Eating for health
This week we discuss nutrition and eating for health.
Nutrition: healthful food to fuel your body.
Positive nutrition can provide energy, boost immunity, improve overall health
Harmful eating patterns can lead to diabetes, heart disease, strokes, other health conditions
What matters? Calories, fat, carbs, protein? Is there a magic bullet? Whole foods - veggies, whole grains, fruits, legumes, seeds, nuts
Try to target the 80-20 rule. Eat healthful foods 80% of the time and occasionally (20% or less) allow yourself to eat things that are less healthy.
We discuss how to find healthy food and what to look for on labels, ingredients to avoid (high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweetener, etc)
Eating out can pose a challenge to healthy eating. Even a salad can have hidden ingredients that may add calories or reduce the health value.
Food we eat affects the microbiome of the gut. Plant based diets can promote growth of healthy bacteria in the digestive system.
We can help restaurants change the food they offer by increasing the demand for healthy options
How to shift your diet - aim for the 80-20 rule
Consider joining a CSA or vegetable coop
Think of it as an adventure in eating
Prepare food yourself
Meal prepping for the week works well for some, meal planning is another option, or consider joining a meal delivery service
Avoid purchasing or baking foods that may get you off track. The once-in-a-while foods can be bought once per month or on an intermittent basis. Try to have similar healthier substitutes instead.
Even if you can change one meal a week, you’re making progress
Many of us continue to face challenges with healthy eating at work or school. Less healthy snacks are often readily available. We can work as a community to improve these over time.
“Eat food. Mostly vegetables. Not too much.” - Michael Pollan
Menu for a week
Day 1
Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs with a slice of whole grain toast
Mid morning snack: trail mix with nuts, seeds, dried fruit
Lunch: Mixed greens with quinoa, protein (chickpeas, grilled chicken, or tofu), peppers, cucumbers, chopped carrots with vinaigrette
Afternoon snack: apple slices dipped in peanut butter or sunbutter
Supper: Chickpea & broccoli burritos, side of berries
Dessert: Avocado dark chocolate mousse parfaits with strawberries
Day 2
Breakfast: Green smoothie (1/4-1/2 cup spinach, 1/4 or 1/5 banana, 1-2 tablespoon peanut butter or sunbutter, 1 tsp ground flax seed, soy or almond milk)
Mid morning snack: cheese slices
Lunch: Left over amazing chickpea & broccoli burritos
Afternoon snack: Cottage cheese with 1/3 fruit
Supper: Roasted asparagus with garlic and olive oil, baked salmon with parmesan herb crust, side of quinoa seasoned with turmeric
Dessert: Berry and chia seed parfait (I use 1/2 the maple syrup and only berries for the topping)
Day 3
Breakfast: Whole grain toast with avocado slices
Mid morning snack: 1-2 protein bites
Lunch: Left over parmesan salmon and quinoa over mixed greens with balsamic vinaigrette
Afternoon snack: Berry and chia seed parfait
Supper: Lentil tacos from Thug Kitchen
Dessert: Smudgies (2 mashed bananas mixed with 2 tbsp peanut butter or sunbutter between two graham cracker squares, wrapped in foil and frozen)
Day 4
Breakfast: Steel cut oatmeal with seeds, almond slivers, or cottage cheese stirred in. Add cinnamon +/- nutmeg if needed for a dash of flavor
Mid morning snack: Veggies with hummus
Lunch: Reheated lentil tacos
Afternoon snack: Avocado slices with whole grain crackers
Supper: Kirsten’s salad (inspired by a favorite at Market on Front in Missoula, MT): Green leaf or romaine lettuce, grilled or baked lightly seasoned chicken, chickpeas, roasted sweet potatoes, chopped dried figs or dates, quinoa, crumbled goat or feta cheese, balsamic vinaigrette
Dessert: Yogurt with berries
Day 5
Breakfast: Protein muffin
Mid morning snack: Apple slices with peanut butter or sunbutter
Lunch: Left over salad, add toppings from the week (remaining salmon or chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, quinoa)
Afternoon snack: Trail mix with nuts, dried fruit, seeds
Supper: Whole roasted cauliflower (this is amazing - first had it in NYC and had to make our own), Evolved lentil wrap, apple slices
Dessert: 2-3 pieces dark chocolate (70% dark or darker - this will prevent over-eating)
Day 6
Breakfast: Muslii with greek yogurt (be on the lookout for excess sugar in yogurt)
Mid morning snack: 1/2 protein muffin
Lunch: Left over lentil wrap, reheated roasted cauliflower
Afternoon snack: Honey peanut butter protein energy balls
Supper: Greek turkey sliders
Dessert: Apple nachos (apple slices drizzled with sunbutter or PB and sprinkled with dried unsweetened coconut flakes)
Day 7
Breakfast: Baked eggs in avocado from popsugar.com
Mid morning snack: celery sticks dipped in PB or sunbutter
Lunch: Left over greek turkey sliders (so good!)
Afternoon snack: cottage cheese with 1/3 fruit
Supper: Garlic butter baked halibut on bed of roasted asparagus or green beans
Dessert: Peanut butter and banana yogurt pops - good for dogs too!