort of fish. Depending on availability at the store, I will make sauteed kale, sweet potatoes, spinach or salad on those nights. At first, it is a little strange to eat leftovers for breakfast and lunch, but after a week or so, it becomes very routine, satisfying and extremely cost-effective! Even if you can't commit to this type of eating, eat different foods everyday whenever you can!

#4: Eat organic when possible, and even if you can't, keep eat non-organic foods anyways! We all know the studies---organic foods have less chemical residue than non-organic foods. Sometimes the organic varieties are unavailable or too expensive. Don't stop eating healthy fruits and vegetables just because they're not organic! If you have to prioritize, try and spend your money on antibiotic/hormone-free, free-range meats and dairy products since these foods are higher on the food chain and toxins tend to accumulate in the fats of animals. For non-organic fruits and vegetables, wash them thoroughly to remove as many chemicals off the surface as possible.

#5: Cut back on sugar and think about cutting out wheat. Aside from instant gratification and immediate energy, sugar really has no benefit for the body. Don't totally deprive yourself, but if you cut back on it, your body will respond by dropping weight and craving it less. You might also derive the same benefit from cutting out wheat from the diet. The few people who I have put on wheat-free diets (and this means no bread, pasta, cookies, cakes---unless you get the gluten-free kinds) have experienced weight loss, energy boosts and being freed of their wheat cravings. This may not happen with all people, but it's worth a shot if you're trying to get rid of your belly paunch. Yes, these foods are comforting, but they're extremely addictive. Why let these comfort food cause so much discomfort by eating them regularly? Make them a special treat instead of a daily habit.

#6: Drink plenty of water. Water is vital for strong, healthy blood circulation and is even associated with a reduced risk of kidney and bladder cancer.

#7: Exercise regularly and however you can. Even if it means parking far away from a store entrance or taking the stairs instead of the elevator, don't forget to exercise. The human body moved to evolve and evolved to move! Movement supports bone and muscle strength, which helps your body stay younger longer and gives you energy. It also favors development of muscle, a tissue that is more active and burns more energy (i.e., calories) than fat tissue.

#8: Get to bed early, by 11 at the latest. It makes a difference.

#9: Manage your stress. Everyone has it, but how do you respond to it? Do you lash out at loved ones? Experience crying fits? Feel you have no control over your life? Unfortunately, our bodies haven't evolved to successfully manage chronic stress, so we need to help it by finding an activity or exercise to relieve it. Letting chronic stress rule your life can result in a bevy of ailments---why don't you conquer your stress instead of letting it conquer you?

#10: Get some perspective. Why are we always finding something wrong in our lives? Why does it usually take some sort of tragedy to remind us of what's important? When you die, you're not taking anything tangible with you. The people you leave behind are your true legacy and the true measure of your success, so why not spend your energy cultivating relationships that matter instead of worrying about things you don't or can't have? Participate in activities that make you feel valued, productive and alive, and remember that our time on this earth is limited. Spend it loving and being loved.

This post is related to a previous post, but the lessons here only reinforce what I've said in the past. If you care about your inside, your outside will reflect that investment.