Nothing changes if nothing changes
In today's world, with access to vast amounts of information, there is a lot of confusion surrounding nutrition.
It's important to realize that everyone's nutritional needs are unique. Your nutritional needs depend on sex, age, symptoms, diagnosis, food sensitivities, predispositions, hormone health, diseases, health goals, gut health, and so on. Instead of following what others are doing, focus on your own requirements.
Seek guidance from a professional, but keep in mind that making changes can be difficult but worthwhile. Ultimately, you are responsible for your health, and no one can make the changes but you.
If you listen and follow the functional nutrition wellness community, you hear everything from:
Eat enough protein daily for healthy muscle mass, satiety, and fat-burning;
Eat berries for antioxidants or other low glycemic index fruits for diversity and health benefits;
Practice time-restricted eating or intermittent fasting for hormone balancing, addressing insulin resistance, and kickstarting autophagy;
Go gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free, and eat an anti-inflammatory diet overall (this is me shouting it out loud in my “Why gluten-free, dairy-free pdf.). PLEASE READ IT HERE!
Cook your meals at home to avoid inflammatory seed oils, contamination, plastic containers, and other unhealthy ingredients like MSG, table salt, etc;
Don't eat fried or fast foods- focus on real foods that come from nature in their purest form (fruits, veggies, leafy greens, organic meats, fruits, gluten-free grains, and healthy fats);
Eat healthy complex carbs like rice, sweet potatoes, baby potatoes, plantains, beans, and the occasional gluten-free pasta;
Eat 2 cups of leafy greens a day in a salad (arugula, all types of lettuce, parsley, coriander, dill, and other leafy greens you like);
Have diversity to feed your microbiome- I talk more about this in my "Eat the rainbow" pdf;
Eat healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, olives, avocados, eggs, and good-quality mayo;
Eat cruciferous vegetables for liver detoxification, especially for women over 40. I talk more about this in my "Liver Detox" pdf;
Eat enough fiber to ensure daily bowel movements- essential for health, hormone balancing, and a marker of a healthy body overall (you don't poop, you don't detox);
Drink enough water and tea, but stay away from sodas and sugary drinks. I aim for 2 liters of water every day, plus my tea;
Eat spices and culinary herbs for both flavor and health benefits. Learn how to cook more international meals to benefit from an array of spices. More recipes in my GUT-TERRAPIA COOKBOOK and on my blog;
Eat fermented foods daily to add a healthy amount of probiotics and fiber and to retrain your taste buds, especially if you are a sugar addict;
Eat meat, but not too much! You can have a healthy protein intake from meat, but also other sources like protein powders, lupini beans, fish, seafood, tempeh, and tofu;
Eat the rainbow! Teach your kids to eat the rainbow.
Don't eat 3 hours before bed.
Don’t snack too much, preferably at all between meals.
WHERE ARE YOU?
HAVE YOU FIGURE IT OUT YET?
WHAT DO I EAT?
Now that I am a woman over 40, I have different nutritional needs that I had back in my 30’s and different health goals (hormone balancing and liver detoxification).
I eat three meals and a snack every day, and cover most of the requirements just mentioned. Do you want to know how and what I eat? Here we go!
First thing in the morning, I drink my elixir because "always water before coffee," but my elixir is more than water. It contains a bunch of healing nutrients that your body desperately needs. More about this some other time.
I always drink black (no sugar, no milk) Turkish cardamom coffee with a tsp of collagen powder and a serving of mushroom powder, with multiple health benefits like immune support and mental performance.
My breakfast is a high-protein smoothie five times a week because I work out in the morning and need a high-protein meal that won't be hard to digest. Also, breakfast (break the fast) should be a nutritious meal that won't be too heavy on your digestion after 10 hours of non-eating. A smoothie is a great way to include protein powder, other powdered supplements, low glycemic fruits like berries, and other ingredients. I try adding as much diversity through my smoothies, so I follow a rainbow chakra approach. On Mondays, I make a red smoothie (beets, pomegranates, raspberries, strawberries, etc.). On Tuesdays, I drink an orange smoothie (carrots, oranges, peaches, turmeric, apricots, cantaloupe, mango, etc.). On Wednesdays, I make a yellow smoothie (banana, pineapple, ginger, lemon, etc.). On Thursdays, I make a green smoothie (parsley, kiwi, cucumbers, spinach, lime, moringa, etc.). On Fridays, I choose a purple smoothie (blueberries, blackberries, plums) or I make a brown smoothie (think cocoa and tamarind), if I don't eat eggs or something else for brunch.
For lunch, I make sure to have 50g of protein (think 200g of grilled chicken), some carbs (rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, or beans), and cruciferous vegetables for diversity, fiber, and liver health (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, cabbage, etc.), some kimchi or sauerkraut, and healthy fats (mayo, avocado). Or a fish/chicken stew type of meal.
Snack/dessert- I drink 600ml herbal medicinal tea, eat two mandarines (citrus for vitamin C), and have 2-4 squares of dark chocolate as my sweet treat between lunch and dinner, not after.
For dinner, I always eat a salad with protein. Think arugula, parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, pomegranate arils, seeds, and radishes with your protein of choice (aim for 40g), with healthy olive oil. Or some protein with a veggie soup.
I eat my meals between 8 am and 4 pm and fast for 16 hours in between to reap the health benefits of TRE (time restricting eating). Essential for women over 40 for hormone balance and weight management.
On weekends, because we have more family time, we cook eggs or other stuff for breakfast or brunch and sometimes eat out like sushi or Thai food, for diversity and also peace of mind :))
It’s all about balance!
GUT TERRAPIA COOKBOOK
You can find more recipes in my new cookbook.
Check it out on Amazon.
As usual, these are my thoughts and ideas, not medical advice. You are encouraged to create your own recipes or search for some suited to your needs. I am just sharing my recipes, hoping that I can inspire some of you to make healthier choices.
Please remember that we all have different nutritional needs and that food affects us differently. If you are not sure which foods are best for you, reach out for a free phone consultation.
In good health,
Ioana